Tong Ren Tang's clinic in Manhattan is headed by Dr. Jin Ming. She has been practicing TCM for over 30 years and is a trusted and renowned reputation here in the US and in China. It's for a very specific set of reasons that Dr. Jin's clinic was chosen:
Manhattan is... one of the regions in the United States with the densest population, fastest development, and most vivacious energy. It is comparable to the Qianmen area in Beijing. Qianmen is the most bustling and densely populated economic district in Beijing, China. It is also where TRT originated. This is why we chose Manhattan: we must proactively integrate into the American mainstream and allow the American people the opportunity to get to know Beijing TRT, learn about Chinese Medicine culture, fall in love with a time-tested brand from China, and choose a lifestyle that is inspired by Eastern wisdom. Manhattan is also the hub of world-renowned brands. Here you will find not only the pulse of economic vitality, but also the deep influence of world brands and cultures. These unique characteristics attracted Beijing TRT, which is not only an economic entity, but also a physical representation and carrier of Chinese culture. We sincerely hope to plant the seed for Chinese medicine in the fertile grounds of Manhattan, which will grow to allow the rich history of Chinese medicine culture to be presented to the world and make great contributions for the health of people worldwide.
I was offered the unique opportunity to partake in this event because I was affiliated with Dr. Jin and she knew of my translation abilities and recommended me to Tong Ren Tang (TRT) when they were looking for someone to translate the speeches of and interpret for Mdm Ding during the opening ceremony and potentially other events. Fortunately, they were satisfied with my experience and asked me to both translate the speeches as well as interpret for her, especially for the Q&A.
Beijing Tong Ren Tang @ Manhattan.
Being able to combine both of my skill sets (and careers), Translator and TCM practitioner, was a dream come true. It had been my hope that eventually I would be able to do translations in the field of TCM, and this was a small taste of what it would be like. When you are put under immense pressure is the time when your experience and preparation really shows, and I'm glad my years in these two industries have helped me prepare for this event (and hopefully more in the future).
An extra happy coincidence was when we found out that one of TRT's partners on the West coast was CIIS (ACTCM), which is my alma mater, and it just happened that Ms. Lixin Huang (who used to be the president of ACTCM) was going to be a guest at the ceremony! It was quite a joyous event, where my former self merged with my present self, and we all look forward to the new influence and changes that TCM will take in the US in the coming days.
I enjoyed the event immensely, and it was truly inspiring, particularly because the three people whom I worked with, Mdm Ding, Dr. Jin, and Ms. Huang, were all women - strong, powerful, independent, and most importantly, passionate women who are determined to bring TCM to more people and spread its benefits. I am honored to be part of this process and look forward to contributing my skills for this purpose!