Surprisingly enough, in person Tei Fu Chen is everything the Sunriders
have said he is. He greets us with a warm smile, a handshake, and has us
immediately at ease. We are told by a public relations officer that Chen is
concerned that his English may pose communications problems. But besides
an occasional mixing of tenses and a few moments where he searches for the
precise word, he is able to express himself extremely well. His voice is soft,
relaxing, almost lyrical, and conveys, well, sincerity. As he speaks, he moves
his hands and we notice on his ring finger a bulky ring of jade and
diamonds.
ei Fu Chen was born in 1948 in Chia Yi, a small town near the
southern Taiwanese city of Kao Shiung. He was a sickly child who had
difficulty playing with the other boys.
"The biggest dream I had," Chen says, "was probably to become normal like
the other kids so I don't get sick so easy."
Medical doctors were a luxury Chen's family couldn't afford. Like other
average Taiwanese, they resorted to traditional Chinese herbal medicines.
Fortunately, Chen's grandfather was an herbalist. It was through him that
Chen was first exposed to the benefits of herbal medicines. He became Chen's
first mentor.
[CONTINUED BELOW]
"I didn't like herbs because all the herbs that he prepared were bitter tasting
and nasty smelling," Chen recalls. "I always thought if the disease didn't kill
me, the smell and the taste of the herbs would, one way or the other."
As Chen grew older he developed a strong interest in learning how to treat
himself. "I studied herbs because it was necessary to take care of myself."
Chen was eventually accepted to the Kao Shiung Medical College Pharmacy
School in which he was introduced to modern chemistry and pharmaceutical
procedures as well as traditional herbal medicine. "I took the Chinese herbal
philosophy and merged it with Western modern technology in addition to my
personal findings." These three components, Chen says, formed the basis for
Sunrider's philosophy of regeneration.
The more Chen learned about nutrition and the human body, the more
respect he gained for the body's healing system. "To me the human body is
perfect." He quickly corrects himself. "Close to perfect. It is designed to
regulate blood pressure, blood sugar, body temperature, everything. Many
times problems occur because the body is out of alignment or balance or
harmony. If you can nourish the body properly so that it goes back into
harmony and balance, then the body will take care of those problems.
PAGE 6
ei Fu Chen was born in 1948 in Chia Yi, a small town near the
southern Taiwanese city of Kao Shiung. He was a sickly child who had
difficulty playing with the other boys.
