香港生活文化｜涼茶舖的養生年代 | Hong Kong Living Culture｜The Herbal Tea Shop Era of Wellness
涼茶舖，是香港傳統養生文化的重要象徵，以中草藥熬製涼茶，具有清熱解毒之效。這些店舖多設於街頭或屋邨，既是飲品店，也是民間保健的場所。隨著現代醫療與生活方式改變，涼茶舖逐漸減少，但其獨特的文化價值與養生理念，仍然流傳至今。
Herbal tea shops are a significant part of Hong Kong’s traditional wellness culture, offering herbal brews believed to clear heat and improve health. Found in streets and housing estates, they function as both beverage shops and informal health providers. Although their numbers have declined with modern lifestyles and medicine, their cultural significance and holistic philosophy continue to endure.
在香港的傳統生活文化之中，涼茶舖是一種結合飲食與養生的獨特存在，它既不是單純的飲品店，也不是正式的醫療機構，而是一種介乎兩者之間的民間智慧結晶。所謂涼茶，是以各種中草藥經長時間熬製而成的飲品，根據不同配方具有清熱解毒、去濕降火、潤肺止咳等功效，深受香港市民歡迎。早在五、六十年代，涼茶舖已經遍布香港街頭，尤其是在工業區、屋邨與人流密集的地區，更是隨處可見，店內通常擺放著一排排裝有涼茶的玻璃樽或不鏽鋼壺，顏色深淺不一，味道亦各有不同，顧客可以根據自己的身體狀況或需要選擇適合的涼茶，例如常見的有廿四味、五花茶、夏枯草等。當時的香港氣候炎熱潮濕，市民普遍相信「上火」的概念，因此飲用涼茶成為日常生活的一部分，有些人甚至每天都會到涼茶舖喝上一碗，以保持身體平衡。涼茶舖的經營多為家族式，配方往往代代相傳，帶有濃厚的傳統色彩，而店主亦常被視為具有一定經驗的「民間醫者」，能夠根據顧客的症狀提供建議，這種半醫療性的角色，使涼茶舖在社區中具有特殊地位。除了涼茶之外，許多涼茶舖亦會售賣龜苓膏等相關產品，進一步豐富其功能。隨著時代發展與西醫普及，市民對健康的理解逐漸改變，加上生活節奏加快，年輕一代對苦味較重的涼茶興趣下降，使涼茶舖的數量逐漸減少，一些老字號亦因後繼無人而結業。然而，涼茶文化並未完全消失，反而在某些層面上進行轉型，例如推出較易入口的改良配方，或以樽裝形式進入超級市場，讓更多人以不同方式接觸這種傳統飲品。同時，亦有部分老店堅持傳統做法，保留原汁原味的涼茶，吸引喜愛傳統文化的顧客。近年來，隨著人們對健康與自然療法的關注增加，涼茶再次受到一定程度的重視，被視為一種結合傳統與現代的養生選擇。涼茶舖的年代，也許已不如昔日般普遍，但它所代表的，是一種順應自然、重視平衡的生活哲學，是香港文化中獨特而深厚的一部分。每一碗苦中帶甘的涼茶，都蘊含著時間的沉澱與經驗的累積，在城市的變遷之中，靜靜地延續著一種屬於本土的養生智慧。
English Version
Within Hong Kong’s traditional living culture, herbal tea shops represent a unique fusion of food and wellness, occupying a space that is neither purely commercial nor strictly medical, but rather a manifestation of folk wisdom passed down through generations. Herbal tea, or “leung cha,” is made by boiling various Chinese medicinal herbs over long periods, resulting in beverages believed to have properties such as clearing internal heat, detoxifying the body, reducing dampness, and soothing the lungs. These drinks have long been embraced by the local population. As early as the 1950s and 1960s, herbal tea shops were widely found across Hong Kong, particularly in industrial areas, public housing estates, and busy urban districts. Inside these shops, rows of glass bottles or metal containers filled with different herbal brews were displayed, each varying in color and taste depending on its ingredients. Customers would select their drinks based on their physical condition or needs, with common options including formulations like “24-flavor tea,” chrysanthemum-based blends, and selfheal spike tea. Given Hong Kong’s hot and humid climate, the concept of “internal heat” became deeply ingrained in daily life, and drinking herbal tea was considered a practical way to maintain bodily balance. Many people made it a daily habit to visit herbal tea shops, integrating this practice into their routine. Most herbal tea shops were family-run businesses, with recipes carefully preserved and passed down through generations, adding a strong sense of tradition and authenticity. Shopkeepers were often regarded as informal health advisors, capable of recommending suitable remedies based on customers’ symptoms, thus playing a semi-medical role within the community. In addition to herbal teas, many shops also sold related products such as herbal jelly, further expanding their offerings. However, with the advancement of modern medicine and changing lifestyles, public perceptions of health evolved, and the younger generation became less inclined to consume the often bitter-tasting herbal drinks. As a result, the number of traditional herbal tea shops declined, and many long-established businesses closed due to a lack of successors. Despite this decline, the culture has not disappeared entirely but has instead adapted to contemporary contexts. Some producers have introduced milder, more palatable versions of herbal teas, while others have packaged them for sale in supermarkets, making them more accessible to modern consumers. At the same time, certain traditional shops continue to uphold original methods, attracting those who appreciate authenticity and heritage. In recent years, growing interest in natural remedies and holistic health has led to a renewed appreciation for herbal tea, positioning it as a bridge between tradition and modern wellness practices. Although the era when herbal tea shops were ubiquitous may have faded, the philosophy they embody—harmony with nature and the importance of balance—remains deeply embedded in Hong Kong’s cultural identity. Each bowl of herbal tea, with its bittersweet taste, carries within it layers of history, experience, and wisdom, quietly enduring amidst the ever-changing landscape of the city.
