A company steeped in tradition leads the way to modernity

I recently enjoyed a fascinating visit to the cutting-edge production base of a major Chinese firm with deep roots in history and its eyes firmly fixed on the future.

Tong Ren Tang is a very old traditional Chinese medicine company which was founded in 1669 and was historically the supplier of medicines to the Chinese royal family. Today it is a leading manufacturer of traditional Chinese medicine and is at the cutting edge of innovation and modernization.

Tong Ren Tang's Biomedicine Industrial Base in Beijing's Daxing district has industrial functions such as biotechnology indigenous innovation, product R&D, industrialization of technical achievements, R&D and producer services.

As China embraces innovation and upgrading throughout its economy, this facility, which has been described as a "4.0 digital factory", is truly representative of that trend, with the automation of many production processes and the extensive use of robotics and artificial intelligence.

In fact, entering the lobby of the Biomedicine Industrial Base did feel a bit like entering the set of a science-fiction movie, with the sight of a little robot vehicle scuttling about conveying customers' purchases from a massive "vending machine" containing many of Tong Ren Tang's famous products to a delivery hatch.

TCM is based on a holistic approach to health, and Tong Ren Tang's industrial base is truly representative of that as, in addition to medicines, it also presents the company's expansion into foodstuffs, with an organic bakery, a dining area presenting a wide variety of healthy dishes and tonic foods incorporating the natural ingredients used in traditional Chinese medicine, and a coffee shop with organic produce.

Tong Ren Tang aims to achieve online and offline connection with users' upgraded digital management data, in order to provide them with an accurate and round-the-clock service.

For example, its user internet platform is equipped with facial recognition, thermal imaging detection, AI face consultation, one of Asia's largest unmanned drug vending machines and many other cutting-edge technological resources.

The automatic vending machine can be accessed by customers 24 hours a day. The purchase request is made on a screen outside the main entrance, and a robot vehicle collects the medicines from the vending machine and delivers the purchases to a hatch where customers pick them up.

This time-tested company was established over 350 years ago with the mission of "gathering herbal medicines to make the world more fragrant". But for me, this ancient brand is more than just a piece of heritage, it is very much part of China's modern－and future－economy, by combining the finest aspects of traditional Chinese culture with the cutting-edge approaches of the modern age.

Contact the writer at ian@chinadaily.com.cn