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		Message from Professor Lu Aiping Dean of Chinese Medicine, HKBU	December, 2011
		Creativity is the engine of growth of our society. It is becoming more and more important in the 21st century. Thinking outside the box makes this society varied and graceful. It has been the key to the development of Chinese medicine in Hong Kong. It also opened the door to the School of Chinese Medicine in the history of HKBU more than a decade ago.
		Chinese medicine is a medical science with a unique set of theories and clinical practices. It possesses a long history of promoting and preserving health effectively, but its principles and major content have not yet been fully understood and utilised worldwide. Creativity has been a vital element in transforming the classic wisdom and heritage of Chinese medicine into applications and practices in the contemporary medical system. With the adoption of modern technologies, Chinese medicine is now gaining recognition and influence worldwide. Recently, the 2011 Lasker-DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award honoured a Chinese Medicine Scientist, Tu Youyou, who discovered artemisinin, a drug therapy for malaria that has saved millions of lives across the globe, especially in the developing world. Scrutinising Tu Youyou's innovative work, creativity was the key to purifying the beautiful compound artemisinin from artemisia annua.
		Over the years, the School of Chinese Medicine has been a pioneer in many aspects of the Chinese medicine discipline, including education, research, clinical service and new drug development. Creativity is the torch that University has lit up the path of our development. I believe, with its strong expertise and firm determination, the Institute of Creativity will further catalyse the integration of Chinese medicine and modern science through scientific and innovative research as well as provide synergistic support for new developments, all for the ultimate goal of promoting the well-being of the community.
		Chinese medicine is one focus of the Institute of Creativity. Our School is pleased to join hands with the Institute and will put great effort into contributing towards the vision of modernisation and globalisation of Chinese medicine. Under the leadership of the Institute, we are also looking forward to opportunities for innovative crossover collaborations with scholars from various disciplines and institutions locally and abroad.
		Professor Lu Aiping Dean of Chinese Medicine Hong Kong Baptist University