The Imperial Academy of Medicine (IAM) was the central medical administrative authority, responsible for the promulgation and implementation of national medical policies. It also was the medical educational institution that trained physicians. The imperial government isolated the physicians at the IAM from the outside world. Therefore, records about them are rare. By studying official archives such as Juezhi Quanlan 《》, Jinshen Quanshu 《》 and Qing Dynasty Imperial medical archives, etc, we provide a brief biography of Zhang Zhongyuan, the last chief administrator of the IAM, and present his rise from the lowest rank of physician to chief administrator. We also discuss his medical activities, diagnosis and treatments for the Imperial family, especially for Empress Dowager Cixi () and Emperor Guangxu (), as well as the management and reforms he advocated for the IAM. Through an analysis of the case of Zhang Zhongyuan, we can have a glimpse of the real life of imperial physicians.
太医院是"掌医之政令，率其属以供医事"的中央医疗行政管理机构，也是培养人才的医学教育机构。在太医院供职的太医因与外界隔绝，故史料少有记载。经考查《爵秩全览》《大清搢绅全书》《太医院志》及清宫医药档案等资料，可勾勒出清代最后一任太医院院使张仲元的生平，包括他从最基层的医士到最高管理者院使的升迁过程，为慈禧、光绪等皇族的诊疗情况，以及他的医学主张和对太医院管理的改革等多方面的内容。通过张仲元的个案研究，可以管窥太医群体的工作生活情况。.
Keywords: Imperial Academy of Medicine; Medical activities; Medical reformation; Qing Dynasty; Zhang Zhongyuan.