Traditional Chinese medicines are beneficial in the treatment of COVID-19, particularly mild-to-moderate cases, according to a new report recently released by the World Health Organization (WHO).
世卫组织近日发布一份新报告，肯定了中医药在救治新冠肺炎患者尤其是治疗轻型和普通型病例方面的安全性和有效性。
Traditional Chinese medicine has long been closely related to people's life in Guangzhou, as evidenced by the continuous operation of Chenliji (used to be called Chan Li Chai, 陈李济), Caizhilin (采芝林) and Pangaoshou (潘高寿)，the city's three time-honored herbal medicine shops born in the neighborhood of Beijing Lu, one of the major shopping streets of Guangzhou, in the past four centuries.
在广州，中医药和百姓们的生活联系密切。有这么三家百年药铺，更是街知巷闻：它们无一例外地诞生于广州的“必逛胜地”北京路一带。
Pangaoshou, a pharmaceutical company that invented Loquat and Fritillary Extract
Pangaoshou, once called Changchundong, began its business in 1890 during the reign of Emperor Guangxu in the Qing Dynasty. Established by Pan Baishi and Pan Yingshi, who were both from Kaiping city of Guangdong province, the brand came up with its signature product 'Loquat and Fritillary Extract'(川贝枇杷饮) in 1928 under the management of Pan Yusheng, the son of Pan Baishi.
清光绪十六年（1890），高第街上鞭炮轰鸣，醒狮竞舞，一家叫“长春洞”的药铺挂牌开张。店主是广东开平人潘百世、潘应世。经过对西关、十三行、大东门、双门底的实地考察，他们决定把店开在高第街。这家“长春洞”药铺，就是后来赫赫有名的潘高寿药厂的前身。20世纪初，长春洞药铺交由潘百世的儿子潘郁生主理，他集多家所长，研制出“川贝枇杷饮”——这就是后来成为镇厂之宝的“潘高寿川贝枇杷露”。
An advertisement of Pangaoshou inscribed on an iron billboard 潘高寿广告铁牌
The product has been a success since 1930s after hitting the market with prominent efficiency and reasonable price. Yet unexpectedly, it was a dispute that made the brand of Pangaoshou even more famous.
潘高寿川贝枇杷露不仅治疗效果好，价格还极其亲民，自上世纪30年代以来，不断销往海外，成为明星药品。大概也是因为这川贝枇杷露太有名，还引起了一段风波。
A print ad of Loquat and Fritillary Extract developed by Pangaoshou 潘高寿止咳川贝枇杷露广告
Seeing that the Loquat and Fritillary Extract was counterfeited by another TCM company, the Pangaoshou family once wrote an article to imply this but was accused of slander and got defeated.
有一年，潘高寿发现香港诚济堂的川贝枇杷露与自己的产品很相似，有仿冒之嫌，便写了一篇文章，以“一二三四五六七，忠孝仁爱礼义廉”为题，挖苦诚济堂“忘八”（王八）和“无耻”。结果被诚济堂告上法庭，法庭以诚济堂的产品在香港已注册为由，判潘高寿败诉。
Pangaoshou used slogans to warn competitors not to counterfeit its product 潘高寿借广告语讽刺诚济堂
In order to vent their anger on the court decision, they once posted two lines of harsh words on the packing box of their products, warning competitors not to impersonate itself in any way.
为了表达对判决结果的不满，有那么一段时期，潘高寿在川贝枇杷露的包装盒上添了一行字：“劝人莫冒潘高寿，留些善果子孙收”。
Holding on to the development of TCM, the three time-honored shops in Guangzhou have earned strong word of mouth among people with their tireless efforts in helping people as well as improving and promoting TCM. They have also witnessed the tremendous changes of the city over the past few centuries, leaving lots of stories to tell the future generations.
广州的这三大药铺，坚持以中药为本，在赢得街坊口碑的同时，也见证了羊城的时光流转，为后世保留了厚厚的一沓故事话本。
Author: Liuliu, Yuan
Supervisor: Lv Yun
Editor: Lv Yun
Sources: Xinhua, GZ-Maritimesilkroad (丝路云帆Silu Yunfan), official Wechat account of City Alliance for the Preservation and world Heritage Inscription of Maritime Silk Road Heritage