Wan Shan Jiu 5696: A Fusion of East and West in Baijiu Packaging

Zhang Yanhui's Award-Winning Design Melds Cultural Elements in a Unique Triangular Bottle

The unique properties of this design lie in its triangular bottle, a solid and stable form that combines the triangle decorative elements of western architecture and the eastern thought of "Three begets all things of the world". The 3D metal badge on the bottle represents the beliefs of both the western "Knight" and the eastern "gentleman", reflecting the high quality of the product. The bottle is surrounded by images of worldwide landmarks, expressing the hope to spread abroad and communicate with the world.

The realization of this design involves a three-dimensional relief of world-famous landmarks on the bottle, producing a visual and emotional association of travelling around the world. The stereoscopic carved metal badge further reflects the quality and grade of the product. The gift box size is 325*155*115mm, and the bottle size is 248*82mm.

According to Zhang Yanhui, the design naturally arouses the attention and emotional resonance of the users as it combines the landmark with the product. This could boost the spread and promotion when associated with urban culture, architectural environment, art exhibitions, commemorative activities, and tourism. Both the packing box and bottle could be used for display and present as a work of art or collection with little discard and waste.

The project started in November 2021 in Wuhan and finished in June 2022 in the same city. The design research focused on finding a new breakthrough and direction for a global-oriented high-end product in the homogeneous Baijiu market of China. The inspiration came from the western triangular patterns found on ancient Chinese pottery of 3000 years ago and the design of the Pyramid in the Louvre Museum.

The biggest challenge in this design was to explore the differences in similar products and combine the characteristics of Shanghai urban culture to find a way to integrate the different cultural fields of the East and the West. This bold attempt and challenge to adopt the artistic aesthetics of western classical architecture in an oriental high-end Baijiu resulted in a unique triangular bottle that presents a sense of solidity and stability, and is full of infinite possibilities.

This design was awarded Silver in A' Packaging Design Award in 2023. The Silver A' Design Award is rewarded to top-of-the-line, creative, and professionally remarkable designs that illustrate outstanding expertise and innovation. These designs, admired for their strong technical characteristics and splendid artistic skill, showcase a remarkable level of excellence and introduce positive feelings, amazement, and wonder.