The She medicinal herb planting area in Jingning She autonomous county in Lishui, Zhejiang province. [Photo/Tide News]

Jingning She autonomous county in Lishui, Zhejiang province, is building a new model for integrated health industry development by promoting She medicine, a national intangible cultural heritage.

In early summer, key field management is underway at the 1,500-mu (100-hectare) understory medicinal herb base of China Traditional She Medicine Valley in Hemuling village.

Companies like Zhejiang Wuyangtang Pharmaceutical are building a full industry chain, using advanced freeze-drying technology to develop She medicine products and health teas, further enhancing product value.

Jingning has adopted an innovative model linking secondary, primary, and tertiary industries, expanding from planting to processing and wellness tourism.

Xiong Kehui, deputy general manager of Wuyangtang Pharmaceutical, said the company will expand the cultivation of featured herbs to 2,000 mu by 2027. A 30 million yuan ($4.42 million) processing line for She medicine and tea is also planned.

In 2025, the county's She medicinal herb planting area reached 95,200 mu, with output value exceeding 170 million yuan. The Jingning She Medicine Health Industrial Park is currently under construction and is expected to be completed by January 2027.

Over the past three years, Jingning has attracted 13 projects worth over 100 million yuan each, including three billion-level projects, forming an industrial cluster of over 20 enterprises.

Jingning is also developing medicine-food homologous products, transforming raw herbs into health foods. The county integrates She medicine with wellness, culture, and tourism, developing products like herbal sachets and biscuits.

Looking ahead, Jingning will continue to upgrade the industry chain and expand into elderly care, leisure tourism, and other sectors.