The Hongmao Medicinal Liquor Incident: A Blog Post That Sparked a National Debate on Public Power and Rule of Law
In early 2018, a blog post titled “China’s ‘Divine Wine’ Hongmao Medicinal Liquor: Poison from Heaven” thrust Guangzhou doctor Tan Qindong and Inner Mongolia’s Hongmao Medicinal Liquor into the eye of a public opinion storm. In the article, Tan pointed out that Hongmao, as an over-the-counter drug, engaged in exaggerated efficacy claims and downplayed contraindications in its advertising, posing potential risks to elderly patients with underlying conditions like hypertension and coronary heart disease. Following the post’s publication, police in Liangcheng County, Inner Mongolia—where Hongmao is based—arrested Tan across provincial borders and criminally detained him on charges of “damaging business reputation.”
This cross-provincial arrest quickly ignited a firestorm online. Public scrutiny rapidly shifted from the drug’s safety and efficacy to broader questions of public power abuse and local protectionism. As media outlets dug deeper, Hongmao’s troubling history came to light: its advertisements had been flagged for violations by food and drug regulators 25 times, with a cumulative total of 2,630 infractions. The stark contrast between its catchy slogan, “Drink two sips a day, drink your illness away,” and its actual pharmaceutical nature triggered a nationwide outcry against “miracle cure” marketing tactics.
Under mounting pressure from both public opinion and legal scrutiny, central authorities including the National Medical Products Administration, the Ministry of Public Security, and the Supreme People’s Procuratorate intervened. The Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region People’s Procuratorate ordered the case returned for supplementary investigation and changed coercive measures, citing “unclear facts and insufficient evidence.” After 97 days in detention, Tan was released on bail pending trial. Ultimately, Tan issued an apology, Hongmao accepted it and withdrew its complaint and lawsuit, bringing the legal proceedings to a close. Yet the controversy did not end there; it served as a prism reflecting deep tensions between drug regulation, advertising enforcement, judicial fairness, and citizens’ right to criticize.
In the aftermath, Tan Qindong’s life was irrevocably altered. Prolonged psychological trauma and physical exhaustion led to multiple health issues, culminating in a 2024 diagnosis of uremia that forced him to leave his medical career. Today, he sustains himself through part-time work and social media, undergoing 10 hours of peritoneal dialysis at home each night while awaiting a kidney transplant. Despite his hardships, Tan has not succumbed to resentment; instead, he chooses to give back by popularizing medical knowledge and raising awareness for uremia patients, embodying his belief that “truth emerges through debate.”
As for Hongmao Medicinal Liquor, though it fell silent after the scandal, it has since resumed sales and can still be found in some pharmacies. This “resurrection” stands in sharp contrast to the public’s lingering anger over false advertising and collusion between officials and businesses, serving as a reminder that vigilance against “miracle cures” and oversight of public power remain as relevant as ever.
Historical milestones are often forged by individual courage and institutional response. At reThuc, we deconstruct major social events that have sparked profound societal reflection into individual historical nodes. Currently, key milestones of the Hongmao Medicinal Liquor incident are being officially released by rethuc. We invite you to visit reThuc to apply for minting your own social event NFT, digitally witnessing and commemorating this painful yet pivotal battle that propelled the advancement of rule of law and the protection of civil rights.