Guiling Gao
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Guiling Gao
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Guiling Gao (Simplified Chinese: 龟苓膏; Traditional Chinese: 龜苓膏; Pinyin: Guī líng gāo; also guilinggao; turtle jelly / tortoise jelly) is a black, mildly bitter herbal jelly from Lingnan food culture, especially associated with Wuzhou in Guangxi and with Guangdong/Hong Kong dessert and herbal shops. Traditional formulas combined turtle plastron (historically including prized species now protected) with Smilax glabra (土茯苓) and other herbs; modern commercial powders and cans often use alternative herbal bases (sometimes with mesona/grass-jelly plants) and little or no turtle. Soft imperial miracle-cure legends are folk. It is related to cooling herbal sweets but not the same as plain Grass Jelly (烧仙草/仙草) alone.[1]
Characteristics
Dark black jelly cubes; herbal bitter-sweet taste; often served chilled with syrup, honey, or condensed milk.
Ingredients (overview)
Herbal decoction set into jelly (traditional turtle plastron + smilax and herbs; modern powder mixes vary); sweetener syrups for dessert service. Overview only—not medical advice.
History and culture
Lingnan herbal jelly with Wuzhou intangible-heritage recognition for preparation craft in Chinese heritage listings; mass canned and powdered forms dominate everyday dessert use. English says "guilinggao," "turtle jelly," or "tortoise jelly." See Guangdong Food, Guangxi Food if present, and Grass Jelly.
Serving and variations
Chilled dessert cup or canned snack. See Grass Jelly, Ai Yu Jelly, and Douhua.