Traditional Chinese medicine gains popularity in Hungary

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has gained increasing popularity in Hungary in recent years, becoming a new medium to extend traditional Chinese culture.

Chen Zhen, president of the Central and Eastern European TCM Association and head of the Qihuang TCM Center of Hungary, has witnessed the development of traditional Chinese medicine in Hungary.

Since he came to the European country in 1988, he has actively promoted TCM culture while conducting free medical services for locals and setting up training courses about TCM knowledge and treatment skills.

"Traditional Chinese medicine now has become an important part of the life of Hungarian people. They know the food they take should vary from season to season. They know how to expel toxin from their body in spring, strengthen the fundamental physical resistance and consolidate the foundation in winter, and nourish their mind in summer. Such stories are easy for them to understand," said Chen.

Many Hungarian patients have been cured by TCM, boosting their confidence in the unique oriental medicine.

"After many medial failures, I chose to try traditional Chinese medicine. I heard many patients had been successfully treated here, so I believed TCM could help me," said a Hungarian patient.

"TCM has helped many patients and even improved some with complicated and difficult diseases. I think TCM is becoming more and more popular in Hungary," said Sissi, an interpreter at the Qihuang TCM Center.

Hungary is the first European country to legislate for traditional Chinese medicine. In 2016, the Hungarian government issued EU licenses for doctors practicing traditional Chinese medicine and started to recognize the academic certificates issued by TCM colleges and universities from China.

The University of Pecs and the Semmelweis University in Hungary started to cooperate with universities in China to carry out traditional Chinese medicine teaching and research.

At present, Hungary has built a factory to produce herbal medicines, and more than 300 products of the factory have been licensed for sales in the European Union and they are widely popular in the European market.

"The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is not only about the construction of railways and highways, but more importantly, it should build mutual understanding between peoples. Hungary's policy of opening to the East deeply matches our BRI. Only through deep cultural exchanges, can our two countries learn from each other's civilizations and achieve common development," said Chen.

Traditional Chinese medicine gains popularity in Hungary

As Asia's largest fresh-cut flower market, the one in Dounan of Kunming City of southwest China's Yunnan Province has lured crowds of tourists across China.

May is a peak period for buying flowers, as it coincides with Mother's Day and May 20, also known as "520" in Chinese, which is an unofficial Valentine's Day in China.

The Dounan Flower Market is crowded both in the day or at night. Recently, the daily visitor count is about 10,000 people.

"I like flowers and I am considering opening a flower shop. So, I'd like to take a look here first," said a visitor from east China's Shandong Province.

"The sales are quite good. This type of rose bouquet has 20 stems, and the daily sales are over 2,000 bouquets," said a merchant at the Dounan Flower Market.

Among the flower stalls, there are many livestreamers who promote and sell the flowers online. They opened a new channel for flower sales.

"I used to livestream in a room. Later, after repeatedly talking with my clients, I think that the quality and price could be seen more directly in this way of live broadcasting. I have sold around 500 bouquets today, which should be around 10,000 roses," said a livestreamer.

"The Dounan Flower Market sells 117 kinds of flowers, more than 1,600 varieties every day. The average daily transaction volume of fresh flowers recently is about 40 million stems," said Wang Jinyiling, assistant to the president of Yunnan Dounan Flower Industry Group.

Flourishing flower industry boosts tourism in China's Yunnan