Chinese Monthly Rose and Rose Petal Tea

Why people make this tea

Sometimes the best food-therapy is also the most enjoyable. Wandering into a small shop selling dried flowers, Nourilo discovered fresh stocks of Chinese monthly rose (yue ji hua) and several varieties of rose (mei gui hua) — the large French rose, the deep red Shandong rose, the purple-red Zhejiang variety, and the delicate golden-edged rose. Brewed together, these two flowers produce a tea that is genuinely fragrant and pleasant to drink, with a warmth that seems to settle and lift the spirit. In Chinese food-therapy, this combination is traditionally said to gently move the liver qi, support blood circulation, ease emotional tension, and benefit skin complexion. It is also particularly valued for women with irregular periods or menstrual discomfort.

Method

1. Place the dried flowers into a teapot or heat-proof cup.
2. First, pour a small amount of hot (just-boiled) water over the petals and immediately discard it — this is a brief rinse to remove dust.
3. Pour in fresh hot water and cover.
4. Steep for 5 minutes.
5. Pour and enjoy. The petals can be re-steeped until the flavour fades.

Nourilo’s Tips

This tea is pleasantly versatile. If a woman experiences period pain (dysmenorrhea), Nourilo suggests adding a small amount of brown sugar (hong tang) to the cup — the warmth of brown sugar is traditionally thought to help ease cramping. For those with a weak constitution or blood deficiency who find plain rose tea a little light, try adding 10 pieces of longan flesh (long yan rou / yuan rou) to the pot for a richer, more nourishing cup. If you have uterine fibroids, this tea can be used for its gentle circulation-supporting properties — about three to four times per week is appropriate.

Drink this tea before and after your menstrual cycle rather than during the period itself, as the blood-moving properties are most relevant at those times. For women whose periods are infrequent or very dark and scanty, drinking regularly in between periods may gradually help support regularity.

Remember: this tea is completely off-limits during pregnancy.