Heritage Characterisation and Preservation Strategies for the Original Shantung Christian University Union Medical College (Jinan)—A Case of Modern Mission Hospital Heritage in China

At the turn of the 20th century, Christian and Catholic churches in Western nations established numerous mission hospitals in non-European regions. In China, mission hospitals represent a significant category of modern architectural heritage, symbolising advancements in healthcare and medical educat...

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Main Authors: Cong Fu, Meng Chen, Kun Yang, Qi Zhou
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-01-01
Series:Buildings
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/15/3/336
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author Cong Fu
Meng Chen
Kun Yang
Qi Zhou
author_facet Cong Fu
Meng Chen
Kun Yang
Qi Zhou
author_sort Cong Fu
collection DOAJ
description At the turn of the 20th century, Christian and Catholic churches in Western nations established numerous mission hospitals in non-European regions. In China, mission hospitals represent a significant category of modern architectural heritage, symbolising advancements in healthcare and medical education while also serving as historical artifacts of early cultural interactions between China and the West. With ongoing developments in medical technology, these mission hospital structures no longer meet contemporary healthcare demands; many have been repurposed or temporarily abandoned. Preserving and effectively repurposing mission hospital heritage has thus emerged as a critical issue. In the present study, the Shantung Christian University Union Medical College was examined as a case study in addressing this challenge. The site retains the original Outpatient Building, Inpatient Building, Medical Teaching Building, and other architectural heritage and has preserved the original mixed Chinese and Western architectural styles. A combination of historical research, field investigation, and historic layering was adopted in the present study, drawing primarily on data from historical maps, satellite images from different periods, aerial photography from drones, architectural drawings, and other relevant historical data. Through case studies, methods for characterising and identifying the landscape and architectural heritage of mission hospitals were explored. Principles for the preservation and regeneration of the heritage of church hospitals were also proposed, with a view to providing a reference for the study and preservation of this type of heritage.
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spelling doaj-art-b8fc3a9d40934cab82c237cd02f964ab2025-08-20T02:48:09ZengMDPI AGBuildings2075-53092025-01-0115333610.3390/buildings15030336Heritage Characterisation and Preservation Strategies for the Original Shantung Christian University Union Medical College (Jinan)—A Case of Modern Mission Hospital Heritage in ChinaCong Fu0Meng Chen1Kun Yang2Qi Zhou3Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan 250021, ChinaSchool of Architecture and Urban Planning, Shandong Jianzhu University, Jinan 250101, ChinaPlastic Surgery Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100144, ChinaSchool of Architecture, Architectural History and Theory, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, ChinaAt the turn of the 20th century, Christian and Catholic churches in Western nations established numerous mission hospitals in non-European regions. In China, mission hospitals represent a significant category of modern architectural heritage, symbolising advancements in healthcare and medical education while also serving as historical artifacts of early cultural interactions between China and the West. With ongoing developments in medical technology, these mission hospital structures no longer meet contemporary healthcare demands; many have been repurposed or temporarily abandoned. Preserving and effectively repurposing mission hospital heritage has thus emerged as a critical issue. In the present study, the Shantung Christian University Union Medical College was examined as a case study in addressing this challenge. The site retains the original Outpatient Building, Inpatient Building, Medical Teaching Building, and other architectural heritage and has preserved the original mixed Chinese and Western architectural styles. A combination of historical research, field investigation, and historic layering was adopted in the present study, drawing primarily on data from historical maps, satellite images from different periods, aerial photography from drones, architectural drawings, and other relevant historical data. Through case studies, methods for characterising and identifying the landscape and architectural heritage of mission hospitals were explored. Principles for the preservation and regeneration of the heritage of church hospitals were also proposed, with a view to providing a reference for the study and preservation of this type of heritage.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/15/3/336mission hospitalShantung Christian University Union Medical Collegemission architectural heritagepreservation and regeneration of architectural heritage
spellingShingle Cong Fu
Meng Chen
Kun Yang
Qi Zhou
Heritage Characterisation and Preservation Strategies for the Original Shantung Christian University Union Medical College (Jinan)—A Case of Modern Mission Hospital Heritage in China
Buildings
mission hospital
Shantung Christian University Union Medical College
mission architectural heritage
preservation and regeneration of architectural heritage
title Heritage Characterisation and Preservation Strategies for the Original Shantung Christian University Union Medical College (Jinan)—A Case of Modern Mission Hospital Heritage in China
title_full Heritage Characterisation and Preservation Strategies for the Original Shantung Christian University Union Medical College (Jinan)—A Case of Modern Mission Hospital Heritage in China
title_fullStr Heritage Characterisation and Preservation Strategies for the Original Shantung Christian University Union Medical College (Jinan)—A Case of Modern Mission Hospital Heritage in China
title_full_unstemmed Heritage Characterisation and Preservation Strategies for the Original Shantung Christian University Union Medical College (Jinan)—A Case of Modern Mission Hospital Heritage in China
title_short Heritage Characterisation and Preservation Strategies for the Original Shantung Christian University Union Medical College (Jinan)—A Case of Modern Mission Hospital Heritage in China
title_sort heritage characterisation and preservation strategies for the original shantung christian university union medical college jinan a case of modern mission hospital heritage in china
topic mission hospital
Shantung Christian University Union Medical College
mission architectural heritage
preservation and regeneration of architectural heritage
url https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/15/3/336
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AT kunyang heritagecharacterisationandpreservationstrategiesfortheoriginalshantungchristianuniversityunionmedicalcollegejinanacaseofmodernmissionhospitalheritageinchina
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