Chinese medicine, herbal medicine, protected Chinese people through ages before the introduction of Western medicines to China.

A seventy-year-old man who holds to the traditional ways has come up with his own creations promoting Chinese medicine - he's turned herbal iconic images into cartoon toys.

Cai Teng's cartoon dolls based on Chinese herbal medicine [CCTV.com]

Cai Teng is the creator of two hundred plus cartoon dolls based on Chinese herbal medicine. This doll represents ginseng, a famous herbal medicine regarded for its restorative properties.

Cai aims to make people more aware of traditional Chinese medicine, and its natural, curative merits.

Cai was a Hong Kong merchant before moving to the Guangdong countryside, where he planted a herbal garden. He trod mountainous regions in search of rare species of herbs, then transplanted them. His garden now boasts over a thousand species valued as medicinal herbs.

Cai Teng said, "Traditional Chinese medicine is a treasure of our nation. Herbal medicines can cure many difficult and rare diseases that western medicine can't heal. But many youngsters including elders don't know much about them."

Cai has tagged his dolls with the names of the herbs and the diseases each can cure. His creations are getting a lot of attention at exhibitions. Apart from the dolls, Cai also created pottery works. His next ambition is to create a cartoon movie, starring his Traditional Chinese medicine dolls.

(CCTV October 9, 2008)