The shady corners of Suzhou's UNESCO-listed classical gardens, epitomizing the beauty of Chinese landscaping, are not the only attraction drawing overheating visitors to the historical city in East China's Jiangsu province.
There is another local tradition just as essential to surviving the sultriness of the summer season: a tall glass of something cold, clear and utterly peculiar.
Unlike the thick, creamy mung bean soup enjoyed by most of China's population, this Su-style concoction is crystal clear, with distinctive green mung beans and pearly white glutinous rice resting at the bottom like a miniature still life.
Floating on top are colorful strips of red and green made from vegetables, candied winter melon, dried sweet dates, raisins and the occasional preserved kumquat. All of this is topped off with a faint whiff of mint.
To the uninitiated, it looks like a dessert, a drink and a puzzle all at once.
Its origins are as layered as its ingredients. Mung bean soup has been a Chinese summer staple since the Tang (618-907) and Song (960-1279) dynasties, when street vendors sold chilled versions to cool down passersby.
But Suzhou's distinctive interpretation emerged much later, shaped by the region's prosperity and its taste for refinement.
According to Zhao Guoming, curator of the Suzhou Diet Museum, the soup's evolution mirrors the city's own history. As Suzhou grew wealthy through trade and commerce, locals began embellishing the humble mung bean soup with preserved fruits and candied ingredients — luxuries once reserved for well-off families.
For Suzhou people, a glass of iced mung bean soup has been summer's "happy water" and an essential part of local food culture, Zhao said.
The preparation method also sets it apart. Unlike the boiled-to-a-pulp version found elsewhere, Suzhou's version requires the mung beans and glutinous rice to be steamed separately, which keeps each bean distinct and ensures a firm, chewy texture.
And then there's the mint: A few drops of mint extract or a soak of mint leaves gives the drink its signature sharp, cooling kick — a sensation so intense that some outsiders find it startling.
"It's very natural," said Guo Hui, 50, who has been making the soup since her teens and runs a shop selling it near Guanqian Street, the city's bustling historical shopping district.
"Just purified water, rock sugar and mint leaves. You don't mess with it."
Guo insists on using premium-grade mung beans, which have a matte texture, and steaming them only after soaking them thoroughly. "You can't rush it," she said.
In recent years, the drink has become a social media sensation, with tourists flocking to Suzhou specifically to try it. Dedicated shops have sprouted across the city, offering creative twists, such as black rice and dried mango, alongside the classic version.
Food delivery platforms report booming sales each summer, and social media feeds are filled with videos of curious tourists taking their first sips.
For Mi Jiahao, 40, this newfound fame is both amusing and affirming. He has been drinking Su-style mung bean soup since he was 4. "Every summer, as soon as it got hot, my parents would make it," he recalled."It's just what we do in Suzhou."
When out-of-town friends visit, Mi always takes them to try it.
Their first reaction is often bewilderment.
"They say it tastes like toothpaste water, but for us, this is what summer tastes like," he said, laughing.
Most come around, he added.
"Even with all the jokes online, they actually end up liking it. It's more of a friendly jibe than a real complaint."
For Mi, the drink's popularity is a welcome development. "The shops are still making it the traditional way," he noted.
"And for visitors, it's a way to connect with Suzhou's food culture — to feel like they've arrived."
On a hot day, the ritual is simple.
You stir the glass, mixing the minty water with the ingredients resting at the bottom, Mi said. Then you sip — the mint hits first, sharp and cooling — then you crunch on a piece of candied winter melon, followed by the soft chewiness of steamed glutinous rice.
"It is refreshing, complex and undeniably peculiar," he said.
