Hong Kong’s Medicine Street aka Ko Shing Street is a traditional sanctuary, among this city of skyscrapers. For 100 years, in Sheung Wan near the pier, Ko Shing Street has been the heart of the wholesale trade of Chinese herbal medicine in Hong Kong. It’s nirvana for herbal or health geeks like me. As an Acupuncturist & Herbalist, this was one of my first destinations in Hong Kong. So, read on to learn about what it feel like to be among this ancient Chinese healing tradition.
Traditional Chinese Medicine Background
For thousands of years, Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine have been the primary medicine of China. The Acupuncture is considered the yang treatment, complemented by the yin herbal medicine for more chronic issues. Arguably, the Chinese herbal system is the most sophisticated in the world. In comprises thousands of herbs and formulas. Most herbs are taken in a formulas, consisting of more than 8 individual herbs as a synergistic remedy. Also, herbal formulas often include animal parts, for example, gecko tails (asthma) or dried caterpillar fungus. Most importantly, the prized Swiftlet’s bird nest made from its saliva is a prized and expensive tonic in Hong Kong.
Walking here you see a menagerie of herbs and animal products, such as, the controversial shark fins, deer antlers, giant mushrooms, ginseng, dried bats, sea cucumber, goji berries, dried caterpillar fungus, red jejubes (dates), dried fish and a variety of herbs. As exotic as these may sound, they have been time tested to be therapeutic for specific ailments.
Healing Edible Swiftlet’s Bird Nests
Most noteworthy, this street sells the prized edible Swiftlet’s bird nests. In China these nests, made out of the swiftlet’s solidified saliva, are deemed healthy and tasty in soup. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, these nests are high in protein and especially good for the skin. This highly prized product sells for prices up to $3,000 per pound. Also, in this district, there are many restaurants offering the nutritional and tasty bird’s nest soup.
Most importantly, visitors can see Traditional Chinese Medicine in action on Ko Shing Street. For example, I observed the herbalists weighing herbs on old mechanical scales for their ancient formulas. Traditionally, they have the dozens of drawers to choose the herbs from to weigh out and sprinkle on parched paper to roll up and give to the patient to boil into a medicinal tea. Additionally, look for the shopkeeper still calculating with the ancient abacus, by sliding the beads on a thread.
Overall, Hong Kong’s Medicine Street
This street upholds a tradition that has been a part of Traditional Chinese Medicine for thousands of years. Because of the high rent and cost of living in Hong Kong, these shopkeepers have a difficult time keeping these shops open. Thus, consider going here to see a rare window into history to help keep these traditions alive, so they contribute to modern holistic medicine for us all in the future.
