Chinatown Herbal Shops
By Megan Zhu
When the first Chinese immigrated during the year 1848, there were no doctors that speak their language and the Chinese did not trust the western doctors. Later on as more Chinese immigrants move into the city of San Francisco , Herbalists from China move into the area and start up an Herbal shop that the Chinese go when they get sick or get medication. The herbal shops not only have herbs for medication but also, it sells grocery, product like meat and daily supplies.
Slowly, the city of San Francisco built hospitals and the herbal shops begin to close down. During the 60's, herb become popular because when the year of youth come, the idea of throwing out the old and in with the new, and also the idea of going back to the earth. It meant that as the hippies move in, the idea of using natural medication become very popular. The Chinese herbal shops grow again. That is why Chinatown still has herbal shops around; for traditional medical use purposes and cultural meanings.
I see people in Chinatown today, herbal shop become a tourist attraction. Some tourist see it as very interesting thing and memorable experience to try out herbal medication which can help improve you health if you have a cold or just to boost your immune system.
For the base thing about herb, you can use herbs to making medicine by boiling the herbs. Or, you can use herb as for ointment on like little busies to cuts. Chinese use herb to make soup and dessert. If you are trying to find the restaurant that sell herbal soups, I doubt there any. The main reason that there is no restaurant that have herbal soups because just like the herbal medicine, the soup have to have the right amount of ingredient, the right amount of time that is under the fire, and the people who makes it take a lot of time watching over the fire to make sure that the soup will not burn. So, Chinatown is like the pot of herbal soup, the Chinese take time and energy to make Chinatown their second home.