Nanjing Massacre Museum
As a Nanjing native, I have visited the museum many times. Today, I made a point of taking my daughters there, hoping to deepen their understanding of a defining event in the history of our city. Being a national holiday, the crowds were immense, some visitors carrying white chrysanthemums as a tribute. Our guide mentioned that yesterday alone, some 25,000 people came.
The museum, established in 1985 on the site of a mass grave, is dedicated to preserving the memory of the Nanjing Massacre (December 1937 – early 1938), during which an estimated 300,000 civilians and unarmed soldiers lost their lives.
Since my last visit years ago, the museum has been renovated. Once again, I was struck by its design and the power of its presentation. It is vital to remember and preserve history—lessons that should resonate in every aspect of our lives in China today.