Tongxieyi Forum

“Xieyi” is one of traditional Chinese painting expression form known for composition simple yet rich implications. Compared with realistic style of painting, Xieyi is more natural and unrestrained, but conveys excellently unique artistic charm. In the medical field, there is a group of new drug elites which often gather together to exchange their ideas freely about new drug technology, technology management and their career. They have freed themselves from their old collective image of stiffness (as claborate-style painting) and now take part in the new drug development field with their truest and freest nature. That is why we have named our forum “Tongxieyi” .

In the autumn of 2004, in a venue near Yinding Bridge at Houhai Lake, Beijing, Cheng Zengjiang had a discussion with his friends in the drug R&D field on “how to become an excellent pharmaceutical R&D and management talent”. All those present felt the same sense of urgency in broadening their visions and learning from each other by exchanging views. They decided to organize a salon to facilitate discussion and exploration as well as build friendship and mutual assistance among people in the same field. They happened to see a bar named “Hutong Xieyi” in front of them and behind the swaying willow branches. The name “Tongxieyi” which means composition simple, rich implications immediately came to their minds. And then this salon is named “Tongxieyi”.

For more than a decade, from the capital city, Beijing to the “holy city”, Lhasa, from the Taoist holy land of Qingchengshan to Suzhou, the paradise on earth, from advanced technology, policies, laws and regulations and investment management to wisdom of life, Tongxieyi as always has organized many forums in the forms of large seminars, micro-Xieyi gatherings, Xieyi dinner parties, Xieyi tea parties, so on and so forth, which have facilitated closer and deeper contacts between elites of the medical field. The “Tongxieyi Bar” in the WeChat community has become a cyberspace “Starbucks” which is filled not only with the aroma of coffee, but with wafts of the smell of medicines. A large amount of information and resources are being posted and shared here and ideas collide with each other here. Chatting at “Tongxieyi Bar” has become an indispensible part of life for many members of Tongxieyi.