Qinghua Hu

Located on the bank of Yuhu in Qizhou Town, Qichun County in Hubei, the Li Shizhen Memorial Museum is set amidst a picturesque natural landscape of shimmering lakes and lush mountains, covering an area of approximately 100,000 square meters. Centered around Li Shizhen and his immortal masterpiece, Compendium of Materia Medica, the museum integrates a collection of artifacts, documentary research, science education, and the cultural transmission of TCM. It is the only museum in China dedicated to Li Shizhen, and serves as an important role in showcasing the culture of traditional Chinese medicine.

The museum has six main sections: the Four Virtues Square, the Materia Medica Stele Gallery, the Li Shizhen Life Memorial Hall, the Pharmacy Hall, the Herbal Garden, and the Cemetery. At the center of the Four Virtues Square stands a plaque of red sandstone, intricately carved to display the elegance of four virtuous figures from three generations of the Li family, symbolizing the respect and remembrance of their successors. Above the main entrance, the six resplendent characters “Li Shizhen Memorial Museum,” inscribed by Deng Xiaoping in 1987, endow the building with profound historical significance and cultural depth.

The Materia Medica Stele Gallery was built in 1984 and opened to the public in 1988. Ninety-six black marble steles are arranged, engraved with Li Shizhen’s portrait, biography, or precious texts such as the preface of the Compendium of Materia Medica. Walking along the gallery feels like traversing time and space, touching the historical threads of TCM’s development; each stele encapsulates the wisdom and efforts of the forefathers, embodying the enduring spirit of the culture of traditional Chinese medicine.

Located on the bank of Yuhu in Qizhou Town, Qichun County in Hubei, the Li Shizhen Memorial Museum is set amidst a picturesque natural landscape of shimmering lakes and lush mountains, covering an area of approximately 100,000 square meters. Centered around Li Shizhen and his immortal masterpiece, Compendium of Materia Medica, the museum integrates a collection of artifacts, documentary research, science education, and the cultural transmission of TCM. It is the only museum in China dedicated to Li Shizhen, and serves as an important role in showcasing the culture of traditional Chinese medicine.

The Li Shizhen Life Memorial Hall utilizes text panels, wax figures, and 3D imagery to vividly recreate Li Shizhen’s nearly 30 years of arduous work in composing the Compendium of Materia Medica. The hall houses over 10,000 artifacts related to TCM and Li Shizhen’s medical practices, particularly noteworthy being the various editions of Compendium of Materia Medica. These invaluable exhibits not only provide tangible evidence for the inheritance of TCM culture but also allow visitors to directly experience Li Shizhen’s great spirit of “investigating things to attain knowledge and saving people.”

The Pharmacy Hall blends technology with culture. Utilizing modern technologies such as sound, light, and electricity, it comprehensively displays more than 300 specimens of animals, plants, and minerals along with their medicinal values. Detailed textual descriptions and interactive multimedia presentations enable visitors to learn about the characteristics, distribution, ecological traits, and applications in TCM theory of each medicinal material, making them feel as if they are immersed in the rich and magical world of Chinese medicine.

The Herbal Garden covers 6,000 square meters and is home to over 300 species of medicinal plant specimens. Strolling through the garden, one is surrounded by vibrant greenery, enveloped in fragrant aromas, with bees and butterflies dancing gracefully. This natural setting not only provides a realistic environment for displaying medicinal substances but also serves as an important venue for TCM science education, allowing people to appreciate the intrinsic connection between TCM and the ecological environment.

Located in the depths of the museum, the Cemetery exudes solemnity and sanctity. The inscription “Saint of Medicine” by Guo Moruo shines in golden light, complementing the tombstones of Li Shizhen and his ancestors. The cemetery not only testifies to Li Shizhen’s lifelong selfless dedication to medicine but also provides a sacred place for future generations to remember and reflect upon his contributions.

As a nationally protected cultural relic, a model base for patriotic education, and a key center for promoting TCM culture and science education, the Li Shizhen Memorial Museum attracts numerous visitors and scholars from China and abroad every year. Here, people not only experience the profound and extensive culture of traditional Chinese medicine, but may also appreciate Li Shizhen’s spirit of fearlessly overcoming difficulty, and dedicating himself to saving lives. With its unique cultural charm and rich exhibitions, the Li Shizhen Memorial Museum showcases to the world the distinctive style of China’s excellent traditional culture and makes an active contribution to the transmission and development of the culture of TCM, and international cultural exchanges.

Author’s Profile:

Hu Qinghua is the current Director of the Li Shizhen Memorial Museum and a Senior Associate Researcher in the field of cultural relic studies. Since joining in 1988, she has evolved from an award-winning docent to a seasoned administrator with 36 years of extensive experience. She has achieved remarkable results in academic research, publishing numerous papers in national journals and participating in the compilation of significant works such as the Complete Medical Works of Li Shizhen. As the museum director, she has welcomed over 100,000 study-tour students from domestic and international backgrounds.

探尋中醫瑰寶：李時珍紀念館

胡慶華

位於湖北蘄春縣蘄州鎮雨湖之濱的李時珍紀念館，坐落於湖光山色、風景如畫的自然環境中，占地約10萬平方米。紀念館以李時珍及其不朽巨著《本草綱目》為核心，集文物收藏、文獻研究、科普教育與中醫藥文化傳承於一體，是國內唯一以李時珍為主題的專業博物館，也是展示中醫藥文化的重要窗口。

紀念館由六大部分組成： 四賢廣場、本草碑廊、李時珍生平紀念館、藥物館、百草藥園和墓園。 四賢廣場中央矗立着一座紅砂石構築的四賢牌坊，牌坊上精雕細琢的浮雕展示了李時珍家族三代四位賢人的風采，象徵着後人對先賢的敬仰與追思。正門上方，“李時珍紀念館”六個大字熠熠生輝，由鄧小平於1987年親筆題寫，使整個建築更具歷史厚重感與文化底蘊。

本草碑廊始建於1984年，1988年對外開放。96塊黑色大理石碑依次排列，碑上刻有李時珍的畫像、傳記以及《本草綱目序》等珍貴內容。漫步碑廊，彷彿穿越時空，觸摸到中醫藥發展的歷史脉絡，每塊石碑都凝結了先輩們的智慧與心血，展現了中醫藥文化源遠流長的精神。

李時珍生平紀念館採用圖文展板、蠟像和3D影像等多媒體手段，再現了李時珍歷經近30年艱苦卓絕撰寫《本草綱目》的感人事蹟。館內珍藏有一萬餘件與中醫藥及李時珍行醫研藥相關的文物，其中不同時期的《本草綱目》版本尤為引人注目。這些珍貴展品不僅為中醫藥文化的傳承提供了實物依據，也讓參觀者直觀感受到李時珍“格物致知、濟世救人”的偉大精神。

藥物館則是一座集科技與文化於一體的中醫藥展示廳。館內運用聲、光、電等現代化技術，全方位展示300餘種動物、植物、礦物標本及其藥用價值。通過詳細的文字說明和互動多媒體展示，參觀者可以了解每種藥材的形態、分布、生態特徵以及在中醫理論中的應用，彷彿置身於一個神奇而豐富的中藥世界。

百草藥園占地6000平方米，種植有300多種生態植物藥標本。走進藥園，綠意盎然，芳香四溢，蜂蝶翩翩起舞，自然景致與中藥文化相得益彰。這裏不僅為中藥材的展示提供了實景環境，更成為中醫藥科普教育的重要場所，使人們在親近自然中領略到中醫藥與生態環境的內在聯繫。

墓園位於紀念館深處，環境莊嚴肅穆，靜謐中透露着神聖。郭沫若題寫的“醫中之聖”金光閃爍，映襯着李時珍及其家族先人的墓誌。墓園的存在不僅見證了李時珍畢生為醫藥事業的無私奉獻，也為後人提供了緬懷與思索的聖地。

作為全國重點文物保護單位、愛國主義教育示範基地、中醫藥文化宣傳和科普教育基地，李時珍紀念館每年吸引着來自海内外的眾多遊客和學者。人們在這裏不僅可以感受中醫藥文化的博大精深，更能體會到李時珍那種不畏艱難、致力於濟世救人的精神風貌。李時珍紀念館以其獨特的文化魅力和豐富的展覽內容，向世界展示了中華優秀傳統文化的獨特風采，也為推動中醫藥文化的傳承與發展、促進中外文化交流作出了積極貢獻。

作者簡介：

胡慶華，現任李時珍紀念館館長，并擔任資深文博副研究員。自1988年入職以來，她從金牌講解員逐步成長為管理者，擁有36年的豐富工作經驗。她在學術研究領域成果顯著，多次在國家級刊物發表論文，並參與《李時珍醫學全集》等重要著作的編撰。作為館長，她接待超過10萬名國內外研學學生。