Society
City mourns Nanjing Massacre
(China Daily)
Updated: 2009-12-14 07:40
NANJING: Sixteen more items giving evidence of the Japanese invaders' atrocities during World War II have been donated to the Memorial Hall of the Victims in the Nanjing Massacre.
 A major donor of historical items to the Memorial Hall of the Victims in the Nanjing Massacre, surnamed Ohigashi, holds up two photos on Saturday of the atrocities taken by Japanese soldiers during the period. [Xinhua] |
The donation came as the city marked the 72nd anniversary of the massacre yesterday.
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The new items include a copy of the Japanese newspaper Osaka Mainichi Shimbun dated Sept 20, 1937, which carries a report of the Japanese aircraft bombing Nanjing, capital of Jiangsu province.
An introduction by the Japanese army recorded the battles they fought in Nanjing.
The most valuable pieces, according to Zhu Chengshan, curator of the memorial hall, were 13 photos and an envelope.
"The photos were shot by a military officer in February 1938 and sent to his daughter, Yamazaki Yonego," Zhu said on Saturday.
The photos were of scenes of the damaged city and slaughtered citizens in Nanjing, Zhu said.
Pointing at a photo showing scattered bodies, he said, "they are the best evidence of history, in which Japanese troops committed atrocities in Nanjing".
Invading Japanese troops occupied Nanjing on Dec 13, 1937, and launched a six-week massacre. Chinese records show that more than 300,000 people, not only unarmed soldiers but also civilians, were murdered.
A series of activities, including a religious assembly by Chinese and Japanese monks, a ceremony to release lanterns of peace and a vigil for the dead, will take place, to "remind people of the history and encourage them to strive for peace", Zhu said.
Thousands of Chinese and foreigners gathered in the city yesterday to mourn people killed by invading Japanese troops 72 years ago during the Nanjing Massacre.
A siren sounded at 10 am as 5,000 people gathered on the square in front of the Memorial Hall of the Victims in the Nanjing Massacre, mourning the dead in silence and presenting wreaths.
Later, the bell tolled as the those in the crowd prayed for world peace.
Chinese and Japanese monks also held a religious assembly yesterday in Nanjing to mourn victims of the Nanjing Massacre.
Similarly, about 30 Japanese monks, 50 Chinese monks, believers of Buddhism and 30 survivors of the massacre prayed for world peace at the assembly.
"It's a very sad day," said Zhao Bin, a survivor.
"On the anniversary each year, I miss very much my relatives and others cruelly killed by the Japanese invaders," the 72-year-old said.
"History should not be allowed to repeat."
Xinhua-China Daily
