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Lyushantang, integrating teaching, clinical practice, and research, was a significant institution during the Ming and Qing dynasties when Chinese medicine and pharmacology experienced comprehensive development. The form of Chinese medicine education diversified, and the "lecture" model emerged. The pioneer of this educational approach in Zhejiang was Lu Zhi-yi (style name Yousheng, alias Jin Gong) from Qiantang (now Hangzhou). His father, Lu Fu, was proficient in medicine, and Zhiyi inherited his father's profession, authoring several medical works such as "Jinkui Shulun," "Xuegu Zhenze," "Malaria Zhenglun Shu," and "Materia Medica Chengyabanji." He used these works as teaching materials to lecture on medicine, attracting many listeners, including renowned physicians of the time like Zhang Zhi-cong, Chen Yinqian, and Zhang Tiansheng. However, it was Zhang Zhi-cong's establishment of Lyushantang that truly made a significant impact in the history of Chinese medicine. Lyushantang was built in the third year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing dynasty (1664 AD) by Zhang Zhi-cong at the foot of Chenghuang Mountain near the Grain Road in Hangzhou. Zhang Zhi-cong, style name Yin'an, was born in the 38th year of the Wanli reign of the Ming dynasty (1610 AD) and died around the 19th year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing dynasty (1680 AD). He studied under Zhang Qing-zi, fully inheriting his teachings. Zhang Qing-zi, named Suichen and alias Xiangqi, was born in the 17th year of the Wanli reign of the Ming dynasty (1589 AD) and died in the 7th year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing dynasty (1668 AD). His family originally from Jiangxi, settled in Qiantang, Zhejiang, from his grandfather's generation. Zhang Qing-zi's medical expertise, as recorded in the "Renhe County Annals," stemmed from his childhood illnesses, which led him to study medical texts extensively, eventually mastering works from Bian Que of the Warring States period to the "Jinyuan Sidajia." Self-taught, Zhang Qing-zi had rich clinical experience, particularly in cold-damage disease. Among his disciples, Zhang Zhi-cong was the most intelligent. Zhang Zhi-cong established Lyushantang to continue Lu Zhi-yi's lecture tradition and to pass on the medical knowledge of his teachers, Zhang Qing-zi and Lu Zhi-yi, as well as his own. Coming from a family of nine generations of physicians, with ancestors reputedly including the famous Han dynasty physician Zhang Zhongjing, Zhang Zhi-cong himself was a 43rd-generation descendant of Zhongjing. Having practiced medicine for decades with exceptional skill, his clinic was always bustling with patients, making Lyushantang also his clinical practice site.

Zhang Zhi-cong’s profound theories and exceptional medical skills attracted numerous students. The "Draft History of Qing" records: "Zhi-cong established Lyushantang, where he gathered like-minded individuals to discuss and debate medical classics, distinguishing right from wrong. From the mid-Shunzhi era to the early Kangxi era, spanning forty years, all those who studied the works of Xuanyuan and Qibo flocked to him." This vividly reflects the flourishing scene of Zhang Zhi-cong’s establishment of the academy and his lectures on medical classics. This flourishing not only overshadowed official Chinese medicine educational institutions but also surpassed traditional family-based or apprenticeship-style education. In the year Lyushantang was established, the already renowned physician Gao Shi-shi hurried to join. Gao Shi-shi (courtesy name Shizong) was born in the 11th year of the Chongzhen era of the Ming Dynasty (1638 AD). The "Draft History of Qing" records that, like Zhang Zhi-cong, he was "a patient who became a skilled physician." His purpose in seeking apprenticeship was clear: he hoped to learn from his teacher the methods to cure his own illness. As a result, not only was his illness cured, but "after ten years, he fully grasped the profound mysteries. When treating illnesses, he always investigated their origins, and his prescriptions were unconventional." Later, Gao Shi-shi also, at the invitation of Zhang Zhi-cong, lectured at Lyushantang. According to historical records, there were often dozens of students at Lyushantang. The teachers were not only Zhang Zhi-cong himself but also included renowned physicians of the time such as Zhang Kaizhi and Shen Liangchen. The teaching methods included both lectures and debates, making the sessions lively and engaging. Lyushantang nurtured a group of students, among whom 19, including Gao Shi-shi and Mo Zhongchao, were historically noted for their exceptional medical skills. After the death of Zhi-cong, Gao Shi-shi took over the management of Lyushantang, which continued until the Guangxu era. The teaching content of Lyushantang is primarily reflected in the "Lyushantang Classified Discourses" compiled by Zhang Zhi-cong and the "True Transmission of Medicine" compiled by Gao Shi-shi. These two works are rich in content, practical, and balance theory with clinical practice, making them excellent teaching materials for medical education.

Lyushantang not only cultivated talents but also produced significant achievements. Medical works highly praised by later generations include "Annotations on Suwen," "Annotations on Lingshu," "Annotations on the Treatise on Cold Damage Diseases," "Annotations on Jingui Yaolue," and "Collected Explanations on Bencao Chongyuan." These works pioneered collective creation in the medical field and remain a remarkable story in medical history. The academic lineage between teachers and students continued and developed over generations, forming a scholarly tradition that values classical texts and rigorous scholarship.

In early Qing Dynasty Hangzhou, the nearly century-long Chinese medicine lectures at Lyushantang created a significant impact both domestically and internationally, leading to a rare period of prosperity in medical history. At that time, medical experts gathered, and talents flourished, reaching an unprecedented peak. Wang Qi of the Qing Dynasty remarked, "From the Shunzhi to the early Kangxi periods, spanning forty years, people from other regions referred to Wulin (another name for Qiantang) as the 'medical hub' (Postscript to 'Lyushantang Classifications and Discriminations')."