The Courtyard of the Happy Way, Western Migrants Concentration Camp in Weihsien

The gate of the Courtyard of the Happy Way in Weihsien, Shandong Province
1/16The gate of the Courtyard of the Happy Way in Weihsien, Shandong Province
The Courtyard of the Happy Way in Weixian, north China's Shandong Province
2/16The Courtyard of the Happy Way in Weixian, north China's Shandong Province
The Exhibition Hall: the wedged scenery about missionaries who bought land to build the courtyard integrating church, education and medical treatment in 1882
3/16The Exhibition Hall: the wedged scenery about missionaries who bought land to build the courtyard integrating church, education and medical treatment in 1882
The Exhibition Hall: the introduction of medical technologies and treatment of Chinese patients when missionaries spreading the gospel
4/16The Exhibition Hall: the introduction of medical technologies and treatment of Chinese patients when missionaries spreading the gospel
The Exhibition Hall: there were 1330 preaching areas in Shandong in the 1920s, ranking first in China.
5/16The Exhibition Hall: there were 1330 preaching areas in Shandong in the 1920s, ranking first in China.
The Exhibition Hall: the reconstruction of the courtyard burnt up by the leader of the Boxer Rebellion of the Wei County division in 1900
6/16The Exhibition Hall: the reconstruction of the courtyard burnt up by the leader of the Boxer Rebellion of the Wei County division in 1900
The Exhibition Hall: the Western Migrants Concentration Camp with the secrets of cross buildings with unique architectural style
7/16The Exhibition Hall: the Western Migrants Concentration Camp with the secrets of cross buildings with unique architectural style
The Exhibition Hall: The Courtyard of the Happy Way in  in Weihsien, Shandong Province in miniature
8/16The Exhibition Hall: The Courtyard of the Happy Way in in Weihsien, Shandong Province in miniature
The Exhibition Hall: the actvities of the Courtyard during the May Fourth Movement
9/16The Exhibition Hall: the actvities of the Courtyard during the May Fourth Movement(photo: Christiantimes.cn)
The Exhibition Hall: a brave electrician and the vanguard of national liberation of China stationed in the Courtyard
10/16The Exhibition Hall: a brave electrician and the vanguard of national liberation of China stationed in the Courtyard
The Exhibition Hall: the Weihsien Christian Hospital treated and hid the wounded anti-Japanese soldiers.
11/16The Exhibition Hall: the Weihsien Christian Hospital treated and hid the wounded anti-Japanese soldiers.
The Exhibition Hall: the establishment of East China University
12/16The Exhibition Hall: the establishment of East China University
The Exhibition Hall: the miserable life in the Camp
13/16The Exhibition Hall: the miserable life in the Camp
The Exhibition Hall: a picture and a piece of words reminding people to remember the history and cherish peace and friendiness
14/16The Exhibition Hall: a picture and a piece of words reminding people to remember the history and cherish peace and friendiness
The Exhibition Hall: hand molds of the Western Migrants and their descedants
15/16The Exhibition Hall: hand molds of the Western Migrants and their descedants
The Exhibition Hall: a guest book with a piece of paper commented "May there never be concentration camps in the world"
16/16The Exhibition Hall: a guest book with a piece of paper commented "May there never be concentration camps in the world"
By Steve Sun November 24th, 2021

Despite being known to the world as the Auschwitz in the east, the Courtyard of the Happy Way which once was the Western Migrants Concentration Camp is now maintained as a lighthouse in China’s eastern Shandong Province.

The Courtyard of the Happy Way was a preaching place for Western culture embedded in the heartland of the Qilu culture, as well as a platform for the communication between the Chinese and Western cultures. In 1904, Guangwen Xuetang (or Shandong Protestant University), the predecessor to today’s Shandong University, was built and known as the "Harvard of China" for its textbooks and academic system imitating Harvard University in the US. East China University (1948-1951), which was also born there, was renowned as the cradle of the "Revolution in Weihsien" and had trained outstanding talents for China.

In 1902, Robert McCheyne Mateer used the boxer refund, the Qing government compensation, and all the funds donated by the American churches to rebuild and expand the Courtyard.

With the history reflecting the traditional cultural inheritance of the spirit of the times, the Courtyard has inestimable humanistic value for cultural tourism, international exchanges, and dissemination of humanitarian values.

- Translated by Abigail Wu

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