A Bottle Shaped by Heritage: Jin wen feng · Yuan Qingci Named 2025 Rome Design of the Year

With Jin wen feng, a bottle becomes more than a vessel, unfolding as a graceful tribute to heritage, symbolism, and contemporary design.

Packaging often serves as the first encounter between a brand and its audience, setting the tone long before the bottle is opened. Jin wen feng approaches this moment with a sense of quiet elegance, presenting wine packaging that draws inspiration from heritage while embracing a refined contemporary aesthetic. The result is a design that feels both timeless and thoughtfully crafted, inviting viewers to appreciate the story behind the bottle.

Inspired by the timeless beauty of the Chinese Plum Vase, it transforms a historic form into a contemporary design statement. Created by Shanghai XiXingYueSe Design Co., Ltd. for Hubei Wenfeng Liquor Industry Co., Ltd., the bottle honours the traditional silhouette that once held delicate plum blossoms while gently refining its proportions for a smoother and more balanced presence.

The small mouth, rounded shoulders, and tapered base remain faithful to the classic form, yet the contours feel more fluid and expressive. Metallic relief detailing along the shoulders adds a layer of texture that celebrates the vessel’s heritage while giving it a modern sense of depth and character.

A soft jade green glaze envelops the bottle, bringing a warmth that recalls the subtle glow of polished jade. The colour feels calm and refined, perfectly echoing the brand’s philosophy of being humble yet elegant. Metallic accents provide a gentle contrast against the smooth glaze, allowing tradition and contemporary luxury to quietly converse across the surface. The result is a bottle that feels more like a crafted object of beauty than simple packaging, where heritage, craftsmanship, and modern design come together in a form that feels both graceful and memorable.

Cultural symbolism quietly unfolds across the bottle through the graceful presence of the Four Noble Plants: plum blossom, orchid, bamboo, and chrysanthemum. Long cherished in Chinese culture as symbols of virtue, resilience, and integrity, these motifs bring a layer of meaning that goes far beyond decoration. Through delicate relief detailing and touches of gold foil stamping, the plants appear almost alive upon the surface, their forms catching light and shadow with subtle elegance.

At the crown of the bottle, the cap continues this story with equal grace. Shaped like gently unfolding petals and engraved with auspicious patterns drawn from traditional ornamentation, it carries a sense of quiet ceremony. The form feels poetic, echoing the delicate character often associated with fine liquor while offering a symbolic gesture of prosperity and good fortune.

In this thoughtful finishing touch, the bottle becomes more than packaging. It feels like an object of cultural expression, where every detail invites the viewer to pause and appreciate its meaning. With its refined blend of heritage and contemporary design, the masterpiece received the Design of the Year award at the 2025 Rome Design Awards in the category of Packaging Design – Wine, Beer & Liquor.