Hongji Hall Museum 🏛️

📍 Location: No. 281 Jing'er Road, Jinan City, Shandong Province

Historical Background

Established during the reign of Emperor Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty (1894), Hongji Hall was founded by the renowned Shandong physician Zhou Zhenghua and is one of the most representative century-old traditional Chinese medicine brands in Jinan and even the North China region. The name "Hongji" is derived from "Promoting the Virtue of Benefiting the World," reflecting the core concept of traditional Chinese medicine, "benevolence and skill." After a century of ups and downs, Hongji Hall has been highly regarded by many famous physicians and literati, especially renowned for its "secret prescription ointments," which won the gold medal at the National Pharmaceutical Industry Expo during the Republic of China period.

Architectural Style

The museum is located on the site of the original Hongji Hall pharmacy, featuring a typical modern blend of Chinese and Western brick and wood structures, combining traditional Chinese gate towers with Western decorative elements. The grey bricks and tiles, carved beams, and painted rafters exude a strong sense of history. The courtyard layout is rigorous, with a complete front shop and back workshop layout, and the existing Qing Dynasty medicine cabinets, hand-operated grinding troughs, and copper weighing scales preserve the authenticity of the traditional Chinese medicine production scene.

Cultural Relics and Exhibits

The museum houses over a hundred precious cultural relics, including:

• Traditional Chinese medicine preparation tools from the late Qing Dynasty to the Republic of China period (such as stone mortars, iron pots, and medicine grinders)
• Manuscripts and account books of old brand pharmacies
• Facsimiles of the Zhou family's inherited "Nine Turn Pill" secret formula
• Advertising posters and actual medicine boxes from Hongji Hall in the 1930s

The exhibits systematically showcase the evolution of traditional Chinese medicine manufacturing processes, particularly highlighting the industry essence of "diagnosis and treatment based on syndrome differentiation" and "exquisite processing."

Cultural Value

Hongji Hall Museum is not only an important carrier of traditional Chinese medicine cultural heritage but also a witness to the development of modern Chinese national pharmaceutical industry. It was listed as a cultural relic protection unit in Jinan City in 2017 and selected as a project on the "Shandong Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection List" in 2021, serving as precious physical materials for studying traditional Chinese medicine culture, business history, and urban memory.

Tourism Information

⏰ Opening Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 9:00–17:00 (closed on Mondays)
🎫 Admission: Free admission (reservation required)
🚌 Transportation: Walk about 15 minutes from Daminghu Station on Subway Line 1; buses 1, 16, and 46 to the "Jing'er Road" stop
📌 Tips: No food or drinks are allowed in the museum; please keep quiet during the visit, and shoe covers are required in some exhibition areas.

🌿 One hall, one world; one medicine, one season. Step into Hongji Hall, touch the century-old fragrance of medicine, and listen to the silent echoes of Chinese medicine.