Royal Asiatic Society Beijing Trip to Bussiere Garden in Peking’s Western Hills

Posted: March 17th, 2026 | No Comments »

A few pictures from Bussiere Garden, the Western Hills retreat of Jean Augustin Bussiere. I led a Royal Asiatic Society Beijing day trip out there last Sunday for a look around. 

Bussiere was the French Legation doctor (who also treated Yuan Shi-kai), attached to both St Michael’s Hospital Peking and PUMC, a founder of Aurora College in Shanghai, organiser of Peking’s premier French language salon between the wars and WW2 resistance fighter who ferried medicines to the 8th Route Army. 

Bussiere arrived in China in 1913 and stayed for 41 years. He built Bussiere Garden, just beyond Haidian into the Western Hills and adjacent to the old rail line that carried coal from the Mengtou mines, in 1923, including the main “cottage” and barbican tower with additional out-buildings added over the years. 

The property has recently been restored, with exhibits showing Bussiere in residence and with his fellow salon members, but is far from crowded and worth an hour or twos visit.

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