As the Mid-Autumn Festival approaches, mooncake consumption is heating up. More than just festive treats, today's mooncakes are evolving into lifestyle products—blending taste, design, and cultural value. In Guangzhou, a wave of creative cross-industry collaborations is giving traditional Cantonese mooncakes a fresh new look.
South × Guangzhou Restaurant: A cultural tribute
South, part of China's Nanfang Media Group, collaborated with Guangzhou Restaurant, a century-old culinary brand, to launch their "A Taste of Reunion" mooncake gift box. This mooncake gift box draws from Lingnan cultural aesthetics and classic Cantonese flavors, featuring packaging designs created from artwork by IP Guangdong, a comprehensive resource-sharing and image branding platform.
The design on the four-piece box is inspired by China's Song Dynasty literary master Su Shi's poem "The Jade Rabbit (referring to the moon) will surely be perfectly round," creatively interpreting the moon as both a rabbit and a symbol of reunion—reflected in the moonlight over Xiguan Mansion and the ebb and flow of the Pearl River.
Decorative elements combine Cantonese porcelain patterns with motifs from Song Dynasty Cizhou ware, Dunhuang murals, and traditional Cantonese opera, creating a rich visual narrative of Guangdong's autumn landscape.
LN Garden Hotel × Guangzhou Museum of Art: A painterly touch
LN Garden Hotel has teamed up with the Guangzhou Museum of Art to release a 2025 mooncake box inspired by "Autumn River in Bloom" (《秋江冷艳图》), a classic painting by modern Chinese artist Chen Shuren. Featuring delicate florals and a vibrant color palette, the packaging brings traditional Chinese art to life.
The painting "Autumn River in Bloom"(《秋江冷艳图》)
Inside, mooncake flavors include classic Cantonese favorites such as double white lotus, mixed nuts, and Jinhua ham, made with premium ingredients for a rich, layered taste.
China Hotel × Guangzhou Museum: Mooncakes meet national treasures
China Hotel and the Guangzhou Museum have co-launched two culture-inspired mooncake collections: "Mooncake Treasure Box" (粤色中国) and "Moonlight Treasure Box" (月光宝盒).
"Mooncake Treasure Box" (粤色中国)
"Moonlight Treasure Box" (月光宝盒)
"Mooncake Treasure Box" replicates a national-level cultural relic—a Qing Dynasty lacquer sewing box—at a 1:1 scale for its outer packaging. Meanwhile, "Moonlight Treasure Box" integrates traditional Cantonese embroidery motifs from museum artifacts, symbolizing auspicious themes like phoenixes and cranes. The mooncakes inside are based on historical recipes, and the retro-style box doubles as a three-tiered storage case, blending culture and practicality.
Metro-inspired designs add fun and function
Taking innovation a step further, China Hotel also collaborated with the Guangzhou Metro Museum to launch the "Riding Together for Mid-Autumn" (厢伴中秋) mooncake gift set.
"Riding Together for Mid-Autumn" (厢伴中秋) mooncake gift set
The packaging mimics metro train heads, with individual compartments styled as six miniature trains. Two large train boxes (Line 1 and the Intercity Line) transform into wearable silicone crossbody bags, while smaller train boxes (Lines 3 and 12) become wrist pouches. Paired with four mooncake flavors—both classic and creative—this gift set brings together tradition, playfulness, and functionality.
Author | Liu Lingzhi
Editor | Wei Shen, James Campion, Shen He
Photo | South, LN Garden Hotel, China Hotel
