Tiantai Huangcha Brand Identity

Press Kit

Unique Properties

The combination of dots shapes and leaves condenses the Buddhist meditation into a logo graphic with multiple meanings. The circle symbolises the essence of tea; the arrangement of two circles shows the interaction between man and nature; and the arrangement of three circles signifies the sharing and gathering of friends who are seated around a table to drink three cups of tea together.
The tea lotus graphic below the logo echoes the three dots above, ultimately constituting the complete logo.

Dimensions & Packaging

Round, crescent shaped tea canister: diameter 120mm*height 150mm (capacity 150-200g);
Tea tray: leaf-shaped design, length 200mm*width 100mm.
In packaging design, round tea canisters, crescent-shaped tea canisters, diagonally placed tea cups and leaf-shaped tea trays are the basic apparatus for tea tasting. At the same time, through the clever combination of the tea canister and the tea tray, it forms an isomorphic design that echoes with the logo graphic, which effectively strengthens the brand impression.

Tags

Brand Narrative, Brand Design, Symbolic Design, Sustainable Packaging, Regional IPs

Production Technology

Material Selection: The packaging is made of matte ceramic and metal handles, echoing the natural texture; balancing a sense of high-end with sustainability;

3D modelling: The tea canister form was modelled based on the logo graphic to ensure that the shape was consistent with the brand symbol. This creation, through the simple design, helps the brand to show the rich connotation, and leave a deeper memory and sense of identity in the user's mind.

Design Challenge

Cultural abstraction: how to transform Buddhist Zen into a universal symbol? This can be done by lowering the narrative cognitive threshold through a simple graphic with different numbers of circles, one circle, two circles and three circles;
Breaking barriers: how to balance high-end positioning and mass communication? Minimalist design of gifts and everyday scenes to strengthen the ‘scarcity + cultural value’ label;
Production: process cost control for complex shaped tea canisters, using modular moulds to reduce customisation costs.

Research

This project creates a brand image and packaging system for "Tiantai Yellow Tea". Centered on "Buddhist culture," the design blends Zen aesthetics with tea-making traditions. The main graphic combines dots and leaf shapes. The tea lotus below forms a "poet monk with clasped hands," reflecting the "tea and Zen" philosophy. The design balances cultural richness with efficiency, emphasizing the tea's rarity and premium status. The brand gained government recognition and media coverage.

Inspiration

We were commissioned by the government of Tiantai County, Zhejiang Province to design the brand identity and packaging for the local speciality tea 'Tiantai Huangcha.' As the birthplace of yellow tea, Tiantai Temple was asked to incorporate its concept of 'Tea Zen and One Taste' into the design; to transform the traditional process of sun-drying and drinking tea into visual symbols; and to integrate a variety of cultural imagery through geometric shapes that are easy to recognise and remember .

Project Duration

The project started its design phase in October 2022, was completed in April 2023 and officially released in May 2024.

Operation Flow

Unpacking Ceremony: The layered structure of the gift box needs to be opened in a specific order, simulating the Zen tea ceremony;
The combination of the tea canister and the tea tray enhances the sense of opening ceremony, which fits the needs of gift-giving scenarios, and the minimalist graphics reduce the cost of recognition, helping the brand to quickly enter new markets and strengthen the brand's memory. This minimalist symbol system can be expanded to tea utensils and cultural tourism products (such as meditation experience periphery) to continue the brand life cycle.

Image Credits

Designer：Kan Zhao