Xin'an medicine

Xin'an medicine, which is based on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), boasts a fairly long history. It originated from ancient Huizhou in the Jin Dynasty (265-420), was developed during the Song (960-1279) and Yuan (1271-1368) dynasties, flourished in the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties, and has been passed down to the modern era.

There were more than 900 doctors inheriting Xin'an medicine, and more than 800 medical books were written from the Song Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty, according to historical records. Qimen county in Huangshan city, Anhui province, was called the hometown of imperial physicians in China.

Some famous medical families continue to offer traditional therapies to this day such as Zhang Yiting internal medicine therapy, Xiyuan laryngology and Qimen snake wound therapy, which have been added to the national intangible cultural heritage list. There are three State-level, 14 provincial-level and 16 municipal-level representative inheritors of the Xin'an medical intangible cultural heritage.

An experienced TCM doctor takes a student's pulse. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Huangshan has a total of eight TCM hospitals, Xin'an Medical Research Center and Qimen Snake Injury Research Institute, which specialize in Xin'an medical research, and more than 20 specialty clinics that specialize in various treatments. All the township health centers, community health service centers, community health service stations and village clinics in the city can provide TCM services.

The TCM industry is taking shape in Huangshan city with 26 Chinese medicinal materials cooperatives, 23 Chinese medicinal materials processing and sales enterprises, five provincial leading enterprises, and two industrial demonstration bases among the top 10 in Anhui. The city has a planting area of 159,000 mu (10,600 hectares) for Chinese medicinal materials.

A view of the Huangshan tribute chrysanthemum base. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

As one of the four famous chrysanthemums in China, the Huangshan tribute chrysanthemum has both ornamental value and medicinal functions, and is reputed as the best medicinal product.

The city plants chrysanthemums in an area of 93,000 mu and reached an output value of 1.23 billion yuan ($184.5 million) in 2021.

Huangshan city offers policy support for talent, capital, land and technology to promote the integration of Xin'an medical science and modern agriculture.