Activity Reflection
Author: Ms. Iizuka
On March 6th, we visited the Guangyuyuan Traditional Chinese Medicine History and Culture Museum.
Museum Visit
Guangyuyuan is a time-honored TCM enterprise with a history of over 400 years, once supplying medicinal materials to the imperial palace.
Here, we learned the basics of traditional Chinese medicine and explored ancient methods of "disease prevention."
What fascinated me the most was Guangyuyuan’s herbal product, Guilingji, which has been passed down from the Ming Dynasty to the present day.
Known as the "longevity medicine," it was also introduced in the museum.
Through this visit, I gained a deeper understanding of the role of traditional Chinese medicine and hope to learn more about it in the future.
Traditional Chinese Medicine Culture Experience
During the activity, we made sachets and hawthorn pills!
Sachets: Ancient people believed that wearing sachets could ward off evil spirits and protect health. While making the sachets, the air was filled with the fragrance of herbal medicines, which relaxed both the body and mind. I hung mine on my bag, hoping it would bring good luck!
Hawthorn Pills: With a sweet and sour taste, they aid digestion. My children loved them, so I plan to buy some to take home.
Qianmen
After the TCM cultural experience, we visited several famous old Beijing restaurants in Qianmen.
Duyichu Shaomai – The shaomai here were generously sized, with incredibly flavorful fillings!
Fangzhuanchang 69 Zhajiang Noodles – This restaurant has been recommended by Michelin. The zhajiang sauce was rich and delicious!
Wuyutai – We tried jasmine tea and matcha-flavored ice cream, which were refreshing and perfectly balanced!
Qianmen (Zhengyangmen) was the gate through which the emperor passed when going to the Temple of Heaven for ceremonies. Nearby is the UNESCO World Heritage site, the Forbidden City. Strolling here, I felt immersed in a rich historical atmosphere.
This activity allowed me to learn a great deal about traditional Chinese medicine while also savoring Beijing’s traditional cuisine—it was truly meaningful! I look forward to the next BC cultural experience!
