The time-honored pharmacy Jinlihe

The time-honored pharmacy Jinlihe

At the junction of Yanhe Street and Fuxing Road in Hekou Town, Yanshan County, stands a north-facing stone-framed storefront building. This is the century-old pharmacy — Jinlihe. Founded in 1875 by He Zhucheng, the pharmacy built its business on integrity. Right from its opening, the retail hall was named the “Sincere Pharmacy,” and a couplet was hung on either side of the large plaque that read, “Though no one sees how medicine is made, sincerity is known to heaven.” When processing and preparing herbal slices and medicines, the pharmacy spared no cost and meticulously followed ancient methods, never putting substandard products on the shelves. Self-made medications such as Bai Feng Pills, Zheng Yuan Pills, Quan Shen Pills, Fu Gui Zi Jin Ointment, Xiao Er Hui Chun Pills, Ru Yi Pills, and Jing Feng Pills were highly effective, selling well in northeastern Jiangxi and northern Fujian, and were very popular among patients. Jinlihe also remained undefeated in the fierce competition of the industry, becoming a widely renowned large pharmacy. In the early years of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, Jinlihe was run by He Yushan, the third-generation successor of He Zhucheng, and was later renamed Hekou National Medicine Store No. 1 in Yanshan County, where its retail sales still ranked first in the county’s pharmaceutical industry. In June 2005, the national medicine store was restructured and came under private management by Ye Zhaijing, still focusing on traditional Chinese medicine, with 70-year-old traditional Chinese medicine practitioner Zhan Jinbai sitting in the shop daily to diagnose illnesses, seeing around ten patients per day.