Hydrosol is an everyday thing in Europe, but as we found out through Osmanthus hydrosol, there are many historical records of using it in ancient China. During the Five Dynasties period, Arabian rose water was imported to China and was called "Rosewater". The technique of distillation was then imported into China and became popular in the Song Dynasty. In the Southern Song Dynasty, Zhang Shinan (張世南) wrote in his Records of Traveling and Eccentricities about the distillation of citrus blossoms that a " caldron," a type of steamer with small holes in the bottom, was used to distill or break down objects. The flowers were sealed in the steamer, placed on a hot water pot, so part of the "sweat" from heating and steaming flows into a small hole, and is caught in a container. After repeating the process three or four times, the flower liquid distilled from the steamer again and again is hydrosol.

In the Song Dynasty at that time, pure dew was widely used from princes and nobles to common people, and since roses were an exotic plant, it was impossible to make large quantities of "fragrant hydrosol ", so local flowers were used instead, such as osmanthus and jasmine. Of course, the most popular product was the imported "Rose water", which was very popular among the nobles and commoners.

According to legend, Ming Emperor Zhu Di's favorite flower hydrosol, made by Islamic distillers specializing in the production of rose water is Gurar water, the emperor after bathing with rose perfume sprinkled all over the body.

After all, it takes a lot of work to make this hydrosol, so it's too extravagant to spray it all over your body, so it's more practical to use it as a toner. In the Song lyrics, "The beauty of the mirror is on the jade makeup table, and the palm of the immortal is used to make the powdered cheeks. A crystal clear glazed bottle, the scent of which does not wait for the wax seal to be opened". - It is said that a crystal clear glazed bottle is on the dressing table, and the fragrance can be smelled before it is opened.

At night before going to bed, use a comb to comb the hair with the flower hydrosols, and the next day, the hair would still smell good and be moisturized.

In the Qing Dynasty, hydrosols were even a health drink. In "Dream of the Red Mansion", the cousin was sick with a fever and drank half a bowl of cold water with a little bit of rose water, which made his heart and eyes smooth and refreshingly cool.

Ancient people also enjoyed the fun of hydrosols to mix wine. Cooking into the dish has also been documented, the Yuan Dynasty Kusi Hui "dietary preparation" mentioned soaking ingredients with rose water, has the effect of removing fishy flavor; Zhang Dai in the "Taoan Dream Memory" of the "cheese" chapter that he especially liked the fresh milk with hydrosols ", then into the steamer, to heat wonderful, rich hotmilk with flower fragrance, there is a delicate and elegant.

Li Yue was a health expert in the Qing Dynasty. When friends came to her home for dinner, she would sprinkle some hydrosols on the freshly boiled rice when preparing the dishes, mainly Rose, Citron and Osmanthus, then cover the pot and then smother it for a while, and finally stir it a little to present the bowl, which would amaze the guests and make them think it was some kind of rare rice species.

Hydrosols is not only natural, but also symbolizes a fun in life that everyone can make good use of the "fragrant water" on hand.