Traditional Chinese Herbal Pharmacy’s “Etiquette Tea” Is Highly Beneficial
Customers entering a traditional herbal pharmacy receive free tea as a courtesy. Hangzhou’s century-old Fang Huichuntang dispensary serves seasonal “Etiquette Teas” made from authentic medicinal herbs, offering specific health benefits according to the season. The current “June Immortal Tea” clears heat, detoxifies, eliminates dampness, and cools the summer heat—customers drink over 4,000 cups daily.
Fang Huichuntang, located on Hefang Street, was established in the sixth year of Shunzhi (1649). Even after reopening, the shop continues the tradition of “healing humanity through medicine.” Serving “Etiquette Tea” is naturally part of its heritage. “We’ve offered Etiquette Tea for four years. Citizens love it—normally we use nearly 30 barrels of tea daily, consuming 3,000 disposable plastic cups. Recently, with rising temperatures, we’ve served over 5,000 cups in a single day,” said Director Mao Haiya of Fang Huichuntang.
Fang Huichuntang’s “Etiquette Tea” emphasizes health benefits, all formulated from experienced TCM physicians’ prescriptions. For example, the autumn-winter “Chuimingzi Kuding Tea” uses stir-fried Chuemingzi and Kuding tea, pure Chinese herbs, which clear heat, reduce fire, soothe the liver, improve vision, lower lipids and blood pressure—especially suitable for the elderly. The spring-summer “June Immortal Tea” combines Liu Yi San, Artemisia, and lotus leaf, providing cooling, detoxifying, dampness-removing, and summer-relieving effects—suitable for all ages.
With extreme heat now, Dr. Huang Yingjun, doctoral supervisor at Fang Huichuntang’s Traditional Medicine Clinic, recommends several traditional cooling tea recipes effective for preventing summer fatigue and heatstroke, ideal for home preparation:
Heat-Relief Tea — composed of Herba Lysimachiae and honeysuckle, clears heat and toxins, reduces bloating and heat;
Lotus Leaf Tea — made from lotus leaf and hawthorn, clears heat, cools summer, strengthens the spleen, and stimulates appetite;
Hawthorn Silver Flower Chrysanthemum Tea — hawthorn and honeysuckle, dissolves stasis, reduces fat, enhances brain function and vision;
Nourish Essence Ginseng-Mai Dong Tea — raw Polygonatum, ginseng, and Ophiopogon, tonifies the center, boosts qi, generates fluids, warms the kidneys;
Heart-Nourishing Calming Tea — schisandra, Eclipta prostrata, and Herba Lysimachiae, prevents insomnia, vivid dreams, headache, dizziness, and neurasthenia.
These health-promoting teas require only boiling water; steep until pale. Citizens are encouraged to try them at home.