In 2010, Shi started an ambitious 12-year design program for the traditional Chinese zodiac series, creating mugs to celebrate China's years of the rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog, pig, rat, ox and tiger.

"As the program was completed last year, I did not expect him to create anything related to the Year of the Rabbit (which started on Jan 22)," says Wan Xiang, a fan in Chengdu, Sichuan province.

This unexpected, prize winning work came in the form of a coffee-dripper set. Shi's inspiration stems from the rapid rise in the number of Chinese coffee consumers during the pandemic.