This May Day holiday, visitors to Meicheng ancient town in Jiande, a county-level city of Hangzhou, discovered a surprising fusion of tradition and innovation in the formwujiapicoffee, a modern latte infused with traditional Chinese herb wine.

At a small cafe called Lailai Coffee, barista and owner Qian Min introduced curious customers to drinks that blend locally brewedwujiapi, a herbal liquor with over 200 years of history, into lattes, milk tea, ice cream, and cocktails. Each day of the holiday saw over 50 jars of thewujiapilatte sold, as tourists lined up after seeing the drink trending online.

Wujiapi, originally brewed during the reign of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), is crafted from ingredients like Siberian ginseng root, wild celery, codonopsis, and Solomon's seals, using water from Qiandao Lake. The technique used to brew it, known as the Yandongguan Wujiapi method, is recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage item.

Inspired by her hometown's transformation into a tourism hotspot, Qian returned to Meicheng to launch her coffee business after years of competing in and winning national barista competitions. She spent two months perfecting thewujiapicoffee formula, balancing the herbal tones and milk base to keep the alcohol content under 1 percent — ensuring broad appeal.

"The drink is layered with the aroma of wine, a hint of herbs, and the richness of a latte," said loyal customer Zhu Xisheng. "It's something completely new and unforgettable."