Tea
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White Tea to Relieve Autumn Dryness
As the weather cools off, teas with a nice roast such as Wuyi Yancha Oolongs start to become more attractive, but many consider white tea to actually be the best choice for autumn tea drinking. The declining Yang Qi in the environment not only leads to cooler but also dryer conditions. In summer we can use the ample Yang Qi to help treat imbalances associated with cold and damp. Now in autumn, it is important to maintain health and balance to prepare for the winter which is the body’s “storage period.” Combating “autumn dryness” (qiu zao 秋燥) becomes a primary concern for the yangsheng lifestyle enthusiast as the lungs are…
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Qi-charged Tea and Emitting Qi into Substances
A specialty of the style of classical Chinese medicine passed down within the Gengmenpai lineage is their use of special pills (dan 丹) that have gone through a special process in which an adept practitioner emits their own qi and injects it into the medicine to greatly enhance the medicinal effect. I have no doubt that it was this extra touch given to the medicine that caused me to have the experience that I did the first time I took several of their signature huaxuedan (化血丹) at once years ago. What is interesting, is that it was explained (and in some cases demo’d) to us how qi can be emitted…
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Green Tea 绿茶: A Refreshing Spring and Summer Beverage with Health Benefits
As we transition into summer we reach a point in the year in which many green teas have been freshly harvested and processed and are just now hitting the market. Green tea is a healthy, delicious, and refreshing beverage that is especially suitable during the warmer months. I have met many people who think that they don’t like green tea, but in fact have never tried anything other than green tea that is mass-produced, low-quality, and generally stale. It’s one thing to find high-quality green tea, but perhaps more challenging is getting it fresh! It’s best to buy it as soon after harvest as possible from a vendor that takes…
