Since the Qin and Han dynasties, Chinese scholars have been subjected to strict discipline under the centralised system, and their gardening activities have gradually become an important vehicle for balancing the conflicts between the scholars and the private sector, and for supporting their spiritual needs. Whether it is the ‘solo pleasure’ of being alone or the ‘mass pleasure’ of elegant gatherings and associations, all of them reflect the health concepts of the scholars in pursuit of physical and mental harmony and the realisation of the ‘spirit of internal guardianship’. However, the current academic research on the health value of traditional gardens is still in its infancy, mostly based on health, feng shui and other ideological analyses, the lack of systematic theories and the connection of modern healthy living environment. At the same time, globalised research on healthy human environments has formed a mature paradigm, and the health value of traditional gardens urgently needs to be explored in depth, with a view to providing theoretical support for contemporary design. This study aims to explore the health value of the two modes of traditional Chinese gardens, namely ‘solo happiness’ and ‘group happiness’, and to reveal their internal mechanisms and ways of functioning through the analysis of the historical picture. Combined with the needs of contemporary society, the study analyses the implications of traditional gardening activities for the construction of modern healthy living environments, so as to provide a reference for the construction of a theoretical system of healthy gardens with Chinese characteristics. Specifically, the study focuses on the following questions. How did the scholars regulate their body and mind through garden activities? How do different environmental selection preferences affect health benefits? How do the health values of traditional gardens integrate with modern health theories?The study takes paintings from the Northern Song Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty, as well as literary and historical materials as samples, and adopts a multidisciplinary approach to analyse them. Firstly, representative historical scenes such as Qiu Ying’s ‘Picture of the Garden of Solitude’ and Wen Zhengming’s ‘Picture of Cultivating the Purification of the Orchid Pavilion’ are selected to analyse the spatial characteristics and behavioural patterns of garden activities in conjunction with Sima Guang’s ‘Record of the Garden of Solitude’ and Wang Xizhi’s ‘Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Setting’, and other literature. Secondly, we use iconographic methods to analyse the symbolic meanings of architectural scales, landscape layouts and character interactions in paintings; and through literature analysis methods, we sort out the health ideas embedded in poems and garden records. In addition, the theory of environmental psychology is introduced to explore the mechanism of the role of garden space on emotional recovery and social support, and compared with modern concepts of healing landscape and horticultural therapy to refine the scientific nature of traditional wisdom.The study found that the first is the ‘solitude’ mode: smallscale spaces create a quiet atmosphere and strengthen the experience of the five senses through a sense of enclosure and the delicate design of natural elements. This kind of environment encouragespeople to focus on themselves, realising the spiritual sublimation of ‘unity of things’ and relieving anxiety and stress. The second is the mode of ‘crowded joy’: the ‘goblet’ activity uses the meandering stream as a medium to build an intimate and cohesive space for social interaction. Literati groups not only strengthen their social connections through poetry and wine, but also channel negative emotions through natural perception and collective interaction. Finally, there is the dual dimension of health value: traditional gardens form the health mechanism of ‘physical and mental co-nourishment’ through the complementarity of ‘solo happiness’ and ‘group happiness’, where the space for solitude meets the needs of individual spiritual inner guardianship, and the space for social interaction strengthens the group's emotional and emotional well-being. The space for solitude meets the individual's need for spiritual inner protection, while the space for socialising strengthens the group’s emotional belonging.The significance of the study is as follows. Firstly, theoretical value: it fills the gap of traditional research on health value of gardens, constructs an analytical framework centred on ‘demand-value-practice’, and deepens the interdisciplinary integration of garden history and health science. Secondly,practical significance it provides a reference path for contemporary health garden design. In terms of space creation, the small-scale enclosure strategy of ‘Duluo Park’ can be used to design a quiet healing space; and the mobility layout of ‘Qu Shui Liu Goblet’ can be used to build an open scene for socialising. In terms of cultural heritage, the concept of balancing ‘uniqueness and universality’ can be integrated into modern landscapes to meet the needs of diverse groups, such as community gardens that balance private corners and public activity areas. In terms of policy reference, we can respond to the strategy of ‘Healthy China’, promote the application of traditional health wisdom in the ‘Healthy Building Evaluation Standards’ and other systems, and enhance the mental health support function of the living environment. Thirdly, the mission of the times: the research is to learn from the past and emphasise the contemporary transformation of the health value of traditional gardens, and to contribute Chinese solutions to the construction of a global healthy living environment. By exploring the universal logic of ‘happiness for all and happiness for all’, the study will provide cultural resources and design inspiration to alleviate social problems such as loneliness and social alienation of modern urban people.