Silver Packaging Design · 2026
Xiaoyou Cultural Creative Liquor Packaging
by Wen Liu
- A' Design Award 2026 Silver Winner in Packaging Design
- Awarded April 15, 2026
- CLIENT: Shanxi Dianfan Cultural and Creative Industry Co., Ltd.
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 19,120
- Verification code 41226EAAA8 · Verify this award
About Xiaoyou Cultural Creative Liquor Packaging
Xiaoyou Cultural Creative Liquor is a ceramic bottle and packaging design for a Chinese spirit. The bottle takes its form from the Xiaoyou, an owl shaped bronze liquor vessel of the Shang Dynasty held in the Shanxi Museum. Serpent, wing and Kui dragon motifs are simplified into clean lines. The body is made of matte black Jingdezhen ceramic and is detailed with metallic gilding, while the cap and drinking set combine ceramic and metal. The owl shaped outer lid is twisted open by hand, repeating the way the original vessel was used.
Wen Liu's Xiaoyou Cultural Creative Liquor Packaging emerges from a rich tradition of ceremonial vessels that spans millennia of material culture, reinterpreting the zoomorphic bronze forms of ancient dynasties through contemporary design sensibility and premium material expression. The vessel assumes the commanding presence of an owl, a creature revered across cultures as an emblem of wisdom, nocturnal vigilance, and liminal knowledge, here rendered with geometric precision that recalls both archaic bronze-casting traditions and the streamlined vocabularies of early twentieth-century decorative arts. The designer demonstrates masterful restraint in chromatic composition, employing a triadic palette of obsidian black, burnished gold, and warm ivory to create hierarchical visual organization where functional information remains subordinate to sculptural presence while still commanding appropriate attention through careful typographic placement. The textural dialogue between matte ceramic surfaces and polished metallic accents rewards close examination, suggesting a vessel designed as much for contemplation and display as for its practical function of containing spirits. Relief patterning across the body draws from the taotie vocabulary of ritual bronzes, those mysterious composite creatures whose meanings remain subjects of scholarly interpretation, here abstracted into spiral forms that suggest eternal cycles and primordial creative forces. The concentric circles forming the stylized eyes establish mesmerizing focal points, their warm coloration creating welcoming visual temperature against the cool authority of the surrounding black ground. The geometric finial crowning the lid transforms functional closure into symbolic coronation, suggesting the precious nature of the contents within. How might we understand this contemporary vessel as a continuation of ancient traditions wherein the container itself participates in the significance of what it holds, elevating everyday consumption toward ceremonial appreciation?
Press Kit
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.