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Traditional Chinese medicine shops are quickly disappearing. Once numbering between 20 and 30,000 in their heyday, there are now only a few more than 7,000 left. Facing extinction, some practitioners of this old profession are steering their businesses in new directions. After taking over the family business, some young entrepreneurs are focusing on revamping their storefronts and packaging. Others are putting a bold new spin on TCM by incorporating the ingredients into desserts, introducing ancient medical wisdom to new generations.

Rather than dispensing traditional Chinese medicine, the wooden counter in this Taipei shop is used for serving afternoon tea. A generous heaping of cordyceps tops off this steaming hot latte.

This cake has goji berries, challenging people’s perception of Chinese herbs as bitter and astringent. Or take this Belgian chocolate tart, where osmanthus and smoked plum sauce intertwine to create a sweet and tangy flavor.

Wang Hsin-ying
Herbal dessert chef
Smoked plum and chocolate are both very sharp flavors. Aside from smoked plum, I add things like roselle, osmanthus, hawthorn, or other medicinal herbs to strike a balance.

Owner Wang Sen-pin has been running this TCM shop for 39 years. Now, one small corner has transformed into a bakery. Five years ago, 35-year-old Wang Hsin-ying returned home to join the family business. Guided by the concept that food and medicine share the same origin, she incorporates Chinese medicinal herbs into Western desserts.

Wang Hsin-ying
Herbal dessert chef
I like to eat and make desserts. So I thought I’d try out combining medicinal herbs with desserts.

At another store, some customers come in asking to buy a gift box. Chou Tung-yen doesn’t hesitate to recommend this exquisitely packaged box. At 40 years old, Chou is the fourth-generation owner of this 108-year-old TCM shop in Yilan. When he took over 15 years ago, he decided to make some changes.

Chou Tung-yen
TCM shop owner
I want young people to feel that going to get products with traditional Chinese medicine is a source of pride. Using medicinal herbs is no longer considered commonplace.

From selling through the community and online, to designing a distinctive website, Chou approaches every step with precision. Before graduating, he tried his hand at becoming a rapper. After college he switched to the fashion industry. But he said he never imagined he’d come home to take over the family business.

Chou Tung-yen
TCM shop owner
Modern times aren’t like before. People used to visit TCM shops to treat illness. Now they’re places for wellness.

Chou gradually renovated the shop’s lighting, decor, and display arrangements, while taking pains to preserve classic elements like the wooden sign and rows of herb jars. The key to enabling ancient wisdom to coexist with modern sensibilities may just lie with this crop of talented young entrepreneurs.

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