Drinking coffee and eating desserts in a traditional Chinese medicine shop? A cultural transformation experiment that subverts the imagination of a pharmacy: Penglai Ginseng Pharmacy.

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Blurring the boundaries between "store" and "living space," it brings traditional Chinese medicine culture out from behind the counter and into everyday life scenes──
This traditional Chinese medicine shop located at a street corner in Taichung is an attempt at "new and old coexistence." The owner’s family has been operating both Western and Chinese pharmacies for many years. Growing up next to the medicine cabinet, he recalls the scent of wooden cabinets and the figures of adults dispensing medicine. He deeply believes that traditional Chinese medicine should not just be a distant memory or a sunset industry, but a living wisdom—an ancient "data science" that spans thousands of years. These herbal medicines and ancient formulas represent a form of ancient data accumulation, combined with perception, experimentation, and experience to construct a wise system.

The Floating Space Design Studio and the owner hope that this is not just a nostalgic pharmacy, but an experiment in space and culture transformation. They contemplate how to reintegrate traditional Chinese medicine culture into contemporary life through spatial transformation and brand management, thus developing a living scene where "after dispensing medicine, one can also sit down to drink coffee and enjoy desserts." They hope to create a new feeling with traditional materials, changing the younger generation's stereotypical impressions of Chinese medicine shops, and ensuring that traditional culture is not only remembered but also continuously utilized.
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Magazine CoverTRAVELER Luxe 旅人誌
Discover Taiwan's Hidden GemsUncover Taiwan's coziest cafés, must-try local dishes, or secret spots — journé will take you to the stories behind the streets, guided by locals and shop owners.
checkRead on map to find the best spots nearby!
checkExplore highlights from 50+ top travel magazines, anytime, anywhere
Scan on your phone to open this article
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