A Turkmen student from the College of International Exchange of the Shandong University of Science and Technology experiences a traditional Chinese medicine cupping therapy at a traditional Chinese medicine hospital of the Xihai'an (West Coast) New Area in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province, Oct. 18, 2023. (Xinhua/Guo Xulei)
ZHENGZHOU, Jan. 11 (Xinhua) -- Li Jiahui, hailing from a family with three generations of medical practitioners, manages a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) center in Zhengzhou in central China's Henan Province. Over the past year, her business has witnessed a remarkable surge, particularly in the realm of food therapy.
"I initially started this kitchen in the TCM center to offer customers convenient and healthy meals. However, it's now bustling with young people eager to experience a TCM diet," Li said. From kudzu root and yam porridge to Poria mushroom egg waffles, the diverse array of dishes at Li's eatery sells out daily.
Similarly in high demand are traditional Chinese herbal drinks, evident by the widespread popularity of the sour plum juice recipe last summer. This traditional beverage is renowned for its delightful taste and its capacity to alleviate heat, counteract greasiness, and stimulate the appetite.
"You can enjoy sour plum drinks for an entire week for only 8.3 yuan (about 1.17 U.S. dollars)," a vlogger on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, excitedly shared with her fans after acquiring paper-packed dark plum, hawthorn, orange peel, and other items from a local TCM pharmacy.
Although traditional Chinese health regimens have long been acknowledged for their health benefits in China and beyond, they used to appeal more to an older demographic. However, the landscape is shifting now. The idea of adopting traditional methods for staying healthy has gained traction on social media, and conversations about relevant methods and recipes now resonate with a diverse audience.
For example, some bubble tea lovers have transitioned to drinking wolfberry tea, office workers visit health centers for cupping therapy during lunch breaks, and moxibustion devices and foot spa tubs often appear on the shopping lists of young people.
Online platforms like Xiaohongshu and Douban feature numerous testimonials of young people who admit to their previous biases before sharing the positive outcomes of their TCM experiences.
Baduanjin, an ancient Chinese qigong exercise combining movement, breath control and meditation, has become a favored fitness choice among the youth and even a selective physical education course in some colleges. According to Duan Wanyi, a postgraduate student in Beijing who has practiced Baduanjin for two years, the exercise is "really helpful for students like us who often sit for long hours."
On the video platform Bilibili, diverse versions of Baduanjin tutorial videos can be found, with the most popular one accumulating over 20 million views. In the video's comment section, a user named Shanshanxi mentioned that after six months of practicing Baduanjin, she found relief from neck pain and her sleep quality has improved.
The booming popularity of traditional health regimens is attributable to various factors, including the prevalence of suboptimal health among the youth, who have more or less experienced staying up late, irregular eating habits and disrupted sleep patterns in a fast-paced environment.
Such a state has naturally heightened their health consciousness, and the time-honored TCM therapies as well as the growing convenience of procuring them have seamlessly integrated into the modern lifestyle, said Li Jiahui.
Jiang Wei, vice president of Zhengzhou municipal TCM hospital, said that the wellness culture represented by TCM has always guided the Chinese way of life, and the new trend signifies young people's deepening sense of identity involving traditional culture. "This represents not only a pursuit of better health but of inheriting Chinese culture."
It also brings joy to TCM practitioners and they wish to see this field gain continuous vitality. "It's easy to feel the charm of TCM. You may not understand it theoretically, but once you experience it, you want to know more," Li said. ■
