Preserving the Culture of Traditional ChineseMedicine through Food and Story
Preserving the Culture of Traditional Chinese Medicine through Food and Story
This project aims to preserve and promote the cultural heritage of Dao Di Traditional Chinese Medicinal (TCM) herbs and their connection to diet and health. It combines an interactive map database of Dao Di TCM herbs over China, a fully illustrated cookbook centred around the concept of Medicine and Food Homology, and community workshops to share this knowledge with a wider audience.
About Anny:
Hi! I am Anny, a senior at The Taft School. Growing up in China, many of my family members were TCM practitioners, so I was exposed to this culture from a young age. After moving to Canada and the US, I wanted to share this tradition in a modern way — combining my passions for plant biology, cooking, and art. At school, I lead environmental and gender equality clubs and star in musical theatre. In my free time, I love to paint, read, knit, and cook for friends and family.
Project Story + Rationale
Problem: Newer generations, even within China, have gotten less familiar with concepts and traditions of TCM, emphasizing the role of different ingredients in promoting health and nutrition, which manifests in habits such as unhealthy eating and the lack of a balanced diet. This particularly affects the elderly community in cities, having detrimental impacts on their long-term health. Simultaneously, Dao Di TCM herbs that are able to achieve their level of superior quality, partly due to their growth in a specific location, are threatened by the impacts of a changing climate and pollution.
Personal Motivation: My interest in the culture of TCM stemmed from interactions with family and my community when I was still living in Shanghai. As I continued my academic journey and gained a passion for plant biology, I was particularly intrigued by Dao Di TCM herbs and their unique connection with their local environments and communities. Arriving at Taft, I wanted to connect TCM to global health and nutrition to make the subject available for all audiences.
Project Goals:
Interactive Herbs Map
Online database of TCM herbsacross China
Illustrated Cookbook
Recipes centered around Medicine and Food Homology
Community Workshops
Sharing TCM knowledge with Chinese and English-speaking communities
Key Experiences
Global Leadership Institute Scholar
New York Botanical Garden Internship and Research
Taft Environmental Monitor
Co-head of GirlUp Club