A Summer in Bianliang: The Ice Age of Imperial China

If you strolled through the streets of Bianliang (modern Kaifeng) during the sweltering summers of the Song Dynasty (960-1279 CE), you would encounter a surprisingly modern pleasure: bustling cold drink shops offering an array of chilled delicacies. Three major establishments dominated the scene—Cao’s Congshi near Vermilion Bird Gate and two unnamed rivals at Old Song Gate—each serving innovative frozen treats that would feel familiar to contemporary palates.

This 12th-century refrigeration revolution featured bingxue (ice cakes), liangjiang (fermented rice tonic), gancao tang (iced licorice water), and fruit-based concoctions like yao mugua (medicinal papaya brew) and liangshui lizhi gao (lychee-infused jelly). Behind these thirst-quenching innovations lay remarkable feats of pre-industrial engineering and a culinary culture that would influence Chinese gastronomy for centuries.

Harvesting Winter’s Bounty: The Ice Economy of Medieval China

The foundation of Song Dynasty’s cold drink culture rested on an elaborate seasonal infrastructure. Without modern refrigeration, resourceful merchants employed techniques dating back to Zhou Dynasty (1046-256 BCE) ice cellars (lingyin). Winter harvest crews braved frozen rivers to extract meter-thick ice blocks, transporting them to temperature-controlled underground vaults lined with insulating straw and wood.

By Southern Song times (1127-1279), Kaifeng’s ice trade became institutionalized. The imperial Ling Ren (Ice Office) managed palace reserves while commercial icehouses proliferated. A 1163 edict recorded in Song Shi (History of Song) mandated seasonal ice distribution to officials—a perk that sometimes proved hazardous. Emperor Xiaozong famously confessed to his minister Shi Shidian about overindulging in icy treats: “We drank excessive chilled water recently, suffering sudden diarrhea, though fortunately recovered.”

Innovative storage solutions emerged, including double-layered copper-bound oak barrels that preserved ice for days. Wealthy households repurposed these as primitive air conditioners—placing four units in room corners to release cooling vapors, a technique later adopted by Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) scholars during imperial examinations.

From Imperial Banquets to Street Stalls: The Song Beverage Revolution

### Frosty Concoctions

The Song culinary repertoire featured several frozen marvels:

– Bingxue: Artisanal ice creams made by freezing sweetened liquids in decorative molds. Kaifeng’s versions incorporated fruit pulps or edible flowers, while Hangzhou vendors specialized in sculpted ice animals.
– Liangjiang: A probiotic drink akin to Korean sikhye, created through five-day fermentation of rice broth. Its tart profile made it a Qingming Festival offering for wandering spirits.
– Yao Mugua: A health tonic blending papaya with honey and Chinese herbs like chuanxiong (Ligusticum), boiled into a whitish paste before chilling.

### The Science of Thirst Quenching

Two sophisticated beverage categories emerged:

1. Keshui (Thirst Water): An early concentrate made by reducing fruit juices into translucent pectin. Marco Polo later documented similar Persian sharbat techniques in Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368).
2. Shushui (Matured Water): Herbal infusions like bamboo-leaf tea, steeped then well-chilled—a practice surviving in Henan’s wheat harvest traditions where roasted bamboo leaves still flavor summer brews.

The Rituals of Refreshment: Cold Drinks in Song Society

Beyond physical relief, chilled beverages played codified social roles. While later Qing Dynasty officials used tea-serving as subtle dismissal (the infamous duancha songke), Song etiquette prescribed opposite symbolism:

– Welcoming Tea: Guests received warm tea upon arrival, often scented with chrysanthemum or osmanthus.
– Farewell Decoction: Departures triggered sòngkè tāng—a spiced “exit soup” blending甘草 (licorice), 砂仁 (cardamom), and 薄荷 (mint). This tradition echoed Tang Dynasty (618-907) medicinal wines but acquired new ceremonial function.

Northern Jin Dynasty (1115-1234) courts inverted this practice, foreshadowing Manchu customs that would dominate later imperial protocol. The divergence highlights how beverage culture mapped onto China’s north-south political divides.

Legacy in Every Sip: From Song Ice Cellars to Modern Boba

The Song cold drink revolution established enduring patterns:

1. Commercial Refrigeration: Song ice merchants pioneered bulk cold storage that enabled later delicacies like Qing Dynasty suannai (iced yogurt).
2. Health Beverages: Herbal shushui traditions evolved into Cantonese liangcha (cooling tea) and modern wellness drinks.
3. Street Food Culture: Kaifeng’s licensed beverage stalls became blueprints for night markets across East Asia.

Contemporary parallels abound. Taiwan’s xiancao (grass jelly) and Hong Kong’s dong ling gao (turtle jelly) descend directly from Song medicinal desserts. Even the global boba tea craze owes debt to 13th-century fruit pectin techniques.

As climate change renews interest in passive cooling, Song Dynasty’s ice cellars and evaporative chillers gain fresh relevance. Perhaps the ultimate tribute came in 2021, when Kaifeng chefs recreated bingxue using excavated Song-era recipes—proving that some innovations never go out of season.