Memorial Hall of the National Spirit at Changshan Middle School

Memorial Hall of the National Spirit at Changshan Middle School

The Memorial Hall of the National Spirit at Changshan Middle School serves as a base for patriotic education and national defense education.

The Memorial Hall of the National Spirit at Changshan Middle School is a public welfare exhibition hall specially established by the school for teachers, students, and the general public. It displays historical photos and artifacts that reflect the school’s development, authentically showcasing the glorious journey of Changshan Middle School over the past century. The “Memorial Hall of the National Spirit” makes full use of its distinctive and advantageous history, allowing more teenagers to see through the window of Changshan Middle School—a specific historical microcosm of China—and to deeply perceive and truly understand the history of humiliation, resistance, and development of our entire nation, thereby strengthening their sense of responsibility and mission to revitalize the nation and realize the “Chinese Dream.”

In 2013, to celebrate the school’s centennial, the Memorial Hall of the National Spirit was renovated and upgraded. The old memorial hall had been in use since the 80th anniversary celebration but had been relocated several times. Eventually, funded by the school itself, a new hall was built near the school entrance, covering an area of 360 square meters. It is divided into eight major sections: “The Spark of War,” “Iron Mountain Flames,” “Spreading Flames,” “Glory in History,” “The Enduring Red Spirit,” “Talents Across China,” “The Road to Revival,” and “Happy Development.” The exhibition features over 20,000 precious photos and more than 80 artifacts, including the stone lions at the school gate from its founding in 1913, ammunition, a model of the Liaoning aircraft carrier, a ceremonial sword of the People's Liberation Army Honor Guard, Iron Mountain stones, and a Japanese newspaper from 1937. These items, presented using modern display techniques, authentically reflect the extraordinary journey of Changshan Middle School over the past hundred years. Among them, the stone lions and the Japanese newspaper have been designated as provincial-level cultural relics. On both sides of the memorial hall, landmark structures for the centennial celebration were built: the stone-carved Bamboo Slips Inscription “Ode to Changshan Middle School” and a preserved wood art gallery, forming a cultural ensemble of “one hall, one structure, one gallery.” The Memorial Hall of the National Spirit presents the red revolutionary history and profound cultural heritage of Changshan Middle School to the world, becoming a valuable spiritual asset for society and a high-caliber educational platform. The school leverages the characteristics and advantages of this century-old prestigious institution to continuously optimize the humanistic environment and elevate the quality of education. Every year, students are organized to visit the Memorial Hall of the National Spirit and view its “Six Treasures”: the Republican-era stone lions, newspapers from the war of resistance period, the ceremonial sword of the PLA Honor Guard, the Liaoning aircraft carrier model, the Yutu lunar rover model, and the world’s largest butterfly specimen. The Memorial Hall of the National Spirit has been designated by the provincial government as a Shandong Provincial National Defense Education Base. As a municipal anti-corruption warning education base, a provincial national defense education base, and a provincial education base for caring about the next generation, the Memorial Hall of the National Spirit fully fulfills its functions. In 2015, it was further designated as a provincial Party history education base and a provincial patriotic education base.