Tourists are flocking to Turpan in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region to brave the scorching temperatures beneath the iconic Flaming Mountains, one of northwest China's legendary hotspots.
Known as one of the hottest places in China, the Flaming Mountains have recorded a surface temperature of up to 65 degrees Celsius and an air temperature of around 45 degrees Celsius.
As temperatures continue to soar, Xinjiang's weather authorities issued an orange alert for high heat conditions on Sunday.
However, the daily number of visitors to this scenic area has remained above 4,500 for several days.
Visitors line up to snap photos by a giant thermometer, crafted in the shape of Sun Wukong's Ruyi Jingu Bang from the classic novel "Journey to the West", which references the Flaming Mountains and has contributed to the site's popularity.
Some visitors also try eggs cooked in the scorching sand, seasoned with chili and cumin for a unique "Flaming Mountains flavor".
Meanwhile, themed souvenirs inspired by the "Journey to the West" have also been well received by the visitors.
"I have seen the Flaming Mountains in the TV-series version of the Journey to the West since I was a child. And now, I've finally seen them in person and felt the heat here," said one of the tourists.
The heatwave is expected to last until June 13, with temperatures at the Flaming Mountains continuing to rise.
"We have made full preparations for the high temperatures. We have placed first-aid kits in various key areas, set up multiple cool-down rooms, and installed air coolers in open-air areas," said Lan Yunxia, marketing director of the scenic area.
China has a three-tier warning system for high temperatures, with red representing the most severe warning, followed by orange and yellow.
Xinjiang's iconic Flaming Mountains draw in scores of adventurous tourists
International guests who have dedicated their lives to historical truth joined China's 12th national memorial event honoring the hundreds of thousands of victims killed by Japanese troops in the Nanjing Massacre during World War II.
The memorial was held on Saturday at the public square of the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province. China's national flag was flown at half-mast in the presence the crowd that included survivors of the massacre, local students, and international guests.
In one of the most barbaric episodes during WWII, the Nanjing Massacre took place when Japanese troops captured the then-Chinese capital Nanjing on Dec 13, 1937. Over the course of six weeks, they proceeded to kill approximately 300,000 Chinese civilians and unarmed soldiers.
Joining the crowd was Christoph Reinhardt, the great-grandson of John Rabe (1882-1950) who was then a representative of German conglomerate Siemens in the war-ravaged Nanjing. During the Nanjing Massacre, Rabe set up an international safety zone with other foreigners, and they together saved the lives of around 250,000 Chinese people between 1937 and 1938 from the Japanese invaders.
Throughout the massacre, Rabe continued to keep a diary. To this day, all his pages remain one of the most comprehensive historical records of the atrocities committed by the Japanese aggressors.
Sayoko Yamauchi, who was also in the crowd of mourners, arrived in Nanjing on Friday from Japan's Osaka to attend Saturday's ceremony, just as she has done almost every year since China designated Dec 13 as the National Memorial Day for the Victims of the Nanjing Massacre in 2014.
Yamauchi's grandfather was one of the Japanese soldiers who invaded Nanjing in January 1938. However, since first setting foot in Nanjing in 1987, she has dedicated herself to uncovering and spreading the truth about Japan's history of aggression and enlightening the Japanese public about their country's wartime atrocities.
In 2014, ahead of China's first National Memorial Day for the Victims of the Nanjing Massacre, Yamauchi, along with 10 other individuals, received an award for her special contribution to the Memorial Hall of the Victims in the Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders.
By attending the grand memorial event, Reinhardt and Yamauchi both said they hope to convey a message of remembering history and cherishing peace.
"This is my fifth visit to China, and Nanjing, and the third times I visited the ceremony. I have a wish that these survivors survive again and again and again. But my other wish is that the families of the survivors, that they transport the information, the right intention like their ancestors, because anyone must hold a hand (during) this remembering," Reinhardt told China Central Television (CCTV) in an interview before the event began on Saturday.
"Our delegation is on its 20th visit to China, coming to Nanjing to express our heartfelt condolences to those who perished 88 years ago, to remember this history, and to reflect on what we can do for a new future. That's why we are here," Yamauchi told CCTV on board the bus that took her to a local hotel in Nanjing on Friday evening.
Int'l guests call for remembering history at China's national event honoring Nanjing Massacre victims
