This Day, That Year

Item from Jan 22, 1995, in China Daily: Food and the pursuit of longevity are big business in China, and the two come together in a 7.1-billion-yuan ($1.1 billion) health tonics industry. Television viewers don't need to be told that gorging tonic foods is all the rage for the young and old alike. Advertising slots are crammed with descriptions of potions that can help kids grow faster and old folks regain the vigor of their youth. According to a survey conducted by the State Bureau of Statistics, more than 100 different kinds of tonic products were available on the Chinese market, in both liquid and tablet form.

After 20 years, Chinese living standards have changed dramatically. Annual per capita income is nearly 30,000 yuan ($4,900) for urban residents, up from 3,893 yuan in 1995.

Amid rapid economic growth and reform, the stressful pace of everyday life has made greater demands on people to pay attention to their health.