Shanxi University students guide foreign peers through 120-year history

A group of Shanxi University's international students recently visited the institution's history museum, where a multilingual guide team helped immerse them in the heritage of the century-old university.

Formed in April 2025, the guide team comprises 19 students from SU's School of Foreign Languages. Among the languages available are English, French, German, Japanese, and Russian.

Founded in 1902, Shanxi University is among China's earliest national universities. Its history museum, renovated and reopened in January 2023, uses historical images and texts, artifacts, scene restoration, thematic sculptures, and digital displays to trace the institution's development over more than 120 years.

Kell Thomas, a 32-year-old German student, was impressed during the visit to learn of the university's early international collaboration. Timothy Richard, a British missionary, was involved in the early establishment of Shanxi University. In Thomas' eyes, the university's history is profound and extraordinary. Its advancement of international study represents an inheritance of its educational traditions and a modern continuation of its founding mission.

Reagan, a 24-year-old Indonesian student, said the multilingual commentary helped him engage more directly with the university's history. "The multilingual explanation of the university's history removes language barriers and gives me a deeper understanding of the university," he said.

Wei Yingli, deputy secretary of the Party Committee of the School of Foreign Languages, said the program gives foreign language students practical experience while connecting their training to the university's history and culture. Wei said the university plans to extend multilingual services beyond the museum to classrooms, student clubs, and international student communities.

Zhang Yue, a sophomore on the team, said guides focus on finding common ground between Chinese and international educational traditions to connect with visiting students.

Lyu Peipei and Li Jialu contributed to this story.