Cloud tea is like life; life is learning, wisdom is cultivation.
“During the Qingming season, the rain falls thick and fast” — that line of poetry captures it perfectly. Every year around Qingming, the weather becomes unbearably damp. Clothes will not dry, floors are slick with moisture, and your body feels heavy. My remedy is simple: a pot of ripe pu-erh tea. The warming, nourishing character of ripe tea is traditionally believed to help the body expel excess dampness, leaving you feeling lighter. I have used this method for over a decade, and the results are clear. Every Qingming season, my teapot always contains ripe tea.
Today I am brewing a classic ripe tea from the Menghai Tea Factory. The liquor is deep red and bright, smooth on the palate, with a hint of jujube fragrance. After drinking, your whole stomach feels warm, as if someone were gently pressing their palm against it. This warmth is especially treasured during the damp days of Qingming. When dampness is heavy, people tend to feel drowsy, lose their appetite, and experience achy joints. A pot of ripe tea addresses all of these. I am the best example — every year through Qingming I persist in drinking ripe tea, and my body has never given me trouble.
In traditional Chinese understanding, Qingming is the peak of dampness, and dampness is said to besiege the spleen and stomach. When these organs weaken, digestion suffers. Ripe tea, warm in nature, is traditionally believed to warm the spleen and stomach and help transform dampness. I drink two cups of ripe tea daily in the fortnight around Qingming, and the heavy feeling in my body clearly lifts. This is knowledge from my own experience, not from books. Drinking ripe tea when dampness is heavy is like running a dehumidifier in a damp house — the effect is noticeable. Many people also find that the beneficial microorganisms produced during the fermentation of ripe tea support gut health. When the gut thrives, the whole person feels better. Over the years I have noticed fewer digestive issues and even clearer skin during the damp season.
Tea has grades; all may enjoy it regardless of status.
There is a small trick for drinking ripe tea at Qingming: add a few pieces of dried tangerine peel (chen pi) when brewing. Chen pi is traditionally valued for regulating qi and supporting the spleen. Combined with ripe tea, the flavour becomes richer and the dampness-dispelling effect is thought to be enhanced. I use this combination every Qingming, and I feel comfortable afterwards. Also, do not brew the tea too strong — light tea is more suitable. Strong tea can irritate the stomach lining; gentle tea is what truly warms and comforts. This is a detail many overlook, but it matters greatly. “Qingming rains fall thick and fast; a pot of ripe tea drives dampness away.” That is my Qingming wellness method. In fact, dispelling dampness is not just for Qingming — the whole spring season requires attention. Cantonese people often speak of “spring lethargy,” which is essentially a symptom of heavy dampness. A daily pot of ripe tea, combined with moderate exercise and a light diet, can help you navigate the damp weather with ease. My decade-plus experience tells me: wellness does not require complicated methods; the simplest approaches are often the most effective. A pot of ripe tea is my secret weapon against the damp.
Make friends through tea, please enjoy a cup.
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Author: Old Tea Head · Lin Shen (LamSam)
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