Modern Chemistry Based on Chinese Intangible Cultural Heritage: Dialogue between Plants and Trees in Balms

This study integrated the Chinese intangible cultural heritage practice of balm preparation into secondary school chemistry laboratory teaching. Using mugwort–peppermint balm as the instructional context, a STEAM-based learning sequence was developed around cultural introduction, scientific questioning, experimental investigation, and evidence-based explanation. Students completed key laboratory operations, including weighing, mixing, extraction, filtration, heating, and solidification. The course was implemented in a natural classroom setting using a pretest–posttest comparative design. Peppermint contains monoterpenes such as menthol and menthone with documented mosquito-repellent activity, while mugwort contains bioactive compounds, including eucalyptol and β-caryophyllene, with repellent, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties. These characteristics provide a chemical basis for the traditional preparation and use of balm. The questionnaire showed high reliability, with an overall Cronbach’s alpha of 0.900. After the course, students demonstrated greater familiarity with extraction, the principle of “like dissolves like”, separation, evaporation, and formulation adjustment, accompanied by a marked reduction in perceived difficulty. The average mastery rate across eight chemistry knowledge items increased from 29.8% to 87.4%, while performance in six dimensions of knowledge transfer increased from 16.7% to 80.3%. The findings indicate that balm preparation can effectively connect traditional craft knowledge with chemical experimentation and evidence-based reasoning. The course improved students’ laboratory skills, conceptual understanding, and scientific reasoning, while providing a practical model for integrating intangible cultural heritage into interdisciplinary chemistry education.