Pharmacy plies ancient traditions

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October 30, 2018

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Pharmacy plies ancient traditions

By Li Qian | 00:01 UTC+8 October 30, 2018 |

Print Edition

Traditional Chinese medicine has a history dating back centuries. So, too, a pharmacy chain in Shanghai that was founded just over 350 years ago.

The flagship store of Leiyunshang, at the corner of Huashan and Yuyuan roads, sells traditional medicines, herbs and other health-care products on the first and second floors.

On the third floor is a clinic that harks back to the pharmacy’s roots. Its décor is in the style of a classical Chinese garden, featuring pillars, corridors, carved beams, wooden ornaments and antique furniture. The atmosphere is designed to give customers a deeper understanding of the culture of traditional Chinese medicine.

“It made me feel I was stopping back in time,” said a woman surnamed Wu in her 60s. She was among 50 senior citizens on a tour of the clinic earlier this month as part of the Double Ninth Festival, a traditional day that honors the elderly.

In addition to the tour, nearly 400 seniors received free medical consultations on the festival day, which fell on October 17 this year.

Leiyunshang is one of the top four traditional Chinese medicine pharmacies in Shanghai. However, it actually originated in the city of Suzhou in neighboring Jiangsu Province. Archives show that Leiyunshang was initially called Leisongfentang when it was founded in 1662. In 1734, Lei Dasheng, also known as Lei Yunshang, took over the family-owned business. He became a well-known doctor and pharmacist, and people started to call his pharmacy Leiyunshang.

In 1851, the Taiping Rebellion, a farmers’ uprising against the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), broke out. In 1860, Taiping rebels seized Suzhou, and Lei’s descendants fled to Shanghai.

In 1862, they opened the first store in Shanghai, near the City God Temple. They later expanded the business to other districts.

Its flagship store at 2 Huashan Road was built in 1999. In March 2012, renovation on the third-story clinic began.

In rooms featuring elegant woodcarving and old-style rosewood furniture, skilled doctors meet customers. Based on prescriptions, pharmacists select herbs from jars lining long shelves. The herbs are weighed and wrapped in paper. Customers don’t need to wait for long.

“I have poor digestion,” said a customer surnamed Zhang. “According to Western medicine, I’m not sick, just weak, and I don’t need any treatment. So, I came to seek traditional therapies to enhance digestion and keep healthy.”

She added, “In crowded hospitals, I have to queue for hours to see a doctor, who usually is too busy to give me more than five minutes. But here, staff direct me to the appropriate doctor and we can have a longer talk.”

Like Zhang, most of the customers in the shops are seeking help in keeping healthy.

In autumn and winter, one popular way to sustain health is to use gaofang, one of the most famous products in the shop.

It’s an herbal paste made from condensed liquid herbal medicines and ingredients such as honey and brown sugar. Each paste is tailor-made for customers and used in a number of different therapies. It is most popular among the elderly citizens.

To cater to the tastes of younger people, Leiyunshang had developed what it calls “jam gaofang,” which mixes herbs with fruits such as pear, mulberry and grapefruit. It can be used as a spread for bread at breakfast — a convenient, quick pick-me-up for those living in the fast track.

Sachets are another signature product of Leiyunshang. The shop’s sachets were chosen as part of the official gifts presented to G20 trade ministers meeting in 2016 in Shanghai. Designed in the shapes of calabash and lotus, the sachets are a symbol of traditional Chinese culture and long-lasting friendship.

Sachets, filled with fragrant herbs and medicinal powders, were worn by ancient people as clothing accessories. Today, they are more apt to be hung as household decorations, emitting an aroma that helps ward off insects.

Landmark ID

Name: Leiyunshang

Formerly known as: Leisongfentang

Founded in: 1662

Flagship store address: 2 Huashan Road

Pharmacy plies ancient traditions

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