中国喜鹊 | Observing Bamboo With Tea All Things Compete For Green
THE TEA IS CLEAR AND THE BAMBOO IS HIDDEN THE GENTLEMAN IS REFRESHING
Baojing(保靖), a treasure land. Located in the southwest, this area has a rich biodiversity and is the birthplace and heartland of Baojing Golden Tea(保靖黄金茶). In 2023, Pica completed the upgrade of the Baojing Golden Tea brand strategy and assisted Baojing in expanding the market, providing tea travel experiences inspired by Miao art, culture, philosophy, and scenery for tea lovers worldwide.
The bamboo cup(竹生杯), as fresh and elegant as green bamboo, is a cultural and artistic product we created exclusively for Baojing Golden Tea.
The Pica team said, “The transformation and innovation of Baojing Golden Tea is one of Pica’s most important customers in the past two years.” Tea is a carrier that connects beauty and emotion, and an expression of culture. “At this special moment of the integration of Chinese culture and tourism, the series upgrade of Baojing Golden Tea symbolizes the innovation and development of Hunan province’s tea tourism market.” Shuwei’s words clearly indicate how much significance he attaches to it.
“I hope that drinking tea can become an artistic enjoyment. The double-layer glass provides warm protection and a thoughtful anti-scalding effect, while the structure is full of interest. When a cup of Baojing Golden Tea is poured in, one can admire the graceful stretching of the dragon whiskers, as the bright tea soup fills the appearance of the bamboo, with clear tea concealed by bamboo, resembling a poetic painting.”
BAMBOO THE GENTLEMAN
Bamboo plays an important role in traditional Chinese culture. Its lofty, noble and humble character highly resonates with the spiritual pursuits of tea drinkers.
Miao culture values nature, and Miao writer Shi Jian interprets the nation’s tenacious temperament as follows: “We Miao people desire the power of life, but we also have a reserved, patient, imaginative, romantic, kind, and resolute national personality and temperament.” Bamboo, gentleman, and Miao family not only convey the tough and strong oriental temperament, but also build the high-end brand image of Baojing Golden Tea.
Bamboo Cup: Eternal Growth
In order to keep the product novel, the creative team also spent a lot of time on product naming. The philosophical Bamboo Cup’s name comes from the Book of Changes: Xici(周易·系辞), which means “life is the same as it is easy to make(生生之谓易)”, implying continuous growth and reproduction. Just hearing the name can evoke people’s imagination of fresh vitality.
When light passes through the double-layer glass of the bamboo cup, the special bamboo shape of the cup projects a faint bamboo shadow on the table and wall. This beauty is not deliberately conspicuous or shocking, but whenever the light and shadow change, it quietly penetrates into the space, bringing a speechless enjoyment.
Baojing Golden Tea itself has the characteristics of high tea polyphenols and high amino acids, with the charm of tea merging with the essence of bamboo. The bamboo growing in the cup also carries a beautiful implication of life’s vitality continuing to flourish.
A GENTLEMAN’S VIRTUE LIES IN THE DETAILS
The seemingly simple glass exterior hides the designer's understanding of Chinese aesthetics in its inner layer — appreciating tea and bamboo, sitting and forgetting worries(观茶望竹坐以忘忧). This is because the Baojing Golden Tea itself has the characteristic of calming the mind after consumption. Tea drinkers can clearly see the state and color changes of the tea, enhancing the visual experience of tea tasting. The seamless connection of the inner and outer structures ensures that the tea does not seep into the double-layer glass interlayer, affecting the functionality and beauty of the bamboo cup.
The edge of the cup is designed with a refined curvature, smooth and round. When sipping, the lips make contact with the rim without any scraping sensation, ensuring comfort during use.
The double-layer bamboo cup is scald-proof and stable. When tea drinkers hold the cup, they will not be scalded by the high water temperature. The safety and comfort are greatly improved. The air layer between the double-layer glass plays a role of insulation to a certain extent, so that the temperature of the tea can be maintained longer. The attention to details of life shows the considerate care for users.
When light passes through the double-layer glass of the bamboo cup, the special bamboo shape of the cup projects a faint bamboo shadow on the table and wall. This beauty is not deliberately conspicuous or shocking, but whenever the light and shadow change, it quietly penetrates into the space, bringing a speechless enjoyment.
OBSERVING BAMBOO WITH TEA. ALL THINGS COMPETE FOR GREEN
The outer packaging and container are equally exquisite, with the designer painstakingly using the texture of bamboo, revealing details of Eastern aesthetics everywhere. During the tea tasting process, using bamboo cups allows the body, mind, and spirit to feel relaxed and joyful.
EPILOGUE TREASURE THE GIFT IN TEA KEEP THE CUP IN THE HEART
Baojing Golden Tea grows in the secret places deep in the mountains. When you are in Baojing, looking at the mountains and rivers, you will feel that there is no greater joy than this for the ancients. The Bamboo Cup embodies the Chinese people’s enjoyment of mountains and rivers, “watching the mist of heaven and earth and the growth of all things.” Out of his love for creation, the designer has gone through countless meticulous productions to present the Bamboo Cup, a private item, to those who love the Miao paradise, allowing people to taste the pure flavor of the mountain clouds with a cup of tea.
