Although he's not a believer, designer Yang Cheng-chung traveled to Italy on behalf of the R.O.C. where he was chosen to design a commemorative coin for the Holy See. Through this he has left his mark on the history of Roman Catholic commemorative coins.

The 38-year-old Yang Cheng-chung from Ilan County, Taiwan, graduated from the department of sculpture at National Tainan Academy of Arts. After graduating he entered the field of advertising. He has held the position of head of the designing department at Brain Advertising Co., Ltd.

Even at the age of 31 Yang Cheng-chung had already made some accomplishments. In spite of his high paying salary, he quit his job and took his wife to Italy in 1982. "At that time I felt as if I couldn't go on working. Advertising is very competitive, with fast changes and lots of responsibility," he says, "There was no time to think or rest. I was very busy and very tired."

One year later he began studying Italian, and applied to the Rome Academy of Arts. He also applied to Istituto Poligrafico E Zecca Dello Stato, where he later became a regular student. The main purpose of the commemorative coin is to recognize an important event or person. In European history the commemorative coin occupies a special position; it's considered another way of recording history.

There are just a handful of schools throughout the world which specialize in coin design, and the Instituto Poligrafico E Zecca Dello Stato, which is affiliated with the National Mint of Italy, is one of them. Like the other designs of this school, the Italian coins which it produces are world famous. Mint designers from around the globe come to this school for short-term study. Last year the R.O.C. sent three designers from the Central Mint of China to study there.

Yang Cheng-chung says, "Designing a commemorative coin is not an expression of one's own thoughts, but the use of one's own composition to express things which other people wish to relay or interpret."

After a month of pondering, he finally came up with an idea for a design for a commemorative coin. It depicts the Pope kneeling down and praying. In the background a flock of doves soar towards the sky. On the reverse side is a single semiabstract flower. Its petals are made up of fourteen bishops in prayer, signifying the church, which is handed down from one generation to the next.

"Perhaps it's because I'm not a member of the church that I'm able to transcend the confines of religion," Yang says, "Many designers stick to religious designs depicting sheep, wheat, or candles, yet these things have appeared on coins all too often. The Holy See doesn't feel that they are novel."

Later on in the Pope's library, Yang Cheng-chung came in first place among eighteen designers. Second and third place went to two well-known Italian designers.

Last year Yang Cheng-chih graduated from the Rome Academy of Arts. He hopes to remain in Italy for two more years and produce some works, after which time he will return to the R.O.C. and have an impact on the domestic field of designing.

He also hopes that his work will become international, saying, "Afterwards, I want to travel back and forth between Italy and the R.O.C. and learn new things, so that my work will not be confined to one area."

Yang Cheng-chung's next goal is to design a set of coins or commemorative coins with international recognition for the R.O.C.

[Picture Caption]

The commemorative coin for which Yang Cheng-hcung won first place in the commemorative coin contest to mark the twentieth anniversary of the La Convocazione Del Concilio E Cumenico Vaticano Ⅱ. Seen above is the front of the commemorative coin which depicts Pope John Paul Ⅱ kneeling in prayer. The reverse side of the coin is seen at bottom.

Pope John Paul Ⅱ meets with Yang Cheng-chung in his private church.

Yang Cheng-chung and family.

Yang Cheng-chung and family.

Pope John Paul Ⅱ meets with Yang Cheng-chung in his private church.