Wanglaoji, a 190 year-old Guangdong herbal tea brand, set up its first overseas museum on Grand Street, Manhattan on November 18th.
Guangdong herbal tea has become part of the daily life of many Chinese people, especially those living in the Lingnan region. But it’s still unfamiliar to most overseas. When producing reports on the overseas market of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM), journalists from Nanfang Daily invited New Yorkers to have their first taste of Guangdong herbal tea.
The Wanglaoji museum displays a series of old photos, equipment and Chinese herbs, aiming promote TCM to an overseas audience.
In 1983, Lin Zexu, Hu-guang Viceroy, headed down south to ban opium. He rushed through the day so much that he got heatstroke. Even though he asked almost all of famous doctors in Canton, they told him his illness was serious and he would have to go back to Beijing.
Fortunately on further enquiry, his entourage found out that Wang Zebang was good at curing heatstroke. After visiting Wang's home, just three cups of herbal tea solved Lin's problem. Lin Zexu felt much refreshed, he came to thank Wang Zebang and said: "You are honest and sell effective drugs at a low price. Since your family name is Wang and nickname is Aji, your herbal tea should be called 'Wanglaoji' from now on."
Later he gifted Wang a big gourd-shaped copper teapot with three gold letters "Wanglaoji" on it. From then on, Wang Zebang made "Wanglaoji" as his shop's formal title.
The first Wanglaoji overseas museum in New York
Visitors to the museum can also taste different types of Chinese herbal tea thanks to a mini Wang Lao Ji herbal tea store set up inside. The brand has injected innovative elements into traditional herbal tea, adding rose and ginger to provide different flavors.
In fact, Wanglaoji’s New York museum is not America’s first encounter with the brand.
In late 19th century, Wanglaoji entered the U.S. Market. Liang Qi Chao, a Chinese revolutionary pioneer, mentioned in his book Travel Notes of the New Continent (the U.S.) 120 years ago, "Since some Westerns prefer Chinese doctors, one can grow wealthy through Traditional Chinese Medicine industry. There is a herbal tea known as Wanglaoji that is sold for two copper coins each dose in Guangdong, but is sold for 5 or 10 dollars to Westerns." In 1925, Wanglaoji was also invited to attend the Chinese product expo in London.
Lian Jiarong, a chief distributor of Wanglaoji in U.S., said the sales volume of Wanglaoji has seen a 30 percent growth every year since it debuted in the U.S.. “The Wanglaoji herbal tea is sold $1.5 a can. It’s popular in the Chinese community and attracts quite a few locals.
Wanglaoji herbal tea has been registered in and is being exported to 60 countries and regions worldwide with an annual sales value of more than 20 billion, raising the profile of TCM around the world.
Reported by Yan Huifang, Peng Yifei, Huang Xuhao
Translated by Jasmine Yin
Edited by Oulivia Ouyang, Simon Haywood
我们在纽约街头请老外喝广东凉茶，他们的反应让人惊讶！
有华人处就有广东凉茶。
11月18日，190岁的王老吉凉茶将全球首个海外凉茶博物馆开进纽约曼哈顿格兰街。老外喝广东凉茶是什么味？他们又对中医药了解多少？南方日报“岐黄海踪——中医药文化深调研”记者团队走上纽约街头，现场一探究竟。
一起来听听金发碧眼的美国人是怎么评价手头这一罐时尚凉茶——王老吉吧！
王老吉纽约凉茶博物馆坐落在格兰街头，以现代化外形与具有传统中国特色的内景融合建造而成。
展区内，一尊林则徐向王老吉赠送铜葫芦的雕像尤其吸引眼球。这其中还有一段故事。
相传1838年，湖广总督林则徐奉旨南下查禁烟（即毒品鸦片），岂料入粤后终日奔波，感邪中暑，病情日重。幸一随员打听到当地王泽邦治感暑出名，林则徐登门就诊后，仅服用三剂凉茶就药到病除。
林则徐精神大振，登门答谢，他对王泽邦说：“你姓王，小名阿吉，为人行医老老实实，药廉效佳，你的凉茶今后就叫‘王老吉’好了。”随即林则徐送来一个葫芦状的大铜壶，上面刻有“王老吉”三个金字。自此，王泽邦即正式以“王老吉”为号。
记者在现场采访时，不时有顾客推门而入参观凉茶博物馆。
馆内还设有王老吉品牌的现泡凉茶铺，可现场调制不同风味的时尚现泡凉茶。凉茶搭配玫瑰花煮成的“娘娘吉祥”、搭配生姜煮就的“丝丝暖心”等，为传统凉茶注入时尚因素。
时尚凉茶什么味？我们的记者为您尝一下！
王老吉凉茶博物馆落地纽约，并非是其第一次跨出国门。早在1828年（中国清朝道光年间），王老吉第一家凉茶铺诞生于广州十三行后，就将广东凉茶这一依据中医药传统理论开发而成的饮品带往世界各地。
十九世纪晚期，王老吉随赴美华人进入美国市场。120年前，梁启超在赴美考察所写的《新大陆游记》中就如此记载：“西人有喜用华医者，故业此常足以致富。有所谓王老吉凉茶，在广东每贴铜钱两文，售诸西人或五元或十元美金不等云。”1925年，王老吉凉茶还应邀前往英国伦敦参加中国产品展览会。
王老吉凉茶在美国受欢迎的程度出乎意料。连家荣是王老吉凉茶美国市场的总经销商，他告诉记者，登陆美国市场后，王老吉凉茶的销量每年以30%的速度在增长。1.5美元一罐的王老吉凉茶在这里很受欢迎，不仅华人喜欢，顾客中不少也是老外，。据悉，王老吉凉茶已在全球60个国家和地区进行产品出口和商标注册，有超千万个终端网点，年销量达200多亿元，一罐罐时尚的凉茶饮料，将中医药治病强身的理念文化带往全世界。
撰文：南方日报记者严慧芳 彭奕菲 黄叙浩发自美国纽约
出镜记者：彭奕菲
摄影/剪辑：黄叙浩
