Gen-Z seeks age-old health remedies in TCM night markets

LANZHOU — Amid the cool night breeze of Baiyin, a city nestled in Northwest China's Gansu province, the scent of astragalus, angelica, and other herbs permeates the air as crowds gather beneath glowing lights surrounding cupping stations and pulse-reading booths.

These organic scenes unfold at the Traditional Chinese Medicine Night Market in Wansheng Park, where millennia-old healing wisdom comes alive, becoming a trendy evening ritual among China's Generation Z (those born between the mid-1990s and the early 2010s).

"The heat leaves me drained and sleepy," says 21-year-old Yu Huiyan as she extends her wrist for a pulse diagnosis. After experiencing positive results from previous TCM treatments, she began searching the night market for herbal remedies.

After a tongue examination and diligent pulse reading, the doctor noted her weak pulse and signs of fatigue, then prescribed a blend of TCM herbs to boost energy, dispel dampness, and aid in digestion.

Yu says she and many of her peers have been drawn to TCM in recent years. Having taken TCM electives in college, her interest deepened after the start of her career. "I'd love to use traditional remedies and appropriate techniques to help take care of myself and those around me."

At the TCM night market, traditional therapies, such as acupuncture, cupping, foot baths, massage, and ear seeds, have become increasingly popular among young people.

Han Long, a TCM physician with over a decade of experience at Baiyin First People's Hospital, highlights classic texts, such as Huangdi Neijing (Inner Canon of the Yellow Emperor), Treatise on Febrile and Miscellaneous Diseases, and Compendium of Materia Medica, as keys to understanding the body's mysteries. "I hope more young people embrace TCM to enhance their own health and that of their families," Han says.

Since opening in early July, Wansheng Park has transformed into a wellness hub, where medical staff from over 30 local institutions offer free consultations, answer health questions, share TCM wellness tips, and provide personalized advice, says Zhu Dongmei, head of the district health bureau in Baiyin and organizer of the TCM night market.

"Over 2,000 people come here daily, mostly young people lining up for everything from pulse diagnoses to fragrant sachets and herbal tea," Zhu adds.

Across China, Gansu's vibrant TCM night market is just one example of a growing trend, with similar markets attracting large crowds nationwide.

In Shenyang, the capital of northeast Liaoning province, the TCM night market offers more than free consultations. It features zones for TCM-inspired cultural products, hands-on technique demonstrations, and youth activities, blending tradition with modern flair through crafts, games, and interactive learning.

In the eastern Chinese city of Nanchang, Jiangxi province, technology plays a key role at the TCM night market as robots provide heat-sensitive moxibustion, digital pulse diagnosis, and 3D foot scans.

The growing trend of TCM night markets is also helping a new generation of practitioners like Han step into the spotlight, widening TCM's reach beyond traditional circles and ensuring that its legacy endures.

"TCM is a national treasure with expanding global influence," says Da Chunhe, director of the Baiyin Municipal Health Commission. "As more young people experience and study it, they'll understand TCM and benefit from it."

Xinhua