TCM and Herbal Tea: Perfect remedy to reduce body heat in summer

World
Europe

02:57

Herbal tea is an important part of daily life in Hong Kong, especially in the hot, humid summer. CGTN's Li Jiejun takes you to one of the city's most famous herbal tea shops to have a taste of the tea and the culture.

LI JIEJUN HONG KONG "This is one of the most famous herbal tea shops in Hong Kong. Decades ago, there were a lot of tea shops on the streets here. But now, only a few dozen are left. Drinking herbal tea remains an essential part of life in Hong Kong. Especially during such hot weather, a cup of herbal tea can take away the body's heat."

Herbal tea is not actually a kind of tea. It's a decoction of Chinese medicinal herbs widely enjoyed across southern China and Hong Kong. What's more, it's a go-to remedy for fighting colds, cleansing toxins in the blood, improving skin complexion, and cooling off on a hot day.

SIMON CHU KUNG WO TONG LTD. "Hong Kong's climate is known for being hot and damp. Many years ago, farmers here found they'd get tired and exhausted easily. Herbal tea then became a very popular cure for them: not only is the tea cheap, but it can also flush heat and dampness right out of the body."

There are many types of herbal tea. '24 flavor Tea' helps relieve sore throat, fever, and the flu. Five Flower Tea is cooling and soothing, and helps boost spiritual energy. Selfheal Spike Tea is said to be good for the liver, and it also prevents heat stroke.

LI JIEJUN HONG KONG "This is herbal jelly, or Gui Ling Gao in Chinese. It's made from more than 20 types of traditional herbs. So it smells heavily of Chinese medicine, and it tastes bitter. But if some honey is added, it becomes somewhat of a treat. Girls like it, because it's good for skin."

Maintaining good health is a top priority of Hong Kong people. That's why herbal tea shops here are so popular.

"This shop is near my home. it's very easy to get here. And it's not expensive. It will help prevent acne."

"The herbal tea sold in the supermarket has preservatives, so it's not as fresh as the one brewed here."

Hong Kong's rich herbal tea history dates back over three hundred years. It was inscribed onto the first national list of intangible cultural heritage in 2006. Though there aren't as many herbal tea shops here as there used to be, the drink is still representative of folk knowledge of traditional culture. LJJ, CGTN, HK.