Lotus Seed, Poria and Schisandra Berry Soup (Lian Zi Fu Shen Wu Wei Zi Tang)

This soup is traditionally used to calm the mind, support liver enzyme balance, and ease fatigue and insomnia — particularly in those managing fatty liver. Schisandra (wu wei zi) is also the subject of studies suggesting it may be associated with reductions in alanine aminotransferase (ALT), an enzyme commonly elevated in fatty liver disease.

One batch yields approximately 600 ml, enough for one serving. Preparation takes around 10 minutes, with a simmering time of about 1 hour, for a total of roughly 70 minutes.

Schisandra is naturally quite sour and may create a sensation of warmth or mild discomfort in the stomach for some people. Taking the soup after a meal, or adding a few red dates and goji berries, usually resolves this; lightly toasting the berries first in a dry pan may also help sensitive individuals.

Yes — omitting the lean pork and adding rock sugar (bing tang) to taste produces a sweet soup dessert variation. The recipe also notes it can be made as a porridge with rice.

The recipe suggests aiming for twice a week for one to two months as part of a balanced approach to liver support, then assessing. The soup is described as gentle enough for long-term use.