Although the exact recipe may vary, the drink generally contains grains of yi mai (Chinese pearl barley), dried longans, red jujubes, lotus seeds, and thinly sliced seaweed, with water, sugar, and crushed ice.

[2][3] In place of the yi mai, pearl barley may sometimes be used, and thinly sliced strips of ginger and/or ginseng root, wolfberries, or ginkgo nuts may also appear as ingredients.

The Chinese form of the drink, ching bo leung, is the most popular in the Cantonese cuisine of Guangdong, Hong Kong, Macau.

The Vietnamese version, sâm bổ lượng, is most readily available in Cholon, the Chinatown of Ho Chi Minh City, and is generally served in a tall glass.

The dish is believed to help "dispel heat" from the body and is popular during the typical hot Hainan weather where there are a prolific number of qing bu liang shops and dessert stands in the tropical island province with varying ingredients and flavours.