Chinese Yam Dampness-Clearing Soup (Huai Shan Qu Shi Tang)

Why people make this soup

Early spring in southern China is characterized by heavy mist, unpredictable temperature swings, and a pervasive sense of damp heaviness in the air. In Chinese food therapy, this corresponds to an excess of “dampness” in the body — a concept that loosely maps onto digestive sluggishness, fluid retention, and the distinctive fatigue and heavy-limbed feeling many people experience at this time of year. This soup has been a staple spring remedy in Cantonese households for generations. The combination of six ingredients — Chinese yam, poria, lotus seeds, adzuki beans, flat beans, and pearl barley — each brings a different contribution to strengthening the spleen and clearing accumulated dampness. Lean pork or other meat can be added to make it a complete family meal.