Short film advised by HKBU pharmacognosist wins documentary award

22 Oct 2021

 

Kam Wah Chung – a short Chinese medicine film which included Professor Zhao Zhongzhen, Chair Professor of the Teaching and Research Division of the School of Chinese medicine, as the chief advisor – stood out amongst the 346 entries from around the world to win the Best Documentary award at this year’s New York State International Film Festival. 

 

The winning work is part of a bigger production titled Voyage of Bencao, a documentary series about the history of the proliferation of Chinese medicine across the world, which was jointly produced by the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, the China Press of Traditional Chinese Medicine, the School of Chinese Medicine at HKBU, Sichuan Neo-Green Pharmaceutical Technology Development Co Ltd and Shenzhen Heguwen Media Co Ltd.

 

Directed by Mr Huan Yiping, the documentary tells the story of Kam Wah Chung Company, a pharmacy and grocery which has now been turned into a museum in Oregon, US.  For over 60 years, it was a medical centre where its founders treated people regardless of their race, and a sanctuary for the local Chinese community, which comprised mostly of labourers.