Vermillion dominates the visual field of Menghao Zeng's Gushu Jinzhu Dried Fruit Packaging with commanding chromatic intensity, the saturated red-orange ground establishing an immediate thermal presen

Menghao Zeng's Gushu Jinzhu Dried Fruit Packaging presents a sophisticated editorial composition structured as a newspaper-style broadsheet that demonstrates masterful command of typographic hierarchy

Menghao Zeng's Gushu Jinzhu Dried Fruit Packaging establishes itself through a sophisticated chromatic architecture anchored in vermillion, crimson, and burnt sienna, warming the entire composition wi

Menghao Zeng's Gushu Jinzhu Dried Fruit Packaging establishes its compositional architecture through a precisely calibrated orthogonal arrangement where rectangular forms nest within a clamshell prese

Gold Packaging Design · 2025

Gushu Jinzhu Dried Fruit Packaging

by Chushan Design

A' Design Award 2025 Gold Winner in Packaging Design
Awarded April 15, 2025
CLIENT: Shenzhen Chushan Design Culture Group Co., Ltd.
Estimated Number of Design Views: 80,588
Verification code 5AB9B393F0 · Verify this award

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About Gushu Jinzhu Dried Fruit Packaging

Gushu Jinzhu is a gift box designed for dried longan fruit. The box uses a lid and base structure and measures 360 by 240 by 90 millimetres. The exterior shows a centuries-old longan tree with gold foiled lettering, engraved textures and twin Loong figures coiled with longan vines. An inner poster describes the traditional drying craft and the moisture-proof function. The box holds four acrylic jars with botanical labels and a celadon glazed tea bowl of 130 millimetres that serves as a fruit tray. The orange red colour marks a festive occasion.

Menghao Zeng's Gushu Jinzhu Dried Fruit Packaging represents a masterful synthesis of traditional East Asian visual vocabulary with contemporary packaging design sensibilities, achieving a compelling dialogue between heritage craft traditions and modern commercial communication. The work demonstrates sophisticated understanding of cultural iconography, deploying the dragon and phoenix pairing, symbols traditionally associated with cosmic harmony, prosperity, and auspicious occasions, as primary visual anchors within a carefully orchestrated symmetrical composition. The chromatic strategy proves particularly accomplished, with the saturated vermillion ground activating associations with celebration, vitality, and good fortune while the judicious introduction of golden typography and silver metallic elements creates hierarchical clarity and material distinction. Technical execution reveals meticulous attention to linear detail, with the mythological creatures rendered through flowing contours that echo traditional brush painting aesthetics while maintaining the precision demanded by contemporary reproduction processes. The central medallion functions as both compositional anchor and symbolic nexus, its circular form suggesting wholeness and completion while the intertwined phoenix figures embody themes of renewal and eternal return. Typography integration demonstrates thoughtful balance between legibility and decorative harmony, with characters positioned to complement rather than compete with illustrative elements. The overall composition invites contemplation of the relationship between preservation and innovation, suggesting how design might honor ancestral visual traditions while serving contemporary commercial purposes. One might consider how the packaging transforms the act of gift-giving into a ceremony of cultural transmission and aesthetic appreciation.

Press Kit

Unique Properties: Harvested from wild centuries-old longan trees, this packaging reimagines the Loong ("Chinese celestial guardian") as a spiritual anchor - the trunk morphs into its sinewy form adorned with botanical motifs, symbolizing nature's vitality. The front panel features "Twin Loong Playing with Pearl", where GuShu JinZhu becomes the celestial pearl, embodying auspiciousness. The seal script (Wang Yi Mao) collides with matte metal plaques, bridging heritage craftsmanship and cyber-esque futurism.
Dimensions & Packaging: The gift box measures 360mm*240mm*90mm, containing 4 jars of dried longan and a 130mm-diameter Song Dynasty Celadon Glaze tea bowl (gift included)
Tags: Dried Fruit, Loong, Song, Ceramics, food
Production Technology: This Heaven-Earth Lid structure centers on a centuries-old tree with GuShu JinZhu (Centuries-Old Golden Longan) gold-foiled atop, radiating timeless grandeur. Engraved textures depict Twin Loong symbiotically coiled with longan vines, while an inner Republic-era poster details heritage craftsmanship and moisture-proof functionality. The set includes 1 Song Dynasty Celadon Glaze tea bowl (as fruit tray) and 4 acrylic jars with botanical stickers mirroring exterior motifs, achieving cohesive sophistication.
Design Challenge: How can we translate China's abstract historical legacy into a replicable visual symbolic system? By initiating "elemental archaeology" - excavating visual languages from Song Dynasty ceramics, the Twin Loong Playing with Pearl (Shuang Long Xi Zhu), and Republic-era newspapers - we construct a multi-layered symbolic framework. This system not only deepens young generations' connection to cultural identity but also manifests China's confidence in asserting its aesthetic sovereignty on the global stage.
Project Duration: The project was officially launched in Shenzhen, China, in June 2024 and reached full implementation by November 2024.
Operation Flow: The gift box orchestrates a multi-sensory unboxing journey. Its vibrant orange-red hue ignites festive joy and appetite stimulation. Functional compartments not only safeguard contents but also weave heritage storytelling - detailing the Celadon Glaze tea bowl's craftsmanship and time-honored longan dehydration techniques. The included Song Dynasty tea bowl, paired with golden longan, elevates the culinary ritual into a poetic homage to the Song literati's refined aesthetics.
Research: This initiative revitalizes China's ancient traditions through youthifying time-honored brands like Wang Yi Mao, reinterpreting Song Dynasty utensil aesthetics, reconstructing the Loong (Chinese Dragon)'s localized narrative, and preserving longan's traditional craftsmanship. When heritage rejuvenation elevates artisans' incomes and eco-friendly materials upgrade industrial chains, design transcends aesthetics to become a social engineering catalyst - reshaping cultural ecosystems while driving sustainable economies.
Inspiration: Loong, the spiritual totem of Chinese civilization, embodies the nation's vitality and historical continuity. Inspired by centuries-old longan trees - their roots evoking Loong's sinewy form, fruit textures mirroring sacred scales - we translate the Taoist philosophy of "tree metamorphosing into Loong, Loong birthing pearls" into contemporary design.
Image Credits: Image #1: Photographer Lu Weiyu, KaiGua, 2024.
Image #2: Photographer Lu Weiyu, KaiGua, 2024.
Image #3: Photographer Lu Weiyu, KaiGua, 2024.
Image #4: Photographer Lu Weiyu, KaiGua, 2024.
Image #5: Photographer Lu Weiyu, KaiGua, 2024.

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