Office Building of North China Pharmaceutical Factory

Office Building of North China Pharmaceutical Factory

The Office Building of North China Pharmaceutical Factory is a cultural relic protection unit of Hebei Province.

In 20th-century medicine, the achievements in antibiotic treatment were the most remarkable. Their discovery freed millions from the suffering or death caused by diseases, and today antibiotics are the most widely consumed pharmaceuticals. Before the 1940s, humanity had not yet mastered an effective drug for treating bacterial infections with minimal side effects. At that time, if someone contracted tuberculosis, it often meant that their life was nearing its end. To change this situation, scientists conducted long-term research. In 1928, British bacteriologist Alexander Fleming (1881–1955) discovered that the Penicillium mold inhibited the growth of Staphylococcus, leading to the extraction of penicillin. Later, he experimentally proved that penicillin could kill Streptococcus, diphtheria, and anthrax bacilli, with very low toxicity to humans and animals. He dedicated four years to this research, but the work was halted due to challenges in mass production. In 1935, British pathologist Howard Florey (1898–1968) and German biochemist Ernst Chain (1906–1979) collaborated to re-study penicillin, solving the problem of its concentration and making mass production possible. In 1943, they successfully used it to treat human diseases for the first time and were invited to the United States to begin large-scale production.

In old China, penicillin (also known as penicillin G) was extremely scarce and precious, practically worth its weight in gold, and entirely dependent on imports. People suffering from tuberculosis-like inflammations and other diseases often died due to lack of effective treatment because of the shortage of medicine. In the early years of the founding of New China, the Party and government placed great importance on the health of the people, prioritizing the pharmaceutical industry in national economic development. In May 1953, China’s first batch of domestically produced penicillin was created, marking the beginning of China’s antibiotic production history.

Located in Shijiazhuang, Hebei, the North China Pharmaceutical Factory was a key construction project during China’s First Five-Year Plan. A total of 694 large and medium-sized projects were arranged nationwide under the First Five-Year Plan, four of which were in the pharmaceutical industry: an antibiotic factory, a starch factory, a pharmaceutical glass factory, and a sulfonamide factory. Among these four, the North China Pharmaceutical Factory accounted for three—the antibiotic factory and starch factory introduced from the former Soviet Union, and the pharmaceutical glass factory introduced from the former German Democratic Republic. In June 1953, preparations for the North China Pharmaceutical Factory began. The three factories started construction between 1955 and 1956 and were fully operational by 1958. The completion and operation of the North China Pharmaceutical Factory ended China’s reliance on imports for penicillin and streptomycin and established it as an important base for antibiotic production and talent cultivation in New China.

The office building of the North China Pharmaceutical Factory, located in Chang’an District, Shijiazhuang, was part of a large-scale joint enterprise for antibiotic production aided by the former Soviet Union. The two office towers facing north and south respectively feature “concave” and “convex” shapes, complementing each other. The functional layout includes a five-story office building in the south tower, while the north tower has five office floors in the middle and four production floors on each side. The beige exterior walls present a solemn and classic appearance. The main entrance features two symmetrical round archways, flanked by tall pillars adorned with golden engravings at the top. The tops of the two pillars are connected by a semicircular golden arch structure, making the entire entrance nearly two stories high. The original iron gate is still in use today, and above the entrance hangs a large circular clock. The entire building is symmetrical around the central gate. The Huayao office building was completed in 1957. Despite decades of weathering and multiple renovations, its overall structure has remained unchanged. With its elegant and magnificent architectural style, it is the largest, best-preserved, and most representative Russian-style building in downtown Shijiazhuang. For over half a century, it has witnessed the industrial development and transformation of Shijiazhuang, serving as a landmark of the city with significant historical value. In 2008, the People’s Government of Hebei Province designated the office building of the North China Pharmaceutical Factory as part of the fifth batch of cultural relic protection units in Hebei Province.

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of Cultural Relic Protection Units in Hebei Province