Chagee × Zhizhong Chen
“Symbiosis” Sustainability Packaging Project
2025 | China | Packaging & Illustration Project
Concept • Art Creation • Direction • Public Initiative
CHAGEE, a leading Chinese tea beverage brand, collaborated with illustrator Zhizhong Chen on a nationwide packaging project centered on the theme of “Symbiosis” (Wanwu Gongsheng, Xin You Lingxi). Developed in partnership with the China Green Foundation, the project extends beyond branding into a public initiative supporting wildlife conservation.
For every beverage sold, a donation is made toward the protection of endangered species, transforming each cup into a carrier of both visual narrative and social impact. Distributed across stores nationwide, the packaging becomes a widely accessible medium through which art, ecology, and everyday consumption intersect.
ABOUT THIS WORK
Zhizhong Chen’s illustrations focus on endangered species native to China, including the giant panda, Tibetan fox, blue sheep, and snow leopard. These animals are depicted within a softly interconnected visual environment, where natural habitats and symbolic elements merge into a cohesive narrative of coexistence.
Through a warm and approachable visual language, the artist constructs a world where species are not isolated, but exist in quiet balance and mutual presence. Delicate line work and gentle tonal transitions evoke a sense of care and intimacy, inviting viewers to reflect on the fragile relationship between humans and the natural world.
By translating the theme of conservation into a widely distributed everyday object, the work bridges illustration and public awareness. Each cup becomes a small yet meaningful gesture—carrying not only an image, but a shared responsibility to protect and sustain the living world.
ABOUT ARTIST
Zhizhong Chen
Zhizhong Chen is an illustrator based in China and a graduate of South China Normal University Open College. His practice centers on capturing fleeting perceptual experiences and translating them into refined visual compositions through deliberate formal reconstruction.
Drawing from everyday objects and transient moments, Zhizhong develops a distinctive visual language that balances intuitive expression with structural clarity. His work distills ephemeral sensations into tangible imagery, combining sensitivity with precision to convey subtle emotional and aesthetic nuances.
His clients include CHAGEE, Coca-Cola, Lenovo, the British Museum, CITIC Press Group, and Dunhuang Museum. His work has received multiple international recognitions, including awards from the CIB Illustration Competition, 3×3 International Illustration Awards, and Hiii Illustration International Competition.
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