The Real Story Of How Our Fave Childhood 'Ubat Batuk' Got Its Iconic Name
It dates back to the Qing Dynasty!
Published for Nin Jiom Pei Pa Koa, 25 May 2018, 06:13 PM
Remember this iconic wayang kulit ad that was always playing during our childhood?
“Kisah seorang anak yang duka nestapa kerana ibu nya batuk tak henti…..”
What a major throwback right? Many of us still remember the tune to that ‘Nin Jiom’ ad to this day!
The ubat batuk is so popular you'll find it in most Malaysian kitchens for sure. It was (and still is) our parents' go-to cough syrup to soothe our throat during the flu and cough season.
Funnily enough, the honey-like syrup doesn't even taste anything like meds and we sure didn't mind having to gulp it down on our sick days - including the pretend ones back in the day when we wanted to ponteng sekolah. ;P
But do you know the sweet origin story behind this traditional ubat?
True to the name Ubat Batuk Cap Ibu Dan Anak, it's actually a very touching story of a son's love for his ailing mother.
The story dates back more than 400 years ago during the Qing Dynasty, when a young provincial commander's mother fell sick and was suffering from chronic coughing. Her son devoted his life to search far and wide to find a cure for his mother. Everything he tried had failed, until he met a Chinese physician one day who gave him a secret formula.
SUCCESS! The formula cured the commander's mother!
Many, many years later, before his mother passed away, she left her faithful son one last request; to reproduce the life-saving elixir for the masses! The young commander did as he was asked, and named this golden syrup "Nin Jiom" directly translates to "In the Memory of Mother".
And that's how our favourite cough syrup came to be! Sweet kan? This is definitely the mother of all Mother's Day gifts!
What sets Nin Jiom Pei Pa Koa apart from the rest is its rich mix of natural ingredients, including soothing honey
You can find Nin Jiom Pei Pa Koa or Pei Pa Koa for short (meaning Loquat Syrup) everywhere today and it's even gained a popular following amongst New Yorkers!
It's loved by many not just for its effectiveness, but because of its all-natural ingredients of soothing honey and a blend of 14 Chinese herbs. This means Nin Jiom Pei Pa Koa uses absolutely no preservatives to make their yummy golden syrup.
The rich syrup gets it healing properties from all the traditional herbs used such as loquat leaves, liquorice root, fresh ginger and menthol, which also gives it the distinct taste that everyone loves!
Nin Jiom Pei Pa Koa now uses its knowledge of traditional Chinese medicine combined with state-of-the-art tech to produce only high quality medicine for people around the globe!
Even two-time Grammy winner Jason Mraz mixes it with his mint tea as a pre-concert ritual!
So whenever you're coming down with the flu or sore throat, have a tablespoon of Nin Jiom to boost your immune system instantly!
Or you can even have it as a calming cup of herbal tea by stirring it with a cup of hot water! It also comes in the form of fruity-tasting herbal candy that you can bring around with you easily in your pocket for an on-the-go get well kit. ;)
Find out more about Nin Jiom Pei Pa Koa here.