Guilinggao facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Guilinggao

Alternative names	Tortoise Jelly, Turtle Jelly
Type	Pastry
Course	Dessert
Place of origin	China
Main ingredients	Plastron, Chinese herbs

Guilinggao (Chinese: 龜苓膏; pinyin: Guīlínggāo) is a special jelly from China. It's sometimes called "tortoise jelly" or "turtle powder." People use it as a type of traditional Chinese medicine or enjoy it as a dessert.

Traditionally, Guilinggao was made from a paste of the bottom shell (called a plastron) of a turtle. This turtle was the Cuora trifasciata, also known as the "golden coin turtle." It also included different herbal products, especially a plant called China root (Smilax glabra).

Today, the golden coin turtle is very rare and expensive. So, most Guilinggao you find in stores doesn't actually contain turtle shell. Instead, it's made with many of the same healthy herbs. It's often sold as a dessert and is thought to be good for your skin.

A Bit of History

A restaurant in Wuhan advertising "Genuine Wuzhou Guilinggao"

There's a famous story about Guilinggao. It says that a long time ago, a Chinese emperor named Tongzhi Emperor was very sick. He started taking Guilinggao and felt much better.

However, his mother, Empress Dowager Cixi, believed he should worship a special statue instead. She convinced him to stop taking the jelly. Sadly, the emperor passed away soon after.

People believe that eating Guilinggao regularly can help your skin look healthier. They also think it can help with blood flow, muscle growth, and even reduce skin problems like acne.

What Guilinggao Looks Like

Regular Guilinggao jelly is usually black. But if you look closely, it's more of a very dark brown color. By itself, it's not sweet at all. It has a slightly bitter taste. Because of this, many people add sweeteners like honey to make it taste better.

Where to Find Guilinggao

You can easily find Guilinggao in cans in many countries in East Asia and Southeast Asia. It's also popular in Chinatowns in places like the United States and Canada. You can even buy it in England and New Zealand.

There are two main kinds of canned Guilinggao. One kind has a special mushroom powder called Lingzhi powder added to it.

How Guilinggao Is Made

Making traditional Guilinggao takes a long time. First, the turtle shell is boiled for many hours. Then, different herbs are added to the pot. The liquid slowly evaporates, and a jelly-like substance forms. To make it thicker, rice flour and corn starch are mixed in.

You can also make Guilinggao at home! You can buy it as a powder, similar to how you make Jell-O. When you prepare it, you can add other herbs like ginseng to change its taste or add more health benefits.

Images for kids

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  A typical Guilinggao dessert can, unopened

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  Picture of a Guilinggao jelly

See also

In Spanish: Guilinggao para niños