People・Discovery
HKBU has nurtured over 168,000 graduates since its inception in 1956 and numerous alumni have in the past made notable achievements in diverse areas and professions. In this connection, we are pleased to introduce alumni from different professions and invite them to share their knowledge discovery with us.
Sharing by Alumna Fifi Yang Yizhao, Managing Director of Sanfeitang Co. Ltd.
on Her Insights into Chinese Herbal Incense
Alumna Fifi Yang Yizhao, Managing Director of Sanfeitang Co. Ltd. and Secretary General of Hong Kong Herbal Incense Association.
During the studies of the double-degree programme of Bachelor of Chinese Medicine and Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Biomedical Science at HKBU, alumna Fifi Yang Yizhao (Chinese Medicine; Pharmacy) delved into the art of reviving and contemporising traditional Chinese herbal recipes. She discovered that some of the recipes originated from her hometown, Nanjing, which ignited her passion to apply her professional knowledge of Chinese Medicine to develop Chinese herbal incense. She then returned to her hometown and founded the “Fifi’s Herbal Store”, a brand dedicated to offering various herbal products. The brand operates under Sanfeitang Co. Ltd., where Fifi currently serves as the Managing Director.
To further her expertise, Fifi pursued a master’s programme in Pharmaceutical Sciences in Chinese Medicine. Following her graduation, she aimed to bring her professional knowledge back to her hometown, and her company successfully attained authorisation from the Hong Kong Herbal Incense Association to provide incense therapist certification training in Nanjing. With her expertise in reviving traditional recipes, Fifi aspires to promote the essence of traditional Chinese incense culture and Chinese Medicine culture through educational initiatives and product offerings as well as collaboration with esteemed institutions like the Palace Museum in Beijing and the Nanjing Museum.
1. How do you incorporate traditional Chinese Medicine principles into your product development? How do your products differ from other incense products on the market?
At the core of our product development philosophy lies a commitment to traditional recipes, expertise, and nature. Our mission is to enhance people’s quality of life, fostering inner peace and health through the wisdom of traditional Chinese medicine. During my undergraduate studies at HKBU, one of my friends sought my help on her acne problem that had deeply eroded her confidence. I made up my mind to help her tackle the issue. I tried to combine the traditional recipes (“瑩肌如玉散” and “玉紅生肌膏”), which were introduced by Professor Huang Feili in the course on the cosmetology of traditional Chinese medicine. By choosing natural Chinese medicinal ingredients known for their pharmacological benefits with modern formulation methods, I developed an ointment that significantly alleviated my friend’s acne problem. This experience made me understand how the traditional Chinese medicine knowledge can be applied to help others.
Since then, I have had a strong desire to explore traditional Chinese medicine and integrate it with modern science to develop Chinese incense products. Our products not only retain the essence of traditional Chinese medicine recipes, but we also focus on the user’s experience. This combination of tradition and innovation allows our products to enhance both physical and mental well-being. Guided by the timeless motto, “A great doctor emerges not only through having good medical skills but also by upholding the highest standard of medical ethics and benevolence,” we not only focus on the efficacy of our products but also on the care and responsibility we owe to each user.
Fifi is dedicated to preserving the essence of traditional Chinese medicine recipes and applying her Chinese medical knowledge to develop medicinal incenses.
2. What do you want to achieve by offering the educational courses and products?
We aim to introduce the healing effects of natural herbal incense to customers, helping them attain relaxation and relief both physically and mentally. On the other hand, we hope to propel the industry development by providing systematic training and imparting practical skills to nurture talents for the industry. This fulfils the industry’s demand for skilled professionals, creating job opportunities and economic value that enhances the industry’s development.
Our professional training courses cover the history and theoretical aspects of Chinese herbal incense culture, as well as the practical skills of developing and utilising incense. Inspired by the ambiance of incense shops while travelling in Kyoto, Japan, we are committed to preserving and transmitting the essence of herbal incense culture through education. We believe that by learning and practicing Chinese herbal incense culture, individuals can enrich their well-being and gain a deeper comprehension and reverence for traditional customs, actualising the principle of “Alleviating distress, fostering joyfulness, combining Chinese medicine and incense harmoniously.”
Fifi gives lessons of knowledge and skills in medicinal incenses to students in the training programme.
3. Please briefly share one of your recent collaboration projects and explain how you applied your expertise.
We have collaborated with several renowned museums, including the Palace Museum in Beijing, the Nanjing Museum, and the Dunhuang Museum. These collaboration opportunities provided us with the exposure to antiquarian and historical records related to Chinese incense culture, enabling us to gain a deeper understanding of how ancient people integrated the art of incense into their daily lives, thereby solidifying our foundation in incense development.
Our team would base on these historical artifacts and unearthed medicinal ingredients combined with the local geographical location and its historical background, to develop incense products and experiences rich in local historical culture for customers. This approach has allowed us to accumulate professional expertise in innovating incense products and services and has also contributed to promoting Chinese incense culture.
Let me illustrate with an example. At Jianchu Temple in Nanjing, one of the most historic Buddhist temples in Mainland China, we collaborated with Porcelain Tower of Nanjing to establish a cultural incense museum. This museum is based on its historical incense records from the Song Dynasty unearthed from the temple’s underground palace. The museum showcases these records and offers visitors experiential activities related to the art of incense. Visitors can engage in activities such as experiencing how ancient people made “incense seals” (a type of incense powder burned to release fragrances that help alleviate stress) moulds and traditional incense-making methods. These experiences allow visitors to appreciate the wisdom of ancient lifestyles, strengthen their cultural identity, and gain insights into the development and benefits of incense culture and Chinese medicinal incense.
