8 Treasures Herbal Infusion

Eight Treasures Infusion carries on the spirit of the Ba Bao Cha, that great classic of hospitality from north-west China: eight treasures gathered in one and the same cup, offered to the guest as a mark of regard.

Around the red jujube, the Goji berries and the dried longan, the composition brings in chrysanthemum, jasmine, dates and a touch of rock sugar — a sweet, round, naturally sugared palette in which every mouthful uncovers a different treasure.

Where the preparation of former times called for patience and transparent glassware, the BotaQi version brings it back to a simple gesture: one tea bag, a large cup, and the same generosity in the bowl.

A composed infusion, mild and of the supplementing register, in the tradition of the everyday drinks the tradition attaches to the Qi and the Blood.

Inherited from a thousand-year-old gesture of hospitality in north-west China — the bowl held out to the guest, clear so that the eye may follow the infusion — it is savoured without haste, particularly in the cool season for its comforting roundness.

• Infusion for pleasure: 1 tea bag in a large cup (250 ml), water at a simmer (90°C), 5 to 8 minutes covered
• Regular use: 1 tea bag a day for 2 to 4 weeks in the cool season
• The Hui tradition: served to guests as a mark of hospitality — a traditional gesture of north-western China

To be used in moderation in cases of settled heat or of marked stagnation.

Its supplementing sweetness can feed constitutions of thick Dampness — alternate with herbs that move if need be.