感谢大中華藥行扎根华埠六十周年！
Thank You Great China Herbs For 60 Years in Chinatown

“I’ve been coming since Mr. Chew was running the store. And one time I was having thyroid issues, swollen, they were gonna do surgery and cut it out. But then the doctor at Great China Herbs, she said I’ll shrink it for you. After six weeks of their brews, she did! She shrunk my thyroid. I went back to my UHN western doctor and he said this is really good. You don’t need surgery, and don’t tell me how you did this.”

“我从周先生经营这家店的时候就一直来这里。有一次我的甲状腺肿了起来，西医生说要做手术切除。但大中華藥行的中医师跟我说：‘我可以帮你把它缩小。’我喝了六个星期他们配的药，真的缩小了！后来我回去看 UHN 的西医，他说：‘情况很好，你不用做手术了——也别告诉我你是怎么做到的。”

- Dora, Long Time No See & TCLT Member 會員

To all lovers of Chinatown, please know that this week is the final week of operations for Great China Herbs' retail space in Chinatown at 401 Dundas.

Great China Herbs, is run primarily by worker-owner Kim with support from her adult children and family. It is the longest continuously operating Chinese pharmacy, and traditional herb store in Toronto's Chinatown. Torontonians from all walks of life frequent the store everyday, from chefs to oncology patients, to students of medicine.

Kim is renowned in the GTA for being a wealth of knowledge, forever generous with freely given advice, consultations and deep dives into how to tell a good quality vs bad quality herb apart. Her policy has always been, so long as I am not busy with a customer, you can ask me whatever you want about your health or the herbs.

When you are able to be in a place for a long time, reliably, you hold a very deep and complex web of relationships in place. When asked what she would like Chinatown to know about the retail store closing, she came back multiple times to her most elderly customers. In their 90s and one even a centenarian, there have always been two comfy chairs across the cash register, for them to just sit and pass time with her and each other. These relationships mean the world to her, and makes the already difficult decision to transition online and do business by delivery even more emotional. She is worried that two won't fully remember that the storefront will not exist next week, and arrive to an empty store on Monday.

Kim welcomes everyone to take pictures of the store and drop by to stock up extra on your go to medicines today and tomorrow. Anything that reduces how much she will have to pack and move this weekend helps lighten the load.

After this weekend, you will still be able to order delivery from Kim through their online store [ GreatChinaHerbsCentre.com ], just give them some time to settle into new arrangements and try them by phone if the website isn't up yet.

For us at the Toronto Chinatown Land Trust, we are still processing what this means and dreaming with Kim and with our members about what we can build to stay resilient in the future.

致所有熱愛華埠的朋友：請大家留意，大中華藥行位於登打士街401號的華埠實體店，本週將是最後一週營業。

大中華藥行主要由員工兼店主 Kim 經營，她的成年子女和家人也一直從旁協助。這是多倫多華埠持續營業時間最長的中藥房及傳統藥材店。每天都有來自不同背景的多倫多市民光顧，從廚師、癌症病人，到醫科學生都有。

Kim 在大多倫多地區以豐富的藥材知識聞名，也總是毫不吝嗇地免費分享自己的經驗和建議。無論是健康諮詢，還是深入講解如何分辨優質與劣質藥材，她一直都抱持同一個原則：「只要我當時沒有忙著招呼客人，你想問任何關於健康或藥材的問題，都可以問我。」

當一家店能夠長年穩定地留在一個地方，它所維繫的其實是一張深厚而複雜的人際關係網絡。

當我們問 Kim，希望在實體店結業之際對華埠說些甚麼，她幾次談起的，都是那些年紀最大的老顧客。他們有些已經九十多歲，其中一位甚至超過百歲。收銀台對面一直放著兩張舒適的椅子，讓他們可以隨時坐下來，陪 Kim 和彼此聊聊天、消磨時間。

這些關係對 Kim 意義重大，也讓本來已經非常艱難的決定——轉為網上經營及送貨——變得更加令人不捨。她尤其擔心其中兩位老人家未必能完全記得店舖下週已經不在了，星期一還是會像往常一樣來到這裡，卻只看到一家空置的店舖。

Kim 歡迎大家在最後這幾天來店裡拍照留念，也可以多買一些平時常用的藥材和藥品。這個週末她需要收拾和搬走整間店，大家每多帶走一點東西，都能讓她少搬一些、減輕一點負擔。

本週末之後，大家仍然可以透過大中華藥行的網上商店訂購，由 Kim 安排送貨：GreatChinaHerbsCentre.com

請給他們一點時間適應新的營運方式。如果網站暫時還未恢復正常，也可以嘗試致電聯絡。

對我們（TCLT） 而言，我們仍在消化這次實體店結業對華埠意味著甚麼，也正與 Kim 和我們的會員一起思考：未來我們可以共同建立甚麼，讓華埠和這些珍貴的社區關係更有力量延續下去。

_{^{You can always email us at 随时发送邮件至 [email protected]}}

This Friday: Flashmob
本周五：快闪舞蹈聚会

Do you want to dance out your grief about Great China Herbs with community around you? We will be at a Flashmob called by Brenda Joy Lem this Friday 9-10pm at Huron Square.

想和社区伙伴一起，用舞蹈释放 Great China Herbs 结业带来的不舍吗？本周五晚上 9–10 点，我们会参加由 Brenda Joy Lem 发起的快闪舞蹈聚会，地点在 Huron Square。

• 📅 Friday, August 28, 9-10pm

• 📍 Huron Square, Chinatown

The Covid pandemic hit Chinatown hard. For a neighbourhood that was already feeling the air going out of it with increasing gentrification and flight of new businesses to Markham & Richmond Hill, the pandemic felt like it might finally push Chinatown over the edge. There was a Canada wide wave of anti-Chinese racism and anti-maskers would proudly parade thru Chinatown hassling grannies and shopkeepers.

The community however would not go down easily. A new wave of activists rose up connecting with older activists who had been fighting for the neighbourhood since the 60’s. Initiatives like Friends of Chinatown, the Chinatown Land Trust, the All Flowers Mahjong and many others all trace their origins to this time.

Meanwhile artist and activist Brenda Joy Lem initiated the artist collective Long Time No See to paper the walls of Chinatown with images and messages of hope from members of the community. Brenda also initiated the Flashmob; a concept to take space in Chinatown by showing up and street dancing to old school dance tunes, showing that Chinatown was indeed not dead seeded from its past to new life in its future.

新冠疫情对华埠造成了沉重打击。在仕绅化日益加剧、越来越多新商户转往万锦和列治文山发展的背景下，华埠本来就已逐渐失去活力，而疫情更让人担心，这个社区可能真的会被推到崩溃的边缘。与此同时，加拿大全国掀起了一波反华种族歧视，反口罩人士甚至公然在华埠游行，骚扰老人和商户。

但社区并没有轻易倒下。新一代行动者开始站出来，与从 1960 年代起就一直为华埠奋斗的老一辈行动者连结起来。Friends of Chinatown、Toronto Chinatown Land Trust、All Flowers Mahjong 等许多社区组织和行动，都可以追溯到这个时期。

与此同时，艺术家和行动者 Brenda Joy Lem 发起了艺术家团体“好久不見”，把社区成员创作、充满希望的图像和讯息贴满华埠的墙面。Brenda 也发起了 Flashmob 快闪舞蹈聚会：大家一起出现在华埠街头，随着经典舞曲起舞，用身体和舞蹈占据社区空间，告诉所有人——华埠并没有死去，而是从过去扎下的根中，再次萌发出面向未来的新生命。

Meanwhile Brenda’s husband Rick Wong had continued teaching Kungfu in the park focussing on teaching long staff so that practitioners would always maintain the requisite 6’ social distancing.  Seeking to connect Chinatown activism with that of Kensington Market, and seeing that long staff and Chinese Lion dance was relatable to Kensington Market’s Winter Solstice celebration with its fire performances and puppetry, a new connection was born.

The fire performance group which Brenda named the “Chinatown Fire Department” initially started out as another guest of the Flashmob.  As the fire performance popularity grew it eventually took over the Flashmob.  Some fire performers wanted their own tunes for their burn and cut in on the old school mixtape that had been prepared.  Brenda battered by this usurpation and weighed by caregiving for her brother who passed away last December withdrew from producing the Flashmob.  The Chinatown Fire Department remains in debt to Brenda’s Flashmob as the initiator of the concept to “take up space” in Chinatown to support the neighbourhood.

Another longtime Chinatown institution, Great China Herbs will close at the end of this month.  Summer draws to a close.  Now is the time.  Let’s gather this Friday night at Huron & Dundas from 9-10pm and once again dance and take up space.

与此同时，Brenda 的丈夫 Rick Wong 继续在公园教授功夫。当时他特别以长棍为主要教学内容，让练习者之间自然保持疫情期间所要求的 6 英尺社交距离。为了把华埠的社区行动与猶太街连结起来，他们发现长棍和中国舞狮，与猶太街冬至庆典中的火舞和木偶表演有不少共通之处，一段新的社区连结也由此展开。

后来，Brenda 命名为 “唐人街消防局” 的火舞表演团体，最初也是 Flashmob 快闪舞蹈聚会的嘉宾。随着火舞越来越受欢迎，它逐渐成为 Flashmob 的主角。一些火舞表演者希望用自己的音乐演出，也开始加入原本准备好的怀旧舞曲歌单。面对活动逐渐偏离原来的方向，加上 Brenda 长期照顾弟弟，而弟弟又于去年 12 月离世，她最终退出了 Flashmob 的组织工作。

不过，唐人街消防局的诞生始终源自 Brenda 的 Flashmob 正是这个活动最先提出了在华埠街头 “占据空间” 的概念，以实际行动支持这个社区。

如今，另一家扎根华埠多年的老店大中華藥行也将在本月底结业。夏天即将结束，就是现在。这个星期五晚上 9–10 点，让我们再次相聚在 Huron & Dundas，一起跳舞、一起占据属于社区的空间。

Also on Friday:
本周五还有：

Art Build for the 2026 River Run
2026 River Run 标语与艺术创作日

Join us for a community art-making day with the Toronto Chinatown Land Trust! Feel free to bring your own materials if you'd like to contribute, but we’ll be providing ample supplies and guides on making signs in preparation for joining the TCLT contingent to the Grassy Narrows River Run on September 23 - a rally taking place in downtown Toronto to welcome and support Grassy Narrows First Nation community members.

歡迎加入 Toronto Chinatown Land Trust，一起參與社區藝術創作日！如果你想帶上自己的材料一起創作，當然非常歡迎；現場也會準備充足的材料與製作指引，讓大家一起製作標語和道具，為 9 月 23 日的 Grassy Narrows River Run 做準備。當天，TCLT 將組隊參與這場在多倫多市中心舉行的集會，與 Grassy Narrows 第一民族 社區站在一起，表達我們的團結與支持。

• 📅 Friday, August 28, 6-9pm

• 📍 TCLT Community Hub, Unit C-7, Chinatown Centre， 222 Spadina Ave

Lets Build a Collective Memory of Chinatown: City Archives Exhibition Opening and Panel
一起建構華埠的集體記憶：市立檔案館展覽開幕暨座談會

Planting Imagination invites you to the exhibition "Let's Build a Collective Memory of Chinatown!" at the City of Toronto Archives

Kwong Chow, Lichee Garden, Sai Woo, Nanking Tavern, Charlie’s Meat and Seafood, Pearl Court Restaurant, Rol San. What do they have in common? They stood across Old Chinatown, Chinatown East and Chinatown West. And now, all of them are gone.

Join us for the exhibition opening and panel discussion with historians, researchers, and community members.

栽培想像計劃邀请大家参观在多伦多市档案馆举行的「一起建构华埠的集体记忆！」展览。

广州酒楼、荔枝园、四和楼、南京酒家、Charlie’s肉魚店、明珠酒楼、龍笙棧——这些地方有什么共同之处？

它们曾经遍布旧华埠、东华埠和西华埠。而如今，它们都已经消失了。

欢迎参加展览开幕活动，并与历史学者、研究人员及社区成员一起参与座谈，回顾和保存属于华埠的集体记忆。

• 📅 Friday 週五, Aug 28 | 5:00pm-7:00pm

• 📍 City of Toronto Archives, 255 Spadina Rd

• 🎟️ 免费参加 Free

This is the newsletter of Toronto Chinatown Land Trust. It aims to inspire acts of connection, build relationships between our members to each other, and root our collective work in a deep sense of belonging to Chinatown’s working class history.

我们希望通过这份通讯，鼓励更多连结行动，促进会员之间彼此认识与建立关系，并让我们的集体工作扎根于华埠工人阶级历史所承载的深厚归属感。