Bencao House
Begin a reading$39

A visual notebook · 中国日常

A living tradition,
seen up close.

From a leafy courtyard to a conversation at the desk. A collection of supplied photographs exploring the places, people and objects of Chinese medicine.

Fang Huichuntang in Hangzhou is a partner of Bencao House. Other places and people shown here are cultural context; their appearance does not mean they are affiliated with Bencao House or provide this service.

The stone entrance and carved sign of Fang Huichuntang in Hangzhou
A doorway into the tradition — Fang Huichuntang in Hangzhou, our partner.
Visitors beneath red lanterns inside a traditional Chinese pharmacy
The public hall: a place of movement, conversation and daily life.
The wooden pharmacy counter, medicine drawers and porcelain jars
The dispensary counter, with its ordered drawers and porcelain jars.
A leafy courtyard with stone paths and traditional wooden buildings
A courtyard moment: stone, water, leaves and wooden architecture.
Dried botanical materials arranged in front of medicine drawers
Botanical materials at the pharmacy counter. A view of traditional pharmacy culture.
An in-person pulse consultation at a wooden desk
An in-person pulse consultation. Pulse examination is not available through an online reading.
A Chinese medicine cultural display with books, scrolls and herbs
Books, illustrations and specimens in a Chinese medicine cultural display.
Herbal specimens beside a meridian chart and acupuncture model
Herbal specimens and a meridian model: objects used to explain a tradition.
A cultural display of Chinese medicine texts and historical instruments
A display bringing together classical texts and historical instruments.
An acupuncture history display with a meridian chart and instruments
Acupuncture history and instruments. Shown as cultural history only.

Meet the team →