Xiaoyou Cultural Creative Liquor Verpakking voor drankfles by Wen Liu is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award in Zilver in Verpakkingsontwerp Competition Category.
ZilverVerpakking· 2026
Xiaoyou Cultural Creative Liquor Verpakking voor drankfles
by Wen Liu
Client: Shanxi Dianfan Cultural and Creative Industry Co., Ltd.
A' Design Award in Zilver Winner in Verpakking Category
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- Verified Award Winner
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The Design
About Xiaoyou Cultural Creative Liquor Verpakking voor drankfles
Xiaoyou Cultural Creative Liquor is een keramisch fles- en verpakkingsontwerp voor een Chinese sterkedrank. De fles ontleent haar vorm aan de Xiaoyou, een uilvormig bronzen drankvat uit de Shang-dynastie dat zich in het Shanxi Museum bevindt. Motieven van slangen, vleugels en de Kui-draak zijn vereenvoudigd tot strakke lijnen. Het corpus is gemaakt van mat zwart Jingdezhen-keramiek en is afgewerkt met metallic verguldsel, terwijl de dop en de drinkset keramiek en metaal combineren. De uilvormige buitendop wordt met de hand opengedraaid, waarmee de manier waarop het oorspronkelijke vat werd gebruikt wordt herhaald.
The Recognition
About the A' Design Award in Zilver
Xiaoyou Cultural Creative Liquor Verpakking voor drankfles is winnaar van de A' Design Award in Zilver, een buitengewoon prestigieuze erkenning die wordt toegekend aan topontwerpen die prachtig en indrukwekkend zijn. Winnaars in Zilver zijn enorm briljante en uiterst creatieve werken die de uitmuntende expertise, het talent en de scherpzinnigheid van hun ontwerpers illustreren. Xiaoyou Cultural Creative Liquor Verpakking voor drankfles wordt verwacht een prachtig paradepaardje te zijn dat opmerkelijk professioneel en diepgaand innovatief is. Dit ontwerp dat de A' Design Award in Zilver heeft gewonnen, is een hoogst opmerkelijke, bewonderde uitvinding die baat en de grenzen van kunst, wetenschap, ontwerp en technologie verlegt. Xiaoyou Cultural Creative Liquor Verpakking voor drankfles is een zeer benijde creatie die verlangens oproept, positieve gevoelens brengt en verbazing en verwondering doet ontvlammen.
Behind the Design
Press Kit
Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.
- Unique Properties
- Xiaoyou Cultural Creative Liquor embodies three millennia of civilization, rejuvenated through contemporary design. The bottle draws inspiration from the bronze artifact Xiaoyou housed in the Shanxi Museum, distilling classic motifs such as serpent patterns, wing patterns, and Kui dragon patterns. While preserving the artifact's essence, the design reinterprets its form with elegant and simplified lines, aligning with modern aesthetics. Crafted from Jingdezhen ceramic, the bottle undergoes meticulous artistry and rigorous testing to ensure both secure liquor storage and transport convenience. This integration allows ancient motifs to merge seamlessly into daily life, continuing the warmth of civilization.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- 139mm x 137.5mm x 62.5mm
- Tags
- Revitalized Heritage, Ancient "Angry Birds", Tangible History, The Cultural Gift, Collector’s Edition
- Production Technology
- The bottle body is crafted from matte black ceramic, echoing the serene and rustic visual texture of the Xiaoyou vessel. Embellished with metallic gilding, the motifs and details are outlined with a lustrous finish against the subdued ceramic base, enhancing the visual depth and refinement. Components such as the bottle cap and drinking set integrate ceramic with metal materials. The gilding technique not only elevates the recognizability of cultural symbols but also imbues the artifacts with a modern elegance that is both dignified and dynamic. The design pays homage to the historical texture of bronze artifacts through its material essence, while modern craftsmanship ensures practical durability and artistic appeal, achieving an organic fusion of traditional material language and contemporary aesthetics.
- Design Challenge
- On the historical dimension, it is necessary to strike a balance between the solemnity of the Xiaoyou artifact and the daily functionality of cultural and creative products, avoiding the excessive trivialization or commercialization of cultural symbols. On the social dimension, it is essential to address the widespread market skepticism toward baijiu cultural products as "prioritizing form over substance," emphasizing the depth and sincerity of cultural expression. On the technical dimension, it is crucial to faithfully reproduce the sculptural features of the Xiaoyou artifact while overcoming the challenges of mold development and mass production posed by its intricate form, ensuring that the design language is fully realized in large-scale manufacturing.
- Research
- This project constitutes a research endeavor in cultural and creative product design, focusing on the cross-disciplinary integration of cultural heritage with the spirits industry. Centered on the Shang Dynasty bronze Xiaoyou as its cultural medium, the study aims to develop a Fenjiu cultural product that harmonizes profound cultural depth with vibrant market appeal, achieving the dual objectives of revitalizing cultural artifacts and enhancing brand equity. By systematically examining the historical and cultural significance of the Xiaoyou and drawing insights from successful cultural and creative design practices both domestically and internationally, the project undertakes comprehensive development—from cultural interpretation and conceptual design to tangible product realization. Ultimately, using Fenjiu as a cultural conduit, it seeks to transition the Xiaoyou artifact from museum exhibits into everyday life, thereby advancing the dissemination of Chinese culture while simultaneously elevating brand value and expanding market influence.
- Inspiration
- The bronze artifact Xiaoyou from the Shanxi Museum, celebrated as the most adorable artifact, is an exquisite masterpiece of late Shang Dynasty bronze craftsmanship. The vessel features two owls standing back-to-back. In ancient Chinese, "Xiao" was the collective term for owls, while "You" denotes a type of liquor vessel—thus, "Xiaoyou" literally means an "owl-shaped liquor container." Over three millennia ago, this vessel held strong liquor for ritual offerings to the gods; today, it carries our imagination of history. What has changed from its perception as a "war god" to a "mascot" is not the form of the Xiaoyou, but our perspective in interpreting civilization.
- Project Duration
- Time: March 2023 - October 2025
Location: Taiyuan City, Shanxi Province - Operation Flow
- The owl-shaped outer lid is designed to be manually twisted open, with its opening mechanism accurately replicating the original structure of the bronze Xiaoyou artifact's lid. By restoring the usage method of this Shang Dynasty liquor vessel, users are invited to physically engage with the ceremonial context of three millennia ago through the act of opening and closing the lid. This interaction evokes vivid associations with the artifact's function and historical setting. The design extends the concept of "bringing cultural relics to life" from visual symbolism to behavioral experience, integrating cultural dissemination into everyday actions and fostering a profound connection that evolves from visual observation to embodied memory.
- Team Members
- Design Director: Wen Liu
Design Execution: Zongming Qi
Creative Director: Qing Sun
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