My travel companion had family (mother, aunt and grandparents) who were in the Weihsien concentration camp during the second world war. Weishsien was an American Presbyterian Compound during the war and is not part of a sprawling metropolis of Weifang, Shandong Peninsulas, a population of 5 million. We found a river side park with a memorial wall with names in English and a monument with names in Chinese. Near by is a main building from the original camp, surrounded by a fast expanding hospital and staff accommodation. Two further buildings exist in the hospital grounds and are now used as administration buildings. Nearby in the number 2 middle school is two further buildings, one of which holds a small museum of pictures and the history of the camp.
The area and memorial and museum were not well known or easy to locate, but a strong dislike of the Japanese still exists in the region.
A good website for more information on Weihsien can be found here:
http://www.weihsien-paintings.org/index.htm
The homeward trip was via a very full bullet train, at the end of the New Year holiday. this time of the year sees a mass movement of families throughout China.
CNR bullet train, travels at a speed of around 300 kmph. |
The memorial wall of names |
The pictorial of the wall |
the right side of the pictorial with Eric Liddell in the centre. |
the second pictorial wall plaque |
more of the pictorial |
park near the wall. |
main Shadyside Hospital building remaining with plaques. |
new pavilion |
plaque outside the Shadyside hospital building. |
Shadyside hospital building |
rear of the Shadyside hospital building |
rear side of the Shadyside hospital building |
Memorial to Eric Liddell |
Gateway to what was the Wall Street buildings in front of the Shadyside hospital building. |
converted Wall Street buildings with heating units. |
Wall Street courtyard |
modern peace bell |
view of the river across to a very dilapidated rock wall |
Main river - small island and bridge |
remaining gate near the wall street buildings |
Chinese monument |
names in chinese |
close up of memorial |
old buildings that are now within the school campus |
old buildings in the school campus. |
memorial plaque in the school campus |
plaque on the side of one of the buildings in school campus. |
Second of the two buildings in the school campus. |
In case anyone else wants to find the buildings, this is road the number 2 middle school is on. |
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