Chinese Club Moss

Shanghai Tang Founder on Books and Food

Sir David Tang is best known for starting China’s most recognizable fashion line, Shanghai Tang, but he also owns private clubs and restaurants world-wide such as the China Club, Island Tang, Cipriani and China Tang.

This summer he waded into yet another field with the launch of ICorrect, a website where celebrities can set the record straight about lies and misinformation that have spread about them. Kate Moss, Michael Caine and Tommy Hilfiger have already participated.

This week Sir David reprises his role as special envoy to the Hong Kong Book Fair, bringing a handful of British personalities to the city: historian David Starkey , novelist and Vice President of Condé Nast International Nicholas Coleridge , food writer Tom Parker Bowles and the TV and restaurant critic A.A. Gill . They’ll serve as panelists for a forum he’s moderating called “How and What and Why Do Writers Write?”

Scene Asia caught up with Mr. Tang by phone in his office to discuss his hopes for this year’s forum and all things bookish in Hong Kong.

Why did you first decide to get involved in the Book Fair?

I was asked by the Trade Development Council a couple of years ago if I might do something to promote English books, which had not been done before. I always like to promote Hong Kong — even more so English literature. There is the Hong Kong International Literary Festival, but they are a bit highbrow. I always want to allow the general public to interact with established people, which doesn’t happen very often in Hong Kong. So I thought, why not kill two birds with one stone by bringing such people to speak at a forum open to anyone?

I did an experiment by inviting (actor-screenwriter) Stephen Fry, (historian) Andrew Roberts and (author) Frederick Forsyth last year. We had two forums which were hugely successful, the first of which was so crowded that they had to move several hundred people into another hall to watch the discussion via live video feed. I knew that it was a winner, so I’ve decided to repeat the exercise.

With A.A. Gill and Tom Parker Bowles taking part, there’s a distinct food bent to your panel this year. Why did you decide to take the discussion in this gastronomic direction?

Well, A.A. Gill is only half gastronomic. He’s well-known as a restaurant critic, but he actually writes more about television. He’s best known for being critical, because he loves to make fun of restaurants, cooks and so forth. I felt Tom Parker Bowles would be a very good candidate to come out because he’s young and he’s passionate about not only food, but everything British. So although there is a bit of a food bent there, I’m sure that both of them will be able to talk about things that are non-culinary — and very amusingly. And that’s the whole point, really, to allow people to see how cultured people articulate themselves.

Chinese Club Moss Helps Protect Brain « Brain Fit

Chinese Club Moss is a plant used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat inflammation. According to Mark Stibich, Ph.D, the alkaloid Huperzine A, which is present in Chinese Club Moss, could help improve the cognitive abilities of people with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Huperzine A blocks an enzyme in the brain which breaks down an important neurotransmitter. By taking less than 100 mg of Chinese Club Moss, the breakdown of this neurotransmitter will be slowed, thus protecting the brain’s synapses.

Further Reading:

“Everyday Ways to Stay Sharp: Want to keep your brain in shape? Work it.

The Essential Herb-Drug-Vitamin Interaction Guide, The Safe Way to Use Medications and Supplements Together

Handbook of medicinal herbs

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The green pharmacy, new discoveries in herbal remedies for common diseases and conditions from the world's foremost authority on healing herbs

Natural medicines comprehensive database, consensus of current scientific information on herbal medicines and dietary supplements of practical importance to the health professional