Tongrentang Pharmacy
Yesterday we went to Tongrentang Pharmacy, one of the oldest pharmacies in Beijing, China. It was really cool because we got to see the museum first where we saw relics that would be used in the pharmacy like measuring utensils, pill containers, etc. Then we went to the actual pharmacy. The pharmacy was at least 3 stories tall and had different products on each floor. For example, level 3 or 2 was modern medicine, and level 1 was all Traditional Chinese Medicine. It was interesting to learn that there is usually only one pharmacist that is required to work at the pharmacy, and all the rest of the people are just there to sell the products and medications. They are not technicians like we have in the United States that work in the pharmacies. It appeared that nothing was really made or counted out (such as pills or capsules) in this pharmacy. I saw one little room that was used to prepare medicinal herbal teas, but nothing else. The whole place almost looked like a department store, but only medications. There were just aisles of medications like ginseng and rhubarb in nicely wrapped boxes ready to be purchased, with a clerk every 5 feet or so behind each counter. It wasn't what I expected a pharmacy to be like here in China, but then again... I didn't know what to expect. It was definetly an experience.