The launching ceremony for a book detailing traditional Chinese medicine resources in Guilin is held on Aug 12 in Guilin. [Photo/China News Service]

The launching ceremony for a book detailing traditional Chinese medicine resources in Guilin, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region was held on Aug 12 in Guilin.

Jiang Pinghua, head of the Guilin health commission, said that the book has provided a comprehensive and systematic presentation of TCM resources in the city, offering detailed references and scientific evidence for the sustainable development of Guilin's TCM industry. 

Information related to TCM such as Guilin's physical geography, nature, mineral resources, protection and management as well as the application history of local TCM medicines have been included in the book, making the book a milestone in the theoretical development of Guilin's TCM.　

Guilin is one of South China's major TCM producers and an important inheritance base for TCM culture in the country. The city is rich in TCM resources as it now owns around 3,500 kinds of TCM medicines, which is 69 percent of China's total. 

At present, Guilin has been promoting demonstrative plantations for TCM medicines, which have taken examples from general agriculture plantations. More TCM production bases simulating wild ecological farms have also been built, producing more high-quality TCM medicines.

Technological upgrades will be carried out in primary processing at Guilin production bases to reduce the transportation and logistics cost for raw medical materials while ensuring the materials' quality. 

A quality traceability system for TCM medicines will be built, making the processes such as plantation, processing, transportation and application traceable with comprehensive supervision to boost the sustainable and sound development of the TCM industry. 

Jiang added that the release of this book can also help to popularize knowledge around TCM culture.