Shangchi Pharmacy

Shangchi Pharmacy

Shangchi Pharmacy is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Era: Qing Dynasty to the Republic of China

Address: No. 10, Dongchengwai Street, Zhaoyang Town, Xinghua City, Jiangsu Province,

The pharmacy is considered one of the most longstanding and renowned medical shops in the Xinghua region. It was established during the Kangxi–Yongzheng years of the Qing Dynasty by Fang Shichuan, a native of Yangzhou. After conducting an in-depth study of the local market, he courageously led his family to relocate to Xinghua City. He purchased property near the bustling city gate in a prime location and set up the pharmacy to practice medicine and help the community. Drawing inspiration from the historical account in “Records of the Grand Historian: The Biography of Bian Que,” which mentions “drinking water from the upper pool, and after thirty days, one will come to understand things,” he named the pharmacy “Shangchi Zhai” (Upper Pool Studio). In the 15th year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty (1750), the owner of “Shangchi” commissioned Li Peiyuan, a calligrapher praised by Zheng Banqiao—one of the “Eight Eccentrics of Yangzhou”—as the “foremost in regular script in the county,” to inscribe the pharmacy’s name. The name was then crafted into a gold-lettered signboard.

The pharmacy faces south and has two sections, front and back, built with brick and wood. The front section has two floors: the lower level serves as the dispensary, while the upper floor functions as a storage space for medicinal herbs. The rear section is a single-story building that once served as the herbal processing workshop, dating back to the Ming Dynasty. The total construction area is 280 square meters, covering a land area of 216 square meters. Later, during the Republic of China period, it was renovated and redecorated by Fang Shaoquan, a descendant of the Fang family. The pharmacy entrance features a typical Shikumen-style stone gate, with a sculpture above the door of a deer holding a glossy ganoderma in its mouth. Upon entering, the interior showcases neatly arranged medicine cabinets, ceramic jars, and traditional displays. The dispensing area, consultation zone, and cashier station are clearly delineated. Around the space, hung plaques reflect themes of traditional Chinese medicine, such as “Fragrance from the Tangerine Well,” “Evergreen Garden of Apricot,” “Gathering Herbs for Longevity,” and “Drinking from the Upper Pool.” The carved patterns on the wooden doors and windows also draw inspiration from medical motifs, exuding a serene, ancient charm under natural light. The upper floor serves as storage. Passing through the dispensary, the back section consists of a three-bay, seven-rafter single-story house. The interior is elegantly arranged, exuding lasting cultural significance and reflecting the enduring legacy and continuity of traditional Chinese medicine.

During the 1970s and 1980s, several film crews from within and outside the province chose “Shangchi Pharmacy” as a filming location. In 2002, it was listed as a Jiangsu Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Unit. After renovation, it remains in operation today, serving the people of Xinghua while using its centuries-old history to convey the profound and timeless essence of traditional Chinese medicine.

Zhaoyang Subdistrict: Zhaoyang Town is the seat of the People's Government of Xinghua City, Jiangsu Province. It is located between 32°40′–33°13′ north latitude and 119°43′–120°16′ east longitude, situated between the Yangtze and Huai Rivers, in the central part of the Liuxia River area in northern Jiangsu, and within the Yangtze River Delta economic belt along the river. It borders Duotian Town to the east, the Xinghua Economic Development Zone to the south, Xijiao Town and Gan Duo Town of Gaoyou City to the west, and Xibao Township to the north. The total area is 50 square kilometers.

The terrain of Zhaoyang Town is generally flat, with an average elevation of 1.8 meters above sea level. The total length of rivers is about 50 kilometers, including 11 major waterways, mainly the Hengjing River, ... More details about Zhaoyang Subdistrict ++

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of Jiangsu Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units

· Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units