On 13 December 2024, students from 2023/09 intake, School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, accompanied by Dr. Chep Lee Lu Siang, visited the private herb garden of herbal medicine expert Mr. Haw Ming Hock.
Mr. Haw, a prominent scholar in Chinese herbal medicine and the author of Herbs with Affection, which features 60 native Malaysian herbs, led the students through his meticulously organized garden and adjacent woodland area. The garden included a variety of labeled plants, some of which were rare and valuable specimens such as century-old deer antler ganoderma, camphor wood, bone-setting herb, and white-flowered rock peony vine. He also introduced several local herbs often considered weeds but with notable medicinal properties.
Mr. Haw explained the properties, uses, and precautions of various herbs, focusing on teaching students how to identify them. For example, he compared white-flowered snake grass with waterline grass, highlighting the subtle differences in leaf structure and growth patterns. Dr. Lee assisted by collecting samples of herbs for closer inspection. The students were also given the opportunity to taste some of the plants, providing hands-on experience in herbal identification and use.
This field trip aimed to enhance the students' practical knowledge of Chinese herbal medicine, providing them with an opportunity to engage directly with medicinal plants. The event was part of the university's efforts to offer students valuable learning experiences beyond the classroom.