Lotus Seed, Cicada Shell and Rush Pith Soup

Why people make this soup

When a young child cries through the night, the first job is to rule out the obvious: is the nappy wet, is the room too warm or too cold, is the clothing too tight? Once those are ruled out, traditional Cantonese food therapy points to internal heat along the heart channel — the child is overstimulated, perhaps from a loud outing or too many visitors during the day, and their little nervous system cannot wind down. This simple three-ingredient preparation has been trusted by Cantonese families for generations. It is mild, naturally low in strong flavours, and Bro Niu often recommends it as a starter tea for infants under one year old.

Who it suits / who should be cautious

• Babies and toddlers who cry at night, are easily startled, or seem emotionally overexcited.
• Suitable as an opening milk tea (kai nai cha) for infants under one year when the ingredients are placed in a soup bag and simmered with thin congee.
• If the child is teething, running a fever, or the night waking is a recent and sudden change after illness, please see a doctor before relying on food therapy alone.
• Calcium deficiency can also cause sleep disturbance in young children — worth checking with your paediatrician.

Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)

• Lotus seeds with embryo (you xin lian zi): The green embryo at the centre of the seed is the key here — it is specifically associated with clearing heat from the heart channel. Standard split lotus seeds (without the embryo) can be used if whole ones are unavailable, though the effect is considered slightly milder.
• Cicada shell (chan tui): The shed exoskeleton of the cicada; in traditional practice it is associated with calming fright, settling convulsions, and reducing irritability.
• Rush pith (deng xin cao): The white pithy core of the rush plant (the same material historically used in oil lamps). Bundles containing both the white pith and the outer stem are considered more effective for clearing heart fire and reducing inflammation.

Ingredients (1-day portion for a young child)

Ingredient	Amount	Notes
Lotus seeds with embryo	~18 g	Use standard split lotus seeds if whole unavailable
Cicada shell (chan tui)	~9 g	Available at Chinese herbal stores
Rush pith bundles (deng xin cao)	6 small bundles	Use bundles with both pith and stem

Method

1. Rinse all ingredients briefly.
2. Combine with 3–4 bowls of water in a pot.
3. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook over low heat for 45 minutes, reducing to about 1.5 bowls of liquid.
4. Strain and divide into portions for the child to sip throughout the day.

Bro Niu’s tips

• This soup clears heart heat, calms restlessness, and settles fright — it is mild enough for very young children.
• For babies under one year, place the ingredients in a mesh soup bag and simmer with thin rice congee, or use the tea as an opening milk supplement.
• If whole lotus seeds with embryo are hard to find, ordinary split lotus seeds will also work.
• A gentle variation for older children who are sleeping poorly: add 30 g lily bulb (bai he) to the basic recipe for additional calming nourishment.

Community questions answered (selected)

• Q (Lee, reader): My 5-year-old has been sleeping very badly for the past few nights, waking at least once and sometimes shouting. Can I add anything to this recipe? Bro Niu: You can try lotus seeds with embryo 30 g, lily bulb 30 g, and longan flesh 9 g, simmered in 5 bowls of water down to 2 bowls. Give it for 2 days and see if things improve.

• Q (Sarah, reader): My 2-year-old has had very disturbed nights since a high fever that required hospitalisation last month. Would this soup be suitable? Bro Niu: Yes, she can drink this tea. If sleep remains poor, add 15 g lily bulb to the same pot.

• Q (kit, reader): My 5.5-month-old baby cries and fusses a lot in the day too, and has a persistent heat rash that is not clearing. Can he have this soup? Bro Niu: For a 5-month-old, try lotus seeds with embryo 15 g, lily bulb 15 g, and rush pith bundles 6, simmered as above to make the opening tea. For the rash, wild honeysuckle (tu yin hua) water used as an external wash — dabbed on with cotton, not rinsed off — works better than the cultivated variety.

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Published May 14, 2020 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 4 min read.