From an early age, Chinese people are taught never to drink “raw,” or unboiled, water. Over time, the belief that “drinking unboiled water can upset the stomach” has become deeply ingrained within China. Yet outside of it, drinking habits vary greatly. In Europe and North America, ice is added to nearly everything. New mothers in hospitals are often given large cups of ice water shortly after giving birth.
In South Korea and Japan, ice water is routinely served with meals, while in much of Southeast Asia, finding warm water can be surprisingly difficult. So, why is it that people in so many other countries prefer cold water, while Chinese people are so accustomed to drinking hot or warm water?
RELATED: From Hua Tuo to Shaolin: The Deep Roots of Medicine and Kung Fu in China
Why China favors warm water
In many Western cultures, drinking ice water is seen as a way to “cool down” the body after eating rich foods. Western diets tend to feature large amounts of beef, lamb, bacon, cheese, butter, and daily milk consumption, aka foods that are ultra rich and high in calories.
In traditional Chinese thinking, such foods are believed to generate excess internal heat. Consuming them in large quantities is thought to make the body feel overheated or out of balance. From this perspective, drinking cold water helps offset that internal heat, making the pairing of heavy foods with cold drinks feel natural and logical.
Success
You are now signed up for our newsletter
Success
Check your email to complete sign up
RELATED: Inside Dr. Jennifer Liang’s Acupuncture Practice: A Holistic Approach to Healing
Traditional Chinese dietary habits place greater emphasis on grains and starches, which are believed to give the body a comparatively “cooler” constitution. Within this framework, drinking cold water is thought to irritate the digestive system and lower the temperature of internal organs.
Warm water, by contrast, is considered gentler. Because its temperature is closer to that of the human body, less energy is required to process it. This is believed to reduce strain on the digestive system and support overall balance and comfort.
Tap water quality plays a major role
Differences in drinking habits are also closely tied to tap water quality and regulation. In the U.S., for example, drinking-water standards are divided into primary and secondary categories. Primary standards that determine whether water is safe to drink directly from the tap are legally enforced, meaning all public water supplies must comply.
In China, tap-water testing standards are significantly less stringent. For example, the allowable concentration of trichloroethylene alone is more than ten times higher than in the United States. As a result, relatively few people feel comfortable drinking tap water directly, reinforcing the long-standing habit of boiling water before consumption.
How the habit took root
Historically, drinking hot water was not common in China. Boiling water required more fuel than cooking food, making it impractical for ordinary households. Only wealthy families could afford to keep water heated throughout the day.
During the Song and Yuan dynasties, most families boiled water only when cooking. Plain water was the norm year-round, and boiling water was generally reserved for the elderly or the sick.
This changed dramatically in the 20th century. In 1934, the Nationalist government under Chiang Kai-shek and Soong Mei-ling launched the “New Life Movement,” a nationwide campaign designed to reshape daily behavior. The movement strongly promoted drinking boiled water as a public-health measure to reduce bacterial disease caused by unboiled water.
After 1949, similar campaigns were revived and expanded. Over time, drinking boiled water became associated with cleanliness, thrift, and good health — and eventually evolved into a deeply ingrained cultural habit.
Is boiling water enough?
Unsafe drinking water is responsible for at least 20 million deaths worldwide each year, earning water pollution the reputation of being one of “the world’s number one killer.” In response, governments globally have invested heavily in water-quality improvement.
China’s nationwide tap-water system was only preliminarily established in 1975, and its expansion lagged behind rapid industrial growth. As a result, water safety concerns have shifted from infectious disease to industrial contamination, including heavy metals and chemical pollutants. Today, an estimated 67.5 percent of China’s water sources are considered seriously polluted.
While boiling water is effective at killing bacteria and pathogens, it does not remove heavy metals or organic pollutants. For households seeking truly safe drinking water, installing a home water purifier has become one of the simplest and most effective solutions. Modern point-of-use purifiers can remove contaminants, improve taste, and provide water that is safer for long-term consumption.
