Hong Kong Apothecary

Unlike Western medicine that's generally packaged in antiseptic whiteness with frightening symbols to beware, Chinese pharmaceuticals look lively, exotic and certainly tasteful. Simon Go, author and a lover of Chinese medical packaging, spent years visiting manufacturers and medical stalls/pharmacy shops looking for these wonderful packages and begging shopkeepers to go through their backrooms in search of old unused medicines. Hong Kong Apothecary is divided into medicinal sections (infusion oils, teas, ointments) and provides an historical overview of the pharmaceutical industry. It takes the reader on a never before published visual journey of early Chinese medicines, powders, and pills, unlocking the unknown world of eastern medicinal and herbal packaging. With more than 200 pages of graphics and tantalizing text, Hong Kong Apothecary introduces the forgotten world of early twentieth-century Chinese graphic design. This beautifully illustrated book is a must for designers and historians alike.