On Tuesday, China’s state news outlet Xinhua News Agency published an article about the renowned Scottish missionary to China, Eric Henry Liddell, who dedicated his life to the country after winning an Olympic gold medal.
Titled “Feature: How a 1924 Paris Olympic Champion Dedicated His Life to China,” the Xinhua article writes, “In fewer than two weeks, the 2024 Paris Olympic Games will officially open, marking the return of the Games to Paris after a century.”
Looking back at the 1924 Paris Olympics, the article notes many groundbreaking accomplishments, adding, “However, for China, the biggest star at the 1924 Paris Olympics might be a British Olympic champion. Not because of his world-record winning performance in the 400 meters, nor the Oscar-winning film ‘Chariots of Fire’, which was adapted from his life story, but because he was born in, died in and dedicated his life to China.”
The article continues, stating that Liddell was born in Tianjin, China, in 1902, to Scottish parents. “He showed good sporting talent at a young age... Liddell was one of the strongest contenders for the gold medal in the 100 meters at the 1924 Paris Olympics.”
“However, the Olympic schedule published in advance showed that the 100m and 4x100m races were to be held on a Sunday. A committed Christian, he chose not to run these two races and signed up instead for the 200m and 400m races, which were not his favored events and which he had only a few months to prepare for. However, Liddell not only took the bronze medal in the 200m, but broke the world record in the 400m with a time of 47.06 seconds to win gold.”
At the peak of his athletic career at 23, he returned to his birthplace of Tianjin and settled there.
The article comments, “Until today, many people are still puzzled by Liddell's choice. Zhao Yan, a staffer at the Tianjin Sports Museum, suggested that Liddell returned to Tianjin for two reasons: firstly, to be nearer to his family, as his parents had always been in Tianjin, and secondly, his belief that his future would be more meaningful in China. As he once said, 'From birth to death, everyone seems to be on the same track, but what each person does is different, hence the meaning of life is also different.'"
The article mentions that in Tianjin, Liddell was also known as the “Father of the Minyuan,” the most famous stadium in Tianjin at the time. “When it was renovated in 1925, Liddell, referring to the design drawings of Stamford Bridge stadium in the United Kingdom, made a series of suggestions on the track structure, lighting equipment and grandstand levels, making the renovated stadium one of the leading facilities in Asia at that time.”
In 1943, Liddell was arrested by Japanese forces and imprisoned in the Weihsien Internment Camp (the Courtyard of the Happy Way). “However, the long-term imprisonment and malnutrition severely damaged his health. In early 1945, Liddell passed away due to a brain tumor at the age of 43.”
In 1988, a monument to Liddell’s grave was put up in Weifang. The monument is made of granite from Mull Island in his native Scotland and inscribed with words in both Chinese and English. The front reads: "They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."
The article concludes, “We refer to Eric Liddell as a Scottish hero and a Scottish icon. He was also a good friend of the Chinese people. Not only was he a great sportsman with outstanding athletic achievements, his compassion, integrity and passion are also the values that we can hold dear today. That's why we still remember him today," said Catriona Radcliffe, head of the Scottish government office in China.
“Liu Jianbin, director of the Tianjin Sports Museum, said that regardless of how Liddell's identity and environment changed, he remained consistent at heart, practicing his simple beliefs and pursuing the meaning of life, and that the spirit and strength transcend time and space inspiring people.”
- Translated by Charlie Li
周二，中国新华社刊登了关于苏格兰的著名来华传教士李爱锐（Eric Henry Liddell）荣获奥运冠军后把一生奉献给中国的文章。
在题为《这位奥运冠军，把一生献给了中国》中，新华社写道：“再过十来天，巴黎奥运会即将拉开帷幕，这是奥运会时隔100年后再次回到巴黎。”
回顾1924年巴黎奥运会，新华社说道，有很多开创性的做法，“而对于中国人来说，这届奥运会最大的明星，或许是一位英国奥运冠军——不仅因为他以破世界纪录的成绩夺得男子400米冠军、他的奥运故事改编的电影《烈火战车》Chariots of Fire获得奥斯卡四项大奖，更因为他生于中国、逝于中国，把一生献给了中国。”
文章继续提到，1902年，李爱锐出生于中国天津，其父母均为苏格兰人。“自小便展现出良好的体育天赋……1924年的巴黎奥运会上，李爱锐是100米跑金牌最有力的竞争者之一。”
“然而提前公布的奥运赛程显示，男子100米和4X100米接力的比赛日期与他的宗教信仰活动相冲突，因此他决定放弃这两项比赛，转而参加男子200米和400米。这一决定当时招致不少非议，毕竟他并不擅长这两项比赛，而且留给他的备战时间只有几个月。但李爱锐最终成功了，他不仅获得了男子200米铜牌，更是以47秒06的成绩打破了男子400米的世界纪录。”
而他在他23岁运动生涯的巅峰时刻，回到出生地天津并定居在这里。
文章分析道：“直到今天，很多人对李爱锐的这一选择依然百思不得其解。天津市体育博物馆馆员赵彦分析认为，李爱锐回到天津，一方面是家庭原因，他的父母一直在天津，他希望家人团聚；另一个原因则是他的价值选择，他觉得自己的未来和人生，只有在中国才会更有价值。正如李爱锐曾说过的一段话：每个人从出生到死亡，虽然好像都站在同一条跑道上，但每个人所做的事又是不同的，因此，生命的意义也有所不同。”
文章提及了在天津，李爱锐还被誉为“民园之父”。“作为当时天津最知名的体育场，民园体育场在1925年翻修改造时，李爱锐参照英国斯坦福桥球场的设计图纸，对其跑道结构、灯光设备、看台层次等提出了一系列建议，最终使得改造后的民园体育场成为当时亚洲最好的体育场之一。”
1943年，李爱锐被日军拘捕，囚禁在潍县（今潍坊）集中营。却因“长期的囚禁生活和营养不良，还是让他的健康大为受损。1945年初，李爱锐因脑瘤不治走完了他43载短暂的人生旅程。”
文章继续说：“1988年，李爱锐墓地纪念碑在潍坊揭幕，纪念碑由产自他的家乡苏格兰的马尔岛花岗石制成，镌刻有中英文碑文，正面是：‘他们应可振翅高飞，为展翼的雄鹰；他们应可竞跑向前，永远不言疲劳。’【其实是以赛亚书40章31节】”
文章最后说道：“苏格兰政府驻华代表柯春娜说，李爱锐是苏格兰人民的英雄和偶像，也是中国人民的好朋友。他之所以被铭记，除了他是奥运冠军、有杰出的体育成就之外，还在于他的激情、正直、同理心，对生活的热情和对社会的爱。”
“天津市体育博物馆馆长刘建斌认为，李爱锐无论身份和环境怎么变化，他的内心一以贯之——坚持和实践着他朴素的信仰，追求生命的意义。这种精神和力量穿越时空，给人启迪。”
巴黎奥运会前夕 新华社刊登李爱锐的故事
On Tuesday, China’s state news outlet Xinhua News Agency published an article about the renowned Scottish missionary to China, Eric Henry Liddell, who dedicated his life to the country after winning an Olympic gold medal.
Titled “Feature: How a 1924 Paris Olympic Champion Dedicated His Life to China,” the Xinhua article writes, “In fewer than two weeks, the 2024 Paris Olympic Games will officially open, marking the return of the Games to Paris after a century.”
Looking back at the 1924 Paris Olympics, the article notes many groundbreaking accomplishments, adding, “However, for China, the biggest star at the 1924 Paris Olympics might be a British Olympic champion. Not because of his world-record winning performance in the 400 meters, nor the Oscar-winning film ‘Chariots of Fire’, which was adapted from his life story, but because he was born in, died in and dedicated his life to China.”
The article continues, stating that Liddell was born in Tianjin, China, in 1902, to Scottish parents. “He showed good sporting talent at a young age... Liddell was one of the strongest contenders for the gold medal in the 100 meters at the 1924 Paris Olympics.”
“However, the Olympic schedule published in advance showed that the 100m and 4x100m races were to be held on a Sunday. A committed Christian, he chose not to run these two races and signed up instead for the 200m and 400m races, which were not his favored events and which he had only a few months to prepare for. However, Liddell not only took the bronze medal in the 200m, but broke the world record in the 400m with a time of 47.06 seconds to win gold.”
At the peak of his athletic career at 23, he returned to his birthplace of Tianjin and settled there.
The article comments, “Until today, many people are still puzzled by Liddell's choice. Zhao Yan, a staffer at the Tianjin Sports Museum, suggested that Liddell returned to Tianjin for two reasons: firstly, to be nearer to his family, as his parents had always been in Tianjin, and secondly, his belief that his future would be more meaningful in China. As he once said, 'From birth to death, everyone seems to be on the same track, but what each person does is different, hence the meaning of life is also different.'"
The article mentions that in Tianjin, Liddell was also known as the “Father of the Minyuan,” the most famous stadium in Tianjin at the time. “When it was renovated in 1925, Liddell, referring to the design drawings of Stamford Bridge stadium in the United Kingdom, made a series of suggestions on the track structure, lighting equipment and grandstand levels, making the renovated stadium one of the leading facilities in Asia at that time.”
In 1943, Liddell was arrested by Japanese forces and imprisoned in the Weihsien Internment Camp (the Courtyard of the Happy Way). “However, the long-term imprisonment and malnutrition severely damaged his health. In early 1945, Liddell passed away due to a brain tumor at the age of 43.”
In 1988, a monument to Liddell’s grave was put up in Weifang. The monument is made of granite from Mull Island in his native Scotland and inscribed with words in both Chinese and English. The front reads: "They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."
The article concludes, “We refer to Eric Liddell as a Scottish hero and a Scottish icon. He was also a good friend of the Chinese people. Not only was he a great sportsman with outstanding athletic achievements, his compassion, integrity and passion are also the values that we can hold dear today. That's why we still remember him today," said Catriona Radcliffe, head of the Scottish government office in China.
“Liu Jianbin, director of the Tianjin Sports Museum, said that regardless of how Liddell's identity and environment changed, he remained consistent at heart, practicing his simple beliefs and pursuing the meaning of life, and that the spirit and strength transcend time and space inspiring people.”
- Translated by Charlie Li
Before Paris Olympics, Xinhua News Agency Publishes Story of Eric Liddell, Scottish Missionary to China
