Residents of east China’s Nanjing City gathered on Friday to honor the memory of the 300,000 victims of the Nanjing Massacre, as the nation held a solemn memorial ceremony. The massacre, one of the darkest chapters of World War II, occurred when Japanese troops captured the city on December 13, 1937.
At 8 a.m., the national flag was flown at half-mast at the square of the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders. The somber gesture set the tone for the day’s events, reflecting the collective mourning of a nation.
At precisely 10:01 a.m., sirens echoed throughout the city. In a unified display of remembrance, drivers in the downtown area stopped their vehicles and honked their horns, while pedestrians paused for a moment of silence to honor the victims.
More than 80 young people recited a declaration of peace, their voices rising in unison as a beacon of hope for the future. Citizen representatives struck the Bell of Peace, and white doves, symbolizing peace and hope, were released to soar over the square.
In 2014, China’s top legislature designated December 13 as the National Memorial Day for the victims of the Nanjing Massacre. Over six weeks following the city’s capture, the Japanese invaders brutally killed approximately 300,000 Chinese civilians and unarmed soldiers, marking a tragic and barbaric episode in human history.
As of July 22, the number of registered survivors of the Nanjing Massacre has dwindled to just 32, underscoring the urgency of preserving their stories for future generations.
The Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders, situated at a burial site for massacre victims, opened to the public in 1985. Since becoming the main venue for the national memorial ceremony in 2014, the hall has attracted approximately 5 million visitors each year.
This year alone, the memorial has received 125,278 comments from visitors, averaging over 400 per day. Words like “history,” “peace,” and “remember” frequently appear among the reflections, highlighting the deep emotional impact of the site.
Reference(s):
China holds national commemoration for Nanjing Massacre victims
cgtn.com
