At Hongjitang, a time-honored Chinese medicine brand founded in 1907 in Jinan, capital of Shandong province, tradition is meeting technology in surprising ways. Visitors to its Jinan campus can now start with an AI-powered health check: a smart terminal reads their facial features, tongue, and pulse, then generates a personalized wellness report. Based on the results, they can choose from nine tailored herbal teas.

But the reinvention goes deeper. Hongjitang has transformed its iconic ejiao, a donkey-hide gelatin product used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), into convenient formats – powders that mix into coffee, yogurt, or porridge, and snacks like ejiao candies and seaweed crisps. 

"We want to turn traditional tonic consumption into part of everyday life," said staff member Wang Haifeng.

Behind the scenes, the company's smart herbal medicine factory, launched in September 2025, has automated 91 percent of its production processes. AI, big data, and the Internet of Things now monitor key quality metrics in real time, turning the master craftsman's intuition into measurable data. From standardized cultivation bases to a fully traceable supply chain, Hongjitang ensures batch-to-batch consistency while preserving the essence of its century-old heritage.

"Through product innovation and digital empowerment, we aim to keep this time-honored brand youthful and integrate TCM wisdom into modern living," said Yan Hu, president of Hongjitang Pharmaceutical Group.