Wong Lo Kat (Wang Lao Ji): The Traditional Chinese Herbal Drink Now Gaining Global Attention Thanks To Haarland

A closer look at the 200-year-old “cooling herbal tea” from southern China

If you’ve recently seen a bright red herbal drink appear in a global football campaign, you’re not alone in wondering what it is.

In a recent international marketing moment, Norwegian soccer player Erling Haaland appears holding a traditional Chinese herbal beverage known as Wong Lo Kat (Wang Lao Ji / 王老吉), a drink with roots in southern Chinese herbal culture dating back more than 200 years.

Beyond its modern visibility, this beverage sits within a long-standing tradition of herbal teas used in everyday wellness culture in China.

Origins in Guangzhou and the Wong family tradition

Wong Lo Kat originated in 1828 in Guangzhou, China, developed by Wong Chat Bong (王泽邦), a physician from the Wong family of herbal practitioners.

The Wong family is recognised for its early role in shaping southern Chinese herbal tea brewing practices. Their knowledge formed part of a broader lineage of traditional formulations that were passed down through generations.

These early practices contributed to what is now known as liang cha (凉茶), a category of herbal infusions deeply embedded in southern Chinese food and wellness culture.

Understanding liang cha: cooling herbal tea culture

Liang cha, often translated as “cooling herbal tea,” is not a single recipe but a cultural approach to daily wellness.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), foods and herbs are traditionally viewed through energetic properties such as “warming” and “cooling.”

This is not related to temperature, but rather a way of describing how the body may respond to environmental, dietary, and lifestyle factors.

Within this framework, “heat” may be associated with:

• Spicy, fried, or rich foods
• Stress and emotional strain
• Lack of sleep or overwork
• Physically demanding activity

Cooling herbal teas are traditionally incorporated into everyday routines, particularly in hot and humid climates, as part of dietary balance and seasonal living.

A traditional herbal composition

Wong Lo Kat typically contains a blend of TCM herbs commonly used in southern Chinese herbal tea traditions, including:

• Grass jelly (仙草)
• Frangipani flower (鸡蛋花)
• Microcos leaf (布渣叶)
• Chrysanthemum flower (菊花)
• Honeysuckle flower (金银花)
• Self-heal plant (夏枯草)
• Licorice root (甘草)

These herbs are traditionally associated with cooling preparations and are often combined in formulas intended for regular, everyday consumption rather than intensive therapeutic use.

A cultural beverage, not a therapeutic product

While Wong Lo Kat is rooted in Traditional Chinese herbal philosophy, it is important to understand its modern form.

Today, it is typically:

• Sweetened with sugar
• Packaged as a ready-to-drink beverage
• Consumed for taste and refreshment
• Positioned as part of food culture rather than clinical herbal practice

From a wellness perspective, it is best understood as a cultural herbal beverage rather than a medicinal formulation.

Cooling herbal tea in modern lifestyle context

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, intense physical activity may be viewed as contributing to internal “heat,” particularly when combined with environmental or dietary factors.

Within this framework, cooling herbal teas are traditionally consumed in daily life to support balance during:

• Hot weather
• Heavier meals
• Periods of fatigue or overstimulation

However, from a modern nutritional perspective, it is important to distinguish cultural tradition from sports nutrition.

Wong Lo Kat is not designed as a hydration strategy or recovery beverage, and does not replace electrolytes or post-exercise nutrition.

Instead, it is best enjoyed as a refreshing, occasional beverage within meals or warm climates.

Wong Lo Kat and modern global visibility

As Traditional Chinese herbal beverages gain global visibility, Wong Lo Kat has also been reintroduced internationally under the brand name WALOVI, a global adaptation designed for broader markets.

This reflects a wider shift in how traditional wellness systems are being presented today, through modern branding, global sports partnerships, and digital storytelling.

Despite its contemporary packaging and marketing, the foundation of the drink remains deeply connected to southern Chinese herbal tea culture.

Wong Lo Kat in Australia

In Australia, Wong Lo Kat is commonly found in:

• Asian grocery stores
• Chinese supermarkets
• Restaurants serving Cantonese or regional Chinese cuisine

It is often enjoyed alongside rich or spicy dishes as part of traditional dining culture.

Wong Lo Kat offers an interesting example of how traditional herbal knowledge continues to evolve in modern contexts.

From its origins in Guangzhou nearly two centuries ago, to its presence in global advertising campaigns today, it reflects the ongoing translation of cultural wellness systems into contemporary life.

While interpretations vary across cultures, its place within Chinese food and herbal tradition remains consistent: a cooling beverage designed to complement everyday eating and seasonal living.