Page 45 - JCAU-6-4

Journal of Chinese
Architecture and Urbanism Architectural complex of Yiyang Garden

starting point for historical research on such facilities. Beijing, he envisioned Yiyang Garden as a healing sanctuary,
Furthermore, it offers fundamental reference materials for comprising gardens, villas, and a hospital. Spanning 20,000
future research on modern sanatoriums in Guangzhou. sqm, Yiyang Garden consisted of 13 buildings, including
wards, operating rooms, offices, dormitories, and other
2. The development of Yiyang Garden facilities (Zhu et al., 2022). At the time, Yiyang Garden
2.1. Background boasted the most serene environment on Ersha Island and
was equipped with modern amenities, such as an operating
Historically, Chinese medical care was dominated by room and a pharmacy. It also featured both Chinese and
traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), and medical Western kitchens, catering to patients’ diverse dietary needs.
institutions were limited to government-established Yiyang Garden was open to all doctors in Guangzhou,
pharmacies and private Chinese medical clinics (Liu, allowing any practicing physician to refer patients for
th
2010). In the 19 century, with the development of Sino- hospitalization. The facility charged for accommodation
Western trade and Western missionary activities, China’s and meals, with additional fees for medications dispensed
health-care industry began transitioning from traditional from the pharmacy. However, medical fees were collected
to modern methods (Zhang & Sun, 2017). In 1907, by the referring physicians. Some patients chose to stay
renowned Lingnan doctor Liang Peiji, along with other for extended periods of recuperation (Li, 1986). Many
Western-trained medical practitioners in Guangzhou, celebrities and wealthy merchants who sought treatment
successively established a medical school and hospital at Yiyang Garden eventually invested in building their own
named “Guanghua” (光华), marking the beginning of residences on the island for long-term recuperation. One
Chinese-founded Western medical institutions. After the such example is the Tianfeng building (天风楼), which
establishment of the Republic of China (1912 ‒ 1949), was constructed by the Lingnan painter Gao Qifeng (Liang,
infectious diseases such as cholera, plague, and smallpox
were rampant. In this context, Guangzhou’s medical and 2008). Figure 2 shows its current condition.
health sectors developed rapidly (Shen & Guangzhou 2.2. Development process
Local Chronicles Compilation Committee, 1997). This
period was characterized by a cultural collision and fusion Yiyang Garden was originally established on Ersha
between Chinese and Western practices, leading to the Island, using the self-built villa of Wei Bangping, the then
formation of a distinctive medical care system. Chief of Police of Guangdong, as its foundation (Lai,
1991). Although Figure 3A only shows a rough planning
In TCM, diagnosis and treatment were handled by doctors, diagram of Yiyang Garden in the 1929 comprehensive
nursing care was typically provided by family members, map of Guangzhou roads, the basic layout of Yiyang
and patient rehabilitation took place at home (Zhai, 2007). Garden had already taken shape with the completion of
In contrast, Western hospitals were initially closely tied to four major hospital buildings by 1922. By that time, the
churches. Patients would seek treatment in churches for both island was equipped with basic medical facilities, such as
spiritual comfort and medical care. As Western medicine an outpatient building, a restaurant, inpatient wards, and
evolved, hospitals became dedicated places for inpatient a pharmacy. Due to the ample reserved land available for
care (Sun, 2018). Liang was one of the first individuals to development on Ersha Island, Yiyang Garden continued to
introduce this model of inpatient care to China, thanks to expand over the following decade. New additions included
his exposure to Western ideologies and hospital systems. He a nursing school, doctors’ residence, operating rooms,
graduated from Canton Hospital, China’s first Western-style and more inpatient departments, all located to the east of
hospital, which was established by an American church. Liang the original buildings. These expansions supplemented
also visited Japan’s “hotel hospitals,” which had established and enhanced the architectural functions within Yiyang
inpatient care as early as the 18 century (Mayuko & Yutaka, Garden, gradually forming a complete medical and nursing
th
2011). Liang brought these medical care concepts back to architectural complex. Figure 3B shows the overall plan of
Guangzhou and, in 1920, founded one of the earliest medical Yiyang Garden in 2024. During periods of political unrest
and nursing care complexes: The Pearl River Yiyang Garden and continuous wars, Yiyang Garden was spared from war
Hospital (Li, 1990). damage, thanks to its unique geographical location and

Yiyang Garden is located on the western end of Ersha the presence of German doctors. As a result, it became
Island in Guangzhou, bordered by the Pearl River to the a meeting place for military and political leaders and
south and surrounded by water on three sides. Figure 1 served as a “political safe haven” for dignitaries at the time
shows the current status of Yiyang Garden. Liang invited (Jin, 2016). After the founding of the People’s Republic
garden experts and painters to collaborate on its layout and of China in 1949, Yiyang Garden was taken over by the
design. Drawing inspiration from the summer palace in government and converted into a recuperation hospital for

Volume 6 Issue 4 (2024) 3 https://doi.org/10.36922/jcau.2830