Icehouse and ice ticket
As early as Pre-Qin Dynasty, people used natural ice to keep food fresh and make cold drinks. The Zhou royal court had a specialized department called "ice administration". They collected natural ice blocks each December to store in the icehouse. During the Qing Dynasty, "ice tickets" were used and they were available only to officials and the rich.
Ice container
The most commonly used cooling tool is called "Jian", which is a big container filled with ice. It was made of clay in early Chinese history, and was later made of copper (铜). The "Jian" can be seen as an ancient refrigerator, which can be used to make cold drinks.
Hiding food in the well
During the Qin and Han dynasties, for common people, the most common way to cool off is by using their wells. Some families put a pot in the well as a cold closet, or put food in a basket and lowered the basket into the well with a rope.
Herbal drinks
During the Qing Dynasty, taking Chinese herbal medicine was popular in Beijing. In hot summer, some people preferred to drink ice water, some boiled perilla leaves, and liquorice as summer soup to keep off the heat. Ancient people also loved to make lotus seed soup in summer for the benefit of strengthening the body.
