A fifth-generation traditional Chinese medicine shop in Tainan undergoes a major transformation — now selling steaming chicken soup and bak kut teh

Text and photos by /Sean

After eating dinner nearby yesterday, I suddenly felt like checking out Xinmei Street. Besides seeing the cobblestone road dug up and full of potholes, I unexpectedly discovered this Bo Ren Tang Chinese medicine shop — a genuine traditional pharmacy that has been passed down to its fifth generation.

It used to operate as a regular herbal shop, offering services like prescribing herbal medicine and cupping. Then the young owner decided to start selling nourishing soups, so he opened this charming shop within the old storefront.

Here’s the current trial menu — only soups and drinks are available. Once officially opened, they will also offer set meals with side dishes.

The flavor of all three drinks is lighter than those herbal-infused beverages commonly found elsewhere, but I actually quite like this milder taste, especially the Cassia Seed Oat Tea.

During the trial period, the meal presentation consists of a bowl of white rice and a steaming bowl of nourishing soup.

When the soup is served, it is definitely hot enough — a basic requirement for selling hot soup.

Four-Herb Chicken Soup.

Bak Kut Teh Soup.

Eight-Treasure Chicken Soup.

My first sip of the soup was a bit of a surprise. The nourishing soups at Bo Ren Tang didn’t have the thick, medicinal taste I expected. Instead, they had a mild flavor and smooth taste, and the portions were surprisingly satisfying. Among them, the bak kut teh was actually my favorite bowl of the night. The chicken tasted better than the pork in the bak kut teh, but it wasn’t very filling. I’m looking forward to the day they officially open with side dishes — otherwise, just drinking soup with plain rice really doesn’t feel like a complete meal.

I really like both the nourishing soups at Bo Ren Tang and the vibe of this old building. I always feel that when it comes to innovation, Tainan should prioritize renovating without altering the original appearance of historic buildings, rather than tearing down old structures and replacing them with characterless — or even copied — architecture, then slapping on terms like “cultural creativity” or “handmade,” which instantly make people wary and keep their distance. That kind of approach might create buzz during a short-lived honeymoon period, but soon after, there’ll be no customers. Taiwan has far too many such examples. Whether it's the city government or individual businesses, everyone needs to seriously reflect on this.

Speaking of Tainan, some might think of Kyoto. Kyoto’s development direction does indeed have lessons worth learning, but Tainan is not — and will never become — Kyoto (and of course, it won’t turn into Taipei or Kaohsiung either). What we should learn are the concepts and spirit, not just borrowing a Japanese name or copying a building and expecting that to boost tourism. Culture is something that takes time to build. Local characteristics and craftsmanship are what we should focus on. Casually squandering those precious assets is not good for Tainan. Tainan’s strength lies in the fusion of old and new. I hope more old buildings and shops can be rediscovered and given new life. I’ll use my camera to document all of this well. Next, after Bo Ren Tang officially opens, I’ll also update the menu and food offerings. For me, striving to maintain the timeliness and reference value of every article is the true value of being a blogger.

Bo Ren Tang Chinese Medicine Shop
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Phone: 06 222 6473
Address: No. 27, Lane 300, Section 2, Ximen Road, West Central District, Tainan City
Trial sales hours: 17:00–21:30 (while supplies last)

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