Natural Forest Tea in Dong Thang commune, Dinh Lap district of Lang Son province

• Che Rung (Forest Tea) is an ecological product produced in a traditional way by the Tay Healers Group in Dong Thang commune, Dinh Lap district, Lang Son province. This Tea is made up of a local scientific combination of the natural Voi plant (Cleistocalyx operculatus ‘Roxband’) and Che rung (Camellia chrysantha). It’s a popular tea in the area, consumed on a daily basis by local people.
  
  
  
  
  “Che Rung” bush
   
  “Voi” plant  naturally grows alongside streams in the mountainous areas. The villagers traditionally use the leaves and the buds for daily drinking. The nature of Voi is helpful for the digestive system and liver, and used as a remedy for diabetes. Che rung  is a natural forest plant with a reputation for curative powers. It’s an economically valuable species, with a relatively high price paid for its leaves and flowers. Che rung is traditionally used as herbal medicine by ethnic minority people. It is very helpful for blood pressure regulation, diabetes treatment, and as an anti-inflamatory.
  Tay healers in Dong Thang commune have their own knowledge to prepare this traditional tea. The healers often go to the forest in the early morning to collect the leaves and the buds of “forest tea plant” for fresh. After collecting they clean them, then dry under the sun and put them on the shelf which is one meter high from the ground to make sure it keeps clean and dried enough before packing.
   
  
  
  Villagers are collecting the leaves and buds of “Voi” plant
  
  

  The healers group in Dong Thang make this tea for over two years with small scale production. They get small income but it is really encouraging them to develop the product. Many people (foreigners and city people) is really hunger to drink in a daily life for this sweet ecological product and engaged in using it for long term.
  Each bag of the Tea costs 25,000 VND. Sales revenue is distributed by the healers in the following way:

  • 10% is used for Forest Protection Fund;
  • Another 10% is used for “Voi” and “Che Rung” management;
  • Another 10% is used for management fee for Tay Healers Women Group;
  • The remaining 70% is paid to the healers gathering and processing the tea.

  
  
  Bags of Forest Tea

  
  Drinking Forest Tea is not only healthy but also contributes to supporting Dong Thang’s healers in forest protection in general and traditional herbal medicine plants’ protection in particular.
  For more information of the product and how to buy to support Healers Women Group, please contact:
  CIRUM office
  Address: 12C Pham Huy Thong, Ngoc Khanh, Ba Dinh, Hanoi, Vietnam.
  Tel: (+84) 437 622 368 / Email: batham1807@gmail.com