Europe's first Traditional Chinese Medicine museum opens in San Marino

SAN MARINO - The first museum in Europe devoted to the ancient art of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has opened, with a series of joyful artistic events.

The inauguration came a little more than one year after the opening of the Confucius Institute, which was established in March 2015 by the educational authorities in China and San Marino in a bid to boost bilateral cooperation.

Both local residents and Chinese officials enjoyed the event on Friday.

People were invited to peruse attentively medicines, medical tools, and traditional healing herbs exhibited at the upper level of the Confucius Institute headquarters where the museum has been established.

Some visitors marveled at different medical herbs and the samples of ancient medical tools that were put on display.

Luis Alberto Gregoroni from San Marino told Xinhua, "I enjoy it because I like Traditional Chinese Medicine, as well as Western herbal medicine, and especially as preventive treatment."

Such healing arts, with their natural ingredients and remedies, would be most useful for detoxifying the body, so as to make it more easily receptive to any other kind of treatments, the man explained.

"I believe that, in our globalized world, we do need a chance to learn and exchange information about one another's original habits and ancient traditions," Gregoroni added.

The Confucius Institute, which is managed by both San Marino University and Beijing City University, was meant to offer teaching and educational exchanges in Chinese language and culture, and Traditional Chinese Medicine, since its inception.

The official launch of the museum marked a highly relevant moment, officials at the ceremony explained.

"This is a crucial step for us," San Marino Secretary of State for Education Giuseppe Morganti said.

"The TCM is extraordinarily relevant to the health and wellness of the humanity, and we believe this result will be followed by other countries," Morganti added.

The one in San Marino is the first TCM museum established in Europe, although this ancient healing art has long made its way and gained popularity in the western countries.

Combined with the Confucius Institute's dedicated courses, the new museum would play a crucial role in further promoting the transmission of the TCM knowledge, Luo Ping, Educational Counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in Italy and San Marino, said at the ceremony.

Traditional Chinese Medicine leader Tong Ren Tang, founded in 1669, sponsored the museum and provided all the materials.

Friday's opening ceremony was accompanied by the presence of several Italian and Chinese artists, who offered music and opera shows.