Every March, Wuhan awakens in a blush of cherry blossoms as petals dance across East Lake and crowds gather to witness Spring’s soft spectacle. It was here—amid gentle breezes and a historic skyline—that Jin Zhang and Ru Jun of Wuhan SANBU Brand Design Co., Ltd. found inspiration for the Ying Hua Qing Su gift box. Crafted for a century-old bakery, this ingenious, glue-free design unfolds like a blossom upon the water, marrying local landmarks, ‘90s nostalgia, and heartfelt romance into a packaging masterpiece that sold out almost as soon as it bloomed.

By: Jin Zhang, Founder & Chief Designer, Wuhan SANBU Brand Design Co., Ltd

We designed this gift box for a century-old bakery in Wuhan, China. Every March, people from all over the country come to Wuhan to see the cherry blossoms. Cherry blossom-related products are very popular, including the “Cherry Blossom Flavor Cake.” Cake shops need a gift box that can showcase the geographical characteristics of Wuhan and is themed around cherry blossoms to enhance the connection between the bakery and the city and increase product value. This gift box was born.

I have been living in Wuhan for almost 20 years and have a deep understanding of the city. Every March, I see cherry blossoms in full bloom. In my opinion, the most beautiful state of cherry blossoms is when you can sit quietly by the lake, watching the gentle breeze blow and the petals fall onto the lake’s surface. This moment can make people calm down and create beautiful memories, and the beauty at this moment is not just the beauty in front of them. So, when creating this gift box, I hope to incorporate this beautiful scenery into the design.

The gift box is designed with top and bottom covers, with the bottom box designed in lake blue and the small box inside in pink. It is shaped like a flower, just like cherry blossoms falling on the lake’s surface. The more difficult part is designing the small box into a cherry blossom shape when opened and folded, without using glue and nails. After repeated testing, we finally succeeded.

The front of the box is covered with blooming cherry blossoms, paired with Wuhan’s landmark buildings—Donghu Tower, Yellow Crane Tower, and Jianghan Pass—showcasing the vitality of spring and local characteristics. The swallow holding a love letter in its mouth endows the scene with romantic emotions. The portrayal of characters in the 1990s added a retro touch to this romance, highlighting the characteristics of the brand’s century-old craftsmanship.

This gift box used the same production cost as before but achieved extraordinary results. After the product was launched, it quickly sold out, and there was a shortage of stock at one point. It was even imitated by multiple other merchants later.

This product has also enhanced the brand image of the bakery and boosted the sales of other products, receiving unanimous praise from the bakery.

Jin Zhang has been continuously working in brand strategy, design, and practice for 15 years. In 2020, he founded Wuhan SANBU Brand Design, where he serves as the chief designer. He is the most popular design force in central China. Jin excels in creating brand and product packaging designs that combine aesthetic and commercial value by combining cultural and emotional elements to create core differences. His works have won over 130 awards, such as the Graphis Gold Award, the A’Design Award, the IDA Award, the German Best Brand Award, the Taiwan Gold Dot Award, the China Star Award, and more.

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