Designer crafts special coins to mark the PRC's 70th anniversary

By Wu Jin
0 Comment(s)Print E-mail China.org.cn, October 18, 2019
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The 150-gram gold coin, front side on left. [Photo/pbc.gov.cn]

A commemorative gold coin has been issued to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC).

The coin, adorned with peonies, lilies, ribbons and pomegranates, was released by the People's Bank of China (PBOC) with a face value of 2,000 yuan (US$281.80). The designer, Wu Guanying, a 64-year-old professor from the Academy of Arts and Design at Tsinghua University, shared the background behind his design in a recent interview with the China News Service. 

Wu was one of the principal artists who created the mascots for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, as well as the chief designer of the Fu Niu Lele mascot of the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games. This is the first commemorative coin he has designed.

Wu's process for fulfilling the assignment involved developing two different concepts. The first depicted six children from different ethnic groups in song and dance. The edge of the coin featured ribbons, Chinese knots and butterflies.

"The design is straightforward to reflect the solidarity of all 56 ethnic groups in the country, "Wu explained, but the coin's limited size, with a diameter of no more than 100 millimeters, prevented the artist from including all 56 groups.

"While completing the design, I needed to take into consideration the face value and the Chinese slogan of the anniversary that are supposed to be showcased on the coin." Wu said.

His second concept presented clusters of flora, among which the pomegranate symbolizes unity, the lily stands for harmony and the peony conveys prosperity. The flowers were ornamented with ribbons and traditional Chinese knots, an indigenous cultural element that Wu particularly chose to accentuate.

Finally, the second design was adopted, which according to Wu is more imaginative and representative of traditional Chinese culture.

"I have witnessed the rapid development and transformation of our motherland since the 1950s. Personally speaking, I have made many designs along the changes of the times, which I hope I can continue to keep up with," the professor said.

In addition to the gold coin, Wu also designed a silver commemorative coin simultaneously issued in honor of the anniversary, with a face value of 300 yuan.

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