An exhibition on the Nanjing Massacre of 1937 was opened in
Beijing yesterday to mark the end of World War II and
encourage young people to remember the atrocities of the Japanese
army.
"This year is the 60th anniversary of victory in the War of
Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. We're holding the
exhibition to ensure young people remember this painful part of
history," said Zhou Lei, an official with the Jiangsu provincial
government and a member of the exhibition's organizing
committee.
More than 300,000 Nanjing inhabitants were killed after the city
fell to invading Japanese troops on December 13, 1937.
The 20-day exhibition at the National Museum in Beijing is
sponsored by the provincial government of Jiangsu, of which Nanjing
is the capital city, and displays over 600 pictures and 753
objects. According to Zhou, 80 percent of the materials are being
shown to the public for the first time.
More than 400 people from home and abroad penned their thoughts
on paper doves and stuck them on a wall at the exhibition, many
reading "Never forget history" and "Let's pray for world
peace."
(China Daily August 11, 2005)