The Medicine God Temple (Pinyin: Yaohuang Miao) in Lanxi has been listed as one of the provincial demonstration bases for traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) healthcare tourism.

The temple, located at 23 Quemen Alley in the old part of Lanxi, was built in Qing Dynasty. It is one of the provincial cultural relic protection units. The temple has a trio of courtyards and covers an area of 1100 square meters. At the front, the gate is made of bricks carved with enchanting patterns. The main hall has five rooms in width consisting of architectural design components such as beams, purlins, arches, and corbels that were carved with intricate details such as figures, flowers, birds, and beasts. The hall is dedicated to memorize the god of TCM, Shennong, who according to the legend found the medical effects of plants and brought TCM into people’s daily life.

Since ancient times, Lanxi has been a commerce city with a well-developed pharmaceutical industry and numerous drug stores. Historically, it was one of the main distribution centers of TCM in China. That is where the name of Yaohang Street (meaning the drug store street) and the construction of Medicine God Temple came from. The annual ritual on the 28th day of the fourth month in the Chinese lunar calendar was once a very important occasion in Lanxi to observe the birth of the medicine god.

In 2019, repair efforts on the temple began. The work was completed in October 2020, after which the main goal for the temple has been shifted to protect and inherit the TCM culture in Lanxi. Since the re-opening of the temple, many local citizens and those from nearby places have come to pay their visits. (By Jiang Yuxin, translated by Lin Yuqin, edited by Mariam Ayad)