Living survivors of the Nanjing massacre have been remembering family members who perished nearly eighty years ago. One survivor, She Ziqing, now in his 80s, has been speaking to CCTV about his painful memories of an event in history that still resonates, many decades later.

"My memory is not as good as it used to be," She said. "But the painful experiences 77 years ago have left a mark on my heart. A warm and harmonious family was destroyed overnight."

The 82-year-old was only five when the Japanese military invaded Nanjing in 1937.

Japanese troops started a bloody campaign on December 13th, 1937. His mother was among the 300 thousand civilians and Chinese soldiers who were murdered in cold blood by Japanese troops.

Fortunately, She Ziqing and his sister survived.

"When I came back, my mother had been killed," She said. "Not only my mother, but also all our neighbors were killed. They had all decided to stay in their houses and not flee the city. I have never been able to understand why the Japanese soldiers were so cruel, killing everybody they saw."

Ten years ago, he decided to become a volunteer guide at the Nanjing Massacre Memorial Hall. He's still the oldest volunteer working there.

And when visitors come to see the footprints of survivors in the hall, She will show them his own footprints and tell them his own stories.

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