The International Academic Meeting to Commemorate the 500th Anniversary of the Birth of Li Shizhen-cum-16th Materia Medica Club Meeting organised by China Association of Chinese Medicine and others and co-organised by SCM and other organisations was held in Li Shizhen’s hometown Qichun, Hubei province on 26 May.  Nearly one thousand scholars and experts from all over the world—China, US, UK, Germany, Russia, Austria, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macao and others—joined the academic meeting.  In addition to delivering a keynote speech on the occasion, Prof. Zhao was appointed Honorary Curator of Li Shizhen Commemorative Museum at the ceremony to commemorate Li Shizhen and open the Museum held at the same occasion.  The honour was bestowed on Prof. Zhao to recognise his outstanding contributions to the promotion of the culture of materia medica.

Set up by SCM in 2011, the Materia Medica Club is a platform to facilitate exchange in herbology and pharmacognosy and has a membership of over 500 scholars.