Summer weather is hot, the air filled with the fragrance of mugwort. Steep a turbulent Tea with the waters of the Miluo River, accompanied by the sound of ancient zithers playing Qu Yuan's tragic masterpiece, “Li Sao,” echoing in the sky, enduringly sung…

Eating zongzi on Dragon Boat Festival has become customary, not only due to Chinese people's craving for delicious food but also their yearning for a better life. However, besides eating zongzi, drinking “Dragon Boat Tea” should not be missed. For what you're drinking is a cup of tea, but what you're savoring is history.

The “Fengtu Ji” records: “End means beginning and propriety. The fifth day at noon is the exact middle of the festival, so various things are made to ward off evil.” Therefore, traditional Dragon Boat Festival customs not only include eating zongzi, making thin pancakes, and dragon boat racing, but also fetching midday water, drinking midday tea, and collecting Herbs from the mountains.

Dragon Boat Tea is made from over twenty herbs including agastache, dried tangerine peel, calamus, artemisia capillaris, reed root, mint, cubeb, wild chrysanthemum, honeysuckle, mulberry leaf, fish mint, and prunella, among others. It is bestowed with the beautiful names of “Hundred-Family Tea” and “Cure-All Tea,” embodying people's wish that “after drinking Dragon Boat Tea, all illnesses will be far away.”

In the Spring and Autumn period, zongzi was made only with rice; by the end of the Eastern Han dynasty, meat-filled zongzi appeared. After two thousand years, eating zongzi during Dragon Boat Festival has become a widespread custom throughout China, north and south, along the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers.

Zongzi is delicious, but eating too much of jujube, rice, preserved fruit, fresh meat, and duck egg yolks can cause discomfort in the stomach. Drinking Tea after eating zongzi aids digestion. What kind of tea is suitable for Dragon Boat Festival?

White Zongzi with Black Tea or Flower Tea

White zongzi, without any fillings and made entirely from glutinous rice, has a relatively light and fragrant texture. Black tea, being gentle in nature and fresh in taste, complements white zongzi well, accentuating the aroma of the black tea while preserving the original fragrance of the zongzi. Additionally, black tea contains rich vitamins that make up for the deficiency of glutinous rice.

White zongzi can also be paired with rose flower tea. Adding a sour plum to the rose flower tea not only enhances the fragrant scent of roses but also brings out a subtle sweetness. Rose flower tea can regulate blood circulation, especially suitable for women.

Sweet Zongzi with Green Tea or Mint Tea

When eating sweet zongzi, such as those with jujube, red bean paste, or chestnuts, it is suitable to pair them with light green tea or mint tea. These two teas are cooling in nature and are perfect for the dry heat of sweet and greasy zongzi. Green tea and mint tea can enhance glucose metabolism within the body, preventing excessive sugar from lingering and harming the body's insulin function.

Meat Zongzi with Pu'er Tea

These teas are very suitable for people with less-than-optimal cardiovascular health, preventing an increase in blood viscosity from consuming foods high in fat content, which could affect blood circulation and place additional strain on the heart. They have the benefits of removing oiliness, cleansing the intestines, reducing fire, and alleviating the burden on the digestive system.

Salty Zongzi with Oolong Tea

Salty zongzi, such as those with pepper and salt or egg yolks, can be paired with oolong tea. Since oolong tea is a semi-fermented tea with a warm and smooth character, it complements the subtle flavors of salty-sweet zongzi.

A cup of Dragon Boat Tea, brewed in harmony, symbolizes wishes for the health and well-being of family and friends. Amidst the tea's fragrance, quietly savor the cultural memories behind Dragon Boat Festival, which is the expression of Chinese sentimentality.

A cup of tea and a zongzi for Dragon Boat Festival, the scent of tea drifting through the hot summer.

Wishing everyone good health on Dragon Boat Festival!