Bei Qi (Astragalus) Mulberry Chrysanthemum Tea

Why people make this tea

Growing up in Hong Kong, Nourilo has watched a steady rise in the number of children presenting with eye sensitivity, nasal allergies, and skin reactions — and attributes this in part to increased environmental pollution and changing immune landscapes. The famous classical formula Yu Ping Feng San (“Jade Screen Powder”) was developed precisely for this kind of defensive weakness: astragalus builds the body’s outer defences, saposhnikovia root keeps wind pathogens from penetrating, and white atractylodes strengthens the spleen-lung axis that underpins immune resilience. For eye-specific sensitivity, adding mulberry leaf and chrysanthemum — both traditionally associated with clearing liver heat and dispelling wind from the eyes — transforms the classic tonic into a targeted eye-allergy support tea.

Method

1. Rinse all ingredients briefly under cold water.
2. Place the astragalus root, saposhnikovia root, and white atractylodes into a pot with 1.5 L of water.
3. Bring to a boil, then simmer over medium-low heat for 45 minutes.
4. Add the mulberry leaf and chrysanthemum flowers. Continue simmering for a further 10 minutes. (Do not add the flowers too early — the volatile oils that give chrysanthemum its therapeutic properties will dissipate with prolonged boiling.)
5. Strain and divide into two portions. Drink one portion in the morning and one in the afternoon or evening.
6. During active symptoms: drink daily for 3–5 consecutive days. For prevention: 2 doses per week until symptoms resolve.

Nourilo’s Tips

This tea is mild and well-tolerated. It can be used year-round as a preventive measure — two doses a week during seasons when eye or nasal symptoms typically flare up. Remember that chrysanthemum contains volatile oils, so it should always be added in the final 10 minutes of cooking, not at the start. Mulberry leaf, by contrast, does not contain significant volatile oils and can go in at the same time as the flowers without concern. If you find the tea hard to drink, a small amount of honey improves the flavour.