Former Site of Xiankang Herbal Medicine Store

Former Site of Xiankang Herbal Medicine Store

The former site of Xiankang Herbal Medicine Store is a cultural heritage site protected at the provincial level in Fujian Province.

Xiankang Pharmacy (Xiankang Herbal Medicine Store) was a large drugstore operated by brothers Zhang Guirong and Zhang Guidan during the Republic of China era. Along with Huichun, Sisheng, and Hualai, it was one of the four major pharmacies in Fuzhou. After the public-private partnership in 1956, it was renamed the Third Business Department of Fuzhou Pharmaceutical Station, but later closed due to disrepair and was used as a warehouse for a pharmaceutical company, and then by a printing factory.

The existing street-front building of Xiankang Pharmacy was rebuilt on the original site after the Anti-Japanese War. The residential section at the back of Xiankang Pharmacy was purchased from the residence of Ni Wenbin and subsequently rebuilt. By the time of Fuzhou’s liberation, some of the interior decoration remained unfinished.

Originally founded by people from Putian, Xiankang Pharmacy suffered from declining business and annual losses due to selling counterfeit medicine and substandard herbs, prompting the owner to post advertisements seeking to — transfer the business. On New Year's Day 1935, Zhang Guirong bought out the entire store name and property of the original “Xiankang” pharmacy for 23,000 silver dollars, and managed the business together with his younger brother Zhang Guidan and other members of the Zhang family.

The current store sign “Xiankang Herbal Medicine Store,” with its four characters, was inscribed by the famous calligrapher Zheng Xiaoxu in “Wu Wu Chun Ri” (Spring of 1918), and was obtained by the previous owner from someone in Putian. According to a 1920 advertisement from the Republic of China era, the pharmacy was originally a two-story building. It is speculated that after being rebuilt following the Anti-Japanese War, the first floor’s exterior was retained while the main structure was reconstructed as a three-story building.

Fuzhou Evening News once published an article by Lin Guoqing and Lin Kairong detailing the history of Xiankang Pharmacy and the deeds of the Zhang Guirong brothers. An excerpt is as follows:

“The owner of ‘Xiankang’ Chinese Medicine Store, Zhang Guirong (1894–1950), came from a farming family in Luanshu Township, Shangjie, Minhou County. As a child, he attended private school and became an apprentice at ‘Dashengchun’ Pharmacy on Nanjie in Fuzhou. While working, he studied medical texts diligently and trained hard in the production of pills, powders, elixirs, ointments, and herbal slices. After five years of apprenticeship, he set up his own business, first opening ‘Zhang Qiantai Chinese Herbal Wholesale Depot’ on Shanghang Road. The depot sourced herbs from traditional production areas such as Sichuan, Yunnan, and Guizhou, emphasizing the quality and medicinal properties of ‘authentic herbs.’ At that time, Japan was dumping large quantities of ‘Taiji Ginseng’ in China. Due to its good quality and low price, Zhang incidentally made a fortune through acting as a sales agent. Later, advocating for domestic products, he stopped selling Japanese goods and resumed the wholesale and retail of Chinese herbs. He also opened ‘Huada Medical Store’ next to Longping Road, where he prepared prescriptions for patients. Due to the intense competition among pharmacies on Longping Road, he later opened ‘Xiankang Chinese Medicine Store’ at the intersection of Xiadian Road. The store name ‘Xiankang,’ meaning longevity and peace, was chosen after gathering ideas from notable figures in society. It was eye-catching and catered to popular sentiment.”

“The ‘Xiankang’ Chinese Medicine Store was a three-story brick-and-wood structure combining Chinese and Western architectural styles. Facing north and situated to the south, the entrance was flanked by display windows; the storefront was exquisitely decorated, giving an appearance of luxury and grandeur. The signboard ‘Xiankang’ was written by Zheng Xiaoxu, a high-ranking official from the late Qing Dynasty, and was accompanied by a couplet that read: ‘Xian Ning nourishes superior herbs; Kang Le benefits all people.’ The characters were covered with gold foil, making them dazzlingly bright. Inside the store, there were tea tables and chairs made of nanmu wood for customers and those picking up herbs to rest. To meet the needs of business expansion, a branch was established in Taijiangxun, a bustling commercial area close to the First Wharf. Its operations spanned counties along the upper and lower reaches of the Min River, giving it a geographical advantage over other Chinese medicine stores. Additionally, a commission agency called ‘Fuchengtai’ was set up in Hong Kong to handle import and export business. His younger brother, Zhang Zhenhua, was in charge of ‘Huaji Trading Company’ in Shanghai, serving as a centralized purchasing hub for authentic herbs from Sichuan, Shaanxi, Gansu, Jiangxi, Zhejiang, and the northeastern regions. He traded Fujian specialties such as tea, mushrooms, dried longan, dried bamboo shoots, and dried plums to Shanghai, engaging in barter to bring back high-end medicinal materials such as ginseng, antlers, rhinoceros and saiga horns, musk, bird’s nest, and pearls.”

“Xiankang’ Chinese Medicine Store had skilled business practices. First, it emphasized promotion. The packaging paper for medicines all bore the ‘Xiankang’ logo, and the boxes for valuable items like ginseng and antlers were exquisitely designed. The store used its display windows to showcase its proprietary ‘Zhougong Centennial Wine,’ ‘Tiger Bone and Papaya Wine,’ herbal slices, and various rare tonics from different regions. It also chose auspicious days to slaughter live deer, creating a big spectacle to expand influence and attract business. Second, the store’s homemade medicinal wines and herbal slices strictly followed ancient preparation methods. They meticulously controlled ingredient ratios based on secret recipes, keeping the formulas confidential to prevent leakage. Third, the pharmacy had strict classifications for herbs, standardized operational procedures, and defined grades for tonics, pricing them according to quality. Fourth, it focused on both pre-sale and after-sale services. To speed up capital turnover, the store repackaged bulk herbs into smaller packages, lowering wholesale thresholds and prices to make it easier for small and medium-sized pharmacies to purchase. In addition, renowned doctors were invited to provide one-stop services including diagnosis, prescription, formulation, herb-picking, decoction, and medicine delivery.”

After the victory in the Anti-Japanese War, brothers Zhang Guirong and Zhang Guidan carefully considered the issue of passing on their family business. They selected Zhang Zhenhua, their nephew, and Zhang Xishan, the son of Zhang Guirong who graduated from Zhejiang University, to manage ‘Xiankang’ Chinese Medicine Store and ‘Xinye’ Import-Export Trading Company respectively. The uncle and nephew worked in close coordination, achieving smooth development and growing reputation.

After the liberation, ‘Xiankang’ Chinese Medicine Store operated actively, maintained good teamwork, enjoyed harmonious labor-capital relations, and continued to develop healthily. After the public-private partnership in 1956, Zhang Zhenhua successively served as deputy director of the store, member of the Taijiang District CPPCC, and executive committee member of the Municipal Federation of Industry and Commerce. Zhang Xishan voluntarily donated his land to the peasant association during the land reform, and took the lead in donating during the Korean War. He held positions such as head of the Xiaoqiao District Federation of Industry and Commerce, deputy manager of the Municipal Food Import and Export Company, vice-chairman of the Municipal Federation of Industry and Commerce, and member of the Provincial CPPCC. In the late 1970s during the reform and opening-up period, he spared no effort in introducing capital, technology, and talent. Today, over 200 descendants of the Zhang family reside overseas.