New Eric Liddell & Weifang exhibition in Edinburgh shows Eric Liddell’s story in China.
The new exhibition Eric Liddell & Weifang opened on August 22nd at the Eric Liddell Community charity in Edinburgh, UK, commemorating Eric Liddell and his experience at the Weihsien Concentration Camp near the city of Weifang in China.
The exhibition opened at 10 a.m. on 22 August 2024 and will run until 5th September.
It is held at the Eric Liddell Community in Edinburgh, UK.
It commemorates the life lived by Eric Liddell and his experience at the Weihsien Concentration Camp. Eric was born to Scottish missionary parents in Tianjin, China. He grew up in China but returned to Scotland to study. Famously, he took the gold medal in the men’s 400m at the 1924 Paris Olympics 100 years ago. He refused to run his preferred 100m race because it was on a Sunday. He believed Sunday should be reserved for God.
His life was immortalised in the movie Chariots of Fire (1981).
After his Olympic triumph, he returned to China as a missionary working at schools and training athletes. Britain warned all nationals to leave due to the danger posed by the renewed Japanese invasion of China during World War II. However, Liddell was determined to remain in China. In 1943, Japanese soldiers captured him and interned him at Weihsien Concentration Camp. He died two years later at the camp, leaving behind a wife and children.
The Weihsien Concentration Camp stands as a poignant testament to the brutal acts of Japanese militarism during WW2. It also symbolises the valiant struggle and internationalist spirit of Western and Chinese people. They united against Japanese fascism during the Second World War. At the camp, he was elected Chairman of the Recreation Group. He was also responsible for organising sports activities within the camp. At the same time, Liddell also devoted himself to the care and education of children in the camp.
With his resilience, faith, and compassion, Eric Liddell brought hope and strength to his fellow internees. He also earned deep respect from the community.
The year 2024 marks the 100th anniversary of Eric Liddell’s Olympic triumph in Paris. This milestone also coincides with the return of the Olympic Games to Paris. To commemorate this special occasion, the Eric Liddell Community in the UK and the Weihsien West Civilians Concentration Camp Site Museum in Weifang have collaboratively organized this exhibition. They have divided the exhibition into four sections: Introduction, Part One: Extraordinary Experiences, Part Two: Indomitable Spirit, and Part Three: Centennial Remembrance.
With support from both Scotland and China, they opened the exhibition Eric Liddell & Weifang at the Eric Liddell Community.
More than 100 guests attended the opening ceremony. Amongst them was Sue Caton, niece of Eric Liddell, and representatives of donors to the Eric Liddell Community. Many members of the local community also gathered for the opening. John MacMillan, CEO of the Eric Liddell Community, presided over the event.
Speaking at the event, John MacMillan explained how the exhibition is of great significance to the Centre as a community-based charity with a focus on the elderly with amnesia. They hope to continue to carry forward Eric Liddell’s selfless dedication.
Several members of the Chinese community in Scotland also joined. This included Professor Zhang Ping from the Scottish Confucius Institute for Business and Communication at Heriot-Watt University and Zhang Biao and Consul General of the Consulate-General of the People’s Republic of China in Edinburgh Zhao Xuchun. From China, several visitors came especially to join the exhibition opening. The Secretary-General of the CPC Weifang Municipal Committee; Zhang Hua, Director of Foreign Affairs Office of Weifang Municipal Government; Pan Yuejie, Deputy Minister of the Publicity Department of the Weifang Municipal Committee of the CPC; and Su Lijun, Deputy Director of Weifang Department of Culture and Tourism all made the trip.
The Consulate-General of the People’s Republic of China in Edinburgh, the Office of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the CPC Shandong Provincial Committee, the Shandong Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, the Weifang Government, the Weifang Department of Culture and Tourism, the Weifang Municipal Foreign Affairs Office, and the Scottish Confucius Institute for Business and Communication at Heriot-Watt University all provided support to the exhibition.
Liddell’s experience at the Weihsien Concentration Camp have forged an enduring connection between him and the city of Weifang.
The people of Weifang have consistently honoured this great Olympic champion through numerous commemorative events. In 1991, the Eric Liddell Memorial Foundation, based in Hong Kong, held the unveiling ceremony of the “Liddell Sports Ground”. They also unveiled a monument to Liddell at Weifang No. 2 Middle School (now Guangwen Middle School). In 2015, Liddell’s eldest and second daughters visited the Weihsien West Civilians Concentration Camp Site Museum. There, they reveiled a memorial sculpture of their father. On 31 May, 2024, Weifang, as the only invited city, sent its municipal leader (Vice Mayor Di Bo), to attend the commemoration event of Eric Liddell held by the British Embassy in Beijing; On 21 June, the Chinese Consulate General in Edinburgh hosted a memorial reception at the Eric Liddell Community, where Di Bo, Vice Mayor of Weifang City, delivered a video address.
Weifang became China’s second International City of Peace in 2021. The Government of Weifang has organised a variety of peace-themed commemorative events on significant occasions. For example the World Anti-Fascist Victory Day, International Peace Day and the Liberation Day of Weihsien Concentration Camp. These initiatives include integrating peace education into school curriculums, fostering a deep-rooted culture of peace and mutual respect throughout society. By organising this exhibition, the Government of Weifang aspires to unite with the British people in jointly commemorating the great Olympic champion Eric Liddell, while also highlighting the efforts and contributions made by Weifang citizens in preserving shared history and cherishing peace.
This exhibition also marks the cultural exchanges and collaborations between the Weihsien West Civilians Concentration Camp Site Museum and public cultural institutions such as museums in Edinburgh, London and beyond. A significant part of this initiative includes the extensive collection of archival materials related to the Weihsien Concentration Camp, along with the recording of oral history from Eric Liddell’s niece, Sue Caton.
If you liked this article why not read: The Flying Scotsman: Eric Liddell’s Life in China
