-Kaohsiung Municipal Cijin Hospital(Managed by Kaohsiung Medical University)-

A Gentle Prescription Sealed with Everyday Warmth: Cijin Hospital Joins Hands with NSYSU to Ignite Intergenerational Care at the "Jigongshe"

Today, the breeze in Cijin carried not only the salty mist of the sea, but also the comforting, heartwarming aroma of home-cooked meals. Inside Cijin’s historic "Jigongshe" (Mechanics Hall), the old kitchen that once fed hundreds of navy shipyard technicians has rekindled its stoves under a new identity: the "Zao-Ka (Kitchen) Classroom." Yet, what bubbles in the pots today is far more than a meal to satisfy hunger—it is a "gentle prescription" joint-crafted by National Sun Yat-sen University (NSYSU), the local community, and our team at Kaohsiung Municipal Cijin Hospital.

The true meaning of healthcare has never been confined to cold stethoscopes or pharmaceuticals; more often, it resides in everyday companionship and nourishment. When we learned that NSYSU was spearheading this initiative—combining a charity kitchen with culinary skills training—our hospital’s team of physicians, nurses, social workers, and physical therapists rolled up their sleeves and stepped into the space without hesitation. Here, we met a group of youth in adversity navigating temporary rough patches in their young lives. Working alongside psychology instructors and professional Western cuisine chefs, we bypassed rigid medical jargon. Instead, starting from basic cooking and menu design to healthy eating concepts, we guided these youth step by step to discover the nutrition within ingredients and the profound weight of life itself. Seeing the focused determination in their eyes as they held their spatulas, we recognized that this process was doing more than rebuilding their life skills and motivation to learn—it was transforming the community into a gentle, supportive safety net that catches them when they fall.

These healthy vegetarian dishes and meals, cooked with heart by the youth and packed with sincere care, became warm shared lunches for solitary seniors in the community and local long-term care stations. Touching even deeper hearts, this act of love mobilized the compassionate strength of the Kaohsiung Medical University (KMU) healthcare network: KMU student volunteer delivery teams personally handed these warm soups across generations directly to the tables of the elderly. Youth and silver-haired seniors found a beautiful intersection through food within this supportive network anchored in food and agricultural education and sustainability. Through their service, the youth cultivated responsibility and self-confidence, while the seniors tasted the happiness of being deeply remembered and cared for by society.

The reopening of this "Zao-Ka Classroom" unites the goodwill and earnest expectations of numerous entrepreneurs and community leaders. For Cijin Hospital, this space is far more than a community kitchen; it serves as a wonderful sanctuary for practicing localized medicine and holistic care. We will continue to walk hand-in-hand with partners from all sectors in this culturally rich Jigongshe, using cuisine and companionship to light the enduring flame of hope for Cijin. Because we firmly believe that the best healthcare allows every life—young or old—to find a sense of peace, belonging, and holistic well-being amidst the warmth of everyday life.

Partners join hands at the activation ceremony to inject vital energy into the "Zao-Ka (Kitchen) Classroom." (From left to right)

Yi-Ting Tsai, Store Manager of Kahei Coffee;

Dr. Po-Ching Chou, Physician at Kaohsiung Municipal Cijin Hospital;

Hsiao-Chen Su, Executive Director of the Carrefour Foundation;

Dr. Yi-Chun Tsai, President of Kaohsiung Municipal Cijin Hospital;

Ching-Li Yang, Associate Chief Sustainability Officer at National Sun Yat-sen University (NSYSU);

Shou-Yi Cheng, Manager at All Ring Tech Co., Ltd.;

Hsin-Lu Liu, Chairman of Yuanshui Enterprise;

Yong-Sheng Lin, Chairman of Ju Hsing Construction;

Chia-Hao Chang, Owner of Ziyu Ecological Farm; and

Yi-Chih Li, Co-Director of the City Partnership USR Project at NSYSU.

The Transformation of Cijin Jigongshe: From Historic Navy Dormitories to a Beacon of Community Revitalization