One metro stop west of Central, Hong Kong's bustling commercial hub, Sheung Wan is home to the city's highest concentration of Chinese herbal medicine shops. Clustered around Wing Lok Street and Queen's Road West, hundreds of traditional medicine shops sell imported remedies from the Chinese mainland.
Chan Fun Kee is one of the oldest shops in the area, and has been run by the Chan family for 145 years.
Chan Fun Kee is one of the oldest shops in the area, and has been run by the Chan family for 145 years.
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Ingredients are delivered from mainland China and processed in the back of the shop using a large cutter, topping up the contents of the jars when they get low
Chan Ping Hin, 33, will be the 5th generation of the Chan family to take over the shop. His father, Chan How Chung, has been in charge since 1972. His mother also works in the shop assembling prescriptions
Prescriptions are delivered by the patient from a Chinese herbal doctor, who lists various ingredients to be assembled. Patients use the medicines to make teas, tonics, soups, massage ointments or wines
What's in the jars?
Chinese herbal medicine remains an important part of Hong Kong healthcare, still accounting for over a fifth of all consultations made in the state, from breastfeeding care to rheumatism and arthritis treatments.
Hong Kong's Chinese herb trade has existed for centuries, but accelerated dramatically in the 1950s when a trade embargo against China during the Korean war necessitated a neutral port for the movement of Chinese herbs across Asia. As much as a quarter of the global trade is estimated to move through the city.
Hong Kong's Chinese herb trade has existed for centuries, but accelerated dramatically in the 1950s when a trade embargo against China during the Korean war necessitated a neutral port for the movement of Chinese herbs across Asia. As much as a quarter of the global trade is estimated to move through the city.
The medical practice revolves around various "forces" contained within the body - the balance of yin (darkness and negativity), yang (lightness and positivity) and qi (the energy force guiding bodily functions). Chinese herbal doctors measure patients' pulses, and examine their eyes, ears and tongue, before prescribing a remedy formed of various ingredients. These are delivered to shop assistants upon arrival.
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Seselopsis
"xi gui tou"
Internal heat regulator, to aid against fatigue and high body temperature
Chinese Jujube
"nan zao"
Nourishes the blood, calms the spirit
Codonopsis Root
"dang shen"
Improves the 'qi' (body energy), tonifies the lungs
Costus Root
"muxiang"
Promotes movement of 'qi' (body energy) to alleviate abdominal pain & nausea
Pubescent Angelica Root
"duhuo pian"
To relieve waist and knee pain caused by cold and windy weather
Aconite Root
"fu zi"
good for the heart and improves the circulation, tonifies the vessels
Rhizoma Pinelliae
"ban xia"
Either crushed or whole - for fighting coughs and tickly throats, and dispersing phlegm
Mulberry
"sangshen zi"
Used for anaemia, constipation, premature greying of hair
Rhizoma
"suibu pian"
Used to strengthen bones and aid fracture recovery
Gentiana Macrophylla
"qin jiao"
Dispels wind-damp and cramping in acutely cold/hot conditions
Sichuan Chinaberry
"chuan lianzi"
General painkiller and qi regulator
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