Visiting the most famous Chinese pharmacy, the legendary Tongrentang is much like being inside a miniature museum of natural science. Tucked away in row after row of tidy drawers are animal, plant and mineral products, each with a particular purpose. Among the assortment of curiosities is amber--to relax the nerves; peach pits and safflower to improve blood circulation; Chinese ephedra (mahuang) to induce perspiration; and ginseng to strengthen cardiac function.
   The filling of a prescription ordered by a Chinese doctor is a fascinating process to watch. The pharmacist selects a few particular ingredients from the hundreds on his shelf. These are taken home by the patient, boiled into a "soup" and drunk. Confronted with such a steaming brew, you might ask yourself just what the basis of this ancient medical art is.
   A traditional Chinese pharmacy has a unique smell made up of thousands of scents emanating from jars and cabinets stocked full of dried plants, seeds, animal parts and minerals. Among them are the well-known ginseng roots, dried or immersed in alcohol and often looking like a human figure. In fact, the Chinese word for ginseng contains the character ren, which means person.