On Wednesday morning, the sound of sirens filled the air in Shenyang, the capital of northeast China\u2019s Liaoning Province. Drivers honked their horns, and pedestrians stood still to mark the 93rd anniversary of the September 18 Incident, a moment that ignited Japan\u2019s 14-year invasion of China.
Back on September 18, 1931, Japanese troops orchestrated an explosion on a railway segment under their control near Shenyang. Accusing Chinese troops of sabotage, they used it as a pretext to launch an attack, bombarding barracks later that night.
In 1995, Hao Songqing, a retired worker from a local tape factory, proposed to the Shenyang municipal committee of the Communist Party of China to sound air raid sirens annually on this date. His suggestion was embraced, and for 30 consecutive years, Shenyang has sounded the sirens to remind people not to forget this significant chapter of history.
At the 9.18 Historical Museum in Shenyang, people gathered at 9:18 a.m. on September 18 for a ceremony to commemorate the incident and honor the martyrs of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression.
He Zhongling, one of the designers of the 9.18 Monument at the museum and a retired professor from the Luxun Academy of Fine Arts, reflected on the monument’s symbolism. “The skeleton and bone elements at the base represent the martyrs who died in the war. The main structure resembles a calendar marked with bullet holes, symbolizing the pain inflicted during those years,” he said.
Just three kilometers away lies the Beidaying (Northern Grand Barracks) site, which Japanese troops bombarded in 1931. The exhibition hall there immerses visitors in history through over 400 historical photos, over 200 relics, electronic maps, scene reenactments, panoramic sand tables, and interactive displays.
“People commemorate the war to pursue peace,” said Fan Lihong, curator of the 9.18 Historical Museum. She noted the increasing number of visitors who come to remember history and pay respects to the martyrs. “By telling history, we aim not to perpetuate hatred but to remember the truth and inspire strength in people today,” Fan added.
As the sirens sounded, Gong Zhigang was piloting a high-speed train near the museum. “Back then, the Japanese built railways on Chinese land to plunder resources and wage war. Today, our high-speed railways are among the world’s best, with speeds up to 350 kilometers per hour,” he remarked. “We must learn from history and strive for a better future.”
Commemorative events were held across the country on Wednesday. In Nanjing, the capital of east China\u2019s Jiangsu Province, 500 people gathered at the Memorial Hall of the Victims of the Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders. Delegates struck the Bell of Peace to mourn the victims and remind the public of the lessons of history.
Cities like Haikou and Chengdu also sounded sirens to encourage people to remember the past and cherish peace.
The September 18 Incident marked the beginning of a brutal invasion that foreshadowed World War II. During the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, which lasted until 1945, China suffered over 35 million military and civilian casualties, accounting for a third of the total casualties in World War II.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
