Tongrentang Traditional Chinese Medicine Culture

Tongrentang's traditional-medicine culture is carried by the house founded in 1669, which from 1723 supplied the Qing imperial pharmacy; over three centuries it forged a distinctive and complete body of pharmacy practice and tradition.

At its heart are the ethics and craft of medicine-making: the house holds to the maxim "however elaborate the processing, never skimp on the labor; however costly the ingredient, never cut the quality," enforcing care at every step of sourcing, processing and compounding, handed down across generations.

Inscribed as national intangible cultural heritage, Tongrentang's medicine culture is a gold standard for the whole field, embodying a tradition of honest pharmacy and healing in the service of life.

In Tongrentang's historic Beijing shops one can still see traditional herbs on display and the filling of prescriptions — the shop floor itself a window onto this living culture.