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SCM launches Chinese Medicine Diet and Health Images Database to promote TCM wisdom

Professor Chen Hubiao, Associate Director of Teaching and Research Division, and his team, in collaboration with the University Library, officially launched the Chinese Medicine Diet and Health Images Database on 16 December. This is Hong Kong’s first recipe database built on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) theory, freely accessible to the public and dedicated to promoting the TCM principle of “food as medicine” (藥食同源).

TCM has long emphasised the importance of prevention over treatment. The Lingnan region’s hot and humid climate has also given rise to a rich cultural heritage of wellness practices, with slow-cooked soups and herbal teas being particularly popular. With these as the foundation, the team has carefully selected ingredients that are both medicinal and edible, designing recipes that cater to the Cantonese palate and enable the public to nurture health through everyday diet.

The database contains 124 wellness recipes, systematically classified into six categories, namely food crops, flowers and fruits, tea and drinks, health-preserving soups, medicinal food, and vegetarian food. Its user-friendly interface features illustrated entries detailing ingredient functions and pairing principles, allowing users to search by ingredient, health benefit or cooking method. Available in English, Traditional Chinese, and Simplified Chinese, the database is accessible to global audience.

Professor Chen has been dedicated to the development of Chinese medicine databases, and six have been successfully launched to date, covering medicinal plants, classical prescriptions and more, which are widely used in teaching and research. From 2024 to 2025, these resources accumulated over 36 million visits across over 200 countries and districts, demonstrating strong global engagement. The newly launched database is set to further integrate TCM wisdom into daily life.

Chinese Medicine Diet and Health Images Datebase: https://sys01.lib.hkbu.edu.hk/cmed/cmdhid/main/