Album: Weifang — Historic School and Hospital

I visited Weifang, Shandong Province, in May 2013. This is Part 2 of a series of albums relating to my visit here in May, 2013. (See related blog article here.)

Weifang No 2 Middle School (Guangwen) and the Weifang People’s Hospital have an important and unique history. They were both started on this site by Christian missionaries.

Later, in the 1940’s, the Japanese used these facilities as a concentration camp for more than 2000 foreigners.

Click on first image for full screen viewing.

Gates to Weifang Second Middle School. We arrived during a holiday. No students here today.

The broad avenue leading to the central school administration building.

We stop at this historic building, now a museum to the Japanese occupation.

I am surprised to read this information, dating the founding of the school to 1883.

Across the road, a similar building of European style. Built by American missionaries in the late 1800s.

Markers explain that the Japanese used these houses as headquarters during their war time occupation.

Again, on the wall of this building we find the description: Site of the first girls school in 1895.

At the head of the entrance avenue, the main administrative building for the middle school.

This wall described the present school, but I was drawn to the logo image for the school

The image depicts the old historic building and continues to celebrate the founding of the school.

This is the building from which the logo image was designed.

Here I am with my local guides at the memorial monument to Eric Liddell (1902 -1947).

The large historic building, in front of which we found the Liddell Memorial.

LeDaoYuan (name of the original missionary site) is displayed here with the history of the Japanese camp.

My friends took me to the cornerstone of the hospital, laid by the missionaries in 1924.

The name, now obliterated, originally read: Shadyside Hospital.

Perhaps the other side of the cornerstone said the same thing, but in Chinese characters.

A newly developed park is now situated on land possibly reclaimed from the original mission site.

Parking area at back entrance to the new hospital complex, just closeby the original hospital.

One of a number of beautiful new buildings that are part of the new hospital complex.

The main hospital building. Our eyes are drawn again to the sign… and the logo emblem.

I was pleased, again, with this recognition of the original mission hospital still preserved nearby.

The quality of restoration of these historic buildings here is applauded. Thank you, Weifang. FINAL PHOTO IN ALBUM.

First published: 2015/08/14
Latest revision: 2020/11/10