Lingzhi and Longan Tea

Why people make this tea

Insomnia is one of the most common urban complaints — and going several nights without proper sleep can leave anyone frazzled and on edge. In traditional thinking, sleeplessness comes in a few types: a “heart-spleen deficiency” pattern (waking easily, hard to fall back asleep, low appetite); a “yin-deficient with heat” pattern (restless, palpitations, dry mouth at night); and a “gallbladder-deficient, liver-overactive” pattern (startling awake, easily frightened or irritable). Soaking the feet in hot water for ten minutes before bed helps with all of them. This particular tea is traditionally aimed at the heart-spleen pattern, with palpitations and disturbed sleep.

Who it suits / who should be cautious

• People who wake easily, feel run-down, get cold easily, or are prone to colds and nasal allergies
• Not suitable while you have an acute throat infection or cold (avoid tonic teas then)
• If you have diabetes, use less longan and substitute goji berries
• Use black lingzhi rather than red lingzhi, which is quite bitter

Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)

• Lingzhi / reishi (ling zhi): traditionally valued for calming the spirit and supporting the constitution.
• Dried longan flesh (gui yuan rou): traditionally nourishes the heart and blood and calms the spirit, helping with restless sleep.

Ingredients (2 cups)

Ingredient	Amount	Notes
Lingzhi, sliced	~19 g	Rinsed; black lingzhi preferred
Dried longan flesh	~15 g	Rinsed

Method

1. Rinse the lingzhi and longan flesh.
2. Simmer in 5 bowls of water for about 1 hour until reduced to 2 bowls.
3. Serve.

Bro Niu’s tips

This tea is traditionally regarded as helpful for those with a weaker constitution who feel cold easily and catch colds or nasal allergies readily. As a bedtime habit, soaking the feet in hot water for about ten minutes before sleep pairs well with it.

Community questions answered (selected)

• Q (reader): My mother’s kidney function isn’t great — can she drink this tea? Bro Niu: Yes, she can. But if she has diabetes, use less longan flesh and substitute goji berries.

• Q (anonymous): Should I use red lingzhi or black lingzhi? Bro Niu: Red lingzhi is quite bitter — use black lingzhi instead.

• Q (Mi): I have laryngitis with a runny nose, phlegm and cough — can I drink this steeped tea? Bro Niu: With an inflamed throat you shouldn’t take tonic teas. Instead, simmer half a luo han guo, 10 green olives, a green radish and ~38 g sweet-and-bitter apricot kernels with lean pork to help clear heat and soothe the throat.

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Published August 16, 2011 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 2 min read.