Tōng Bǎo

Tōng Bǎo is restaurant which aims to make Chinese cuisine more accessible and inviting to Western audiences, adapting traditions in a way that feels modern, but still honourable and respectful to Chinese heritage. Through the use of visual storytelling, this mooncake packaging for the Mid-Autumn Festival is meant to bridge the gap between cultures, inviting people to explore Chinese traditions in a way that’s approachable to diverse audiences.

The festival is a time for friends and family to come together, celebrating unity under the full moon. This box of nine mooncakes tells the legend of Chang’e and Hou Yi. The front cover introduces the story where Hou Yi shot down the suns with his arrow. As you open the box, the narrative is progressed further with an insert depicting his wife Chang’e’s ascension to the moon, becoming the moon goddess, with Hou Yi sending lanterns into the sky as a gesture of his enduring love and devotion.

Each of the nine mooncakes represents one of the nine suns Hou Yi shot down, with their expressions showing their playfulness—the reason why they all came out into the sky together in the first place.

For those familiar with the festival, the design offers a fresh take on a beloved story. For newcomers, it’s an invitation to experience Chinese mythology in a simple, visual, and memorable way. The packaging aligns with the restaurants mission: to demystify Chinese culture and create a welcoming, shared experience that brings people together around the richness of Chinese heritage.