Over 80 years ago, Japanese soldiers invaded the city of Nanjing and killed more than 300,000 people in just six weeks, in one of the most barbaric episodes of World War II.
Today, as most survivors have passed away, preserving their stories has become ever more urgent.
This year, a Canadian teenager joined the memorial efforts, taking on the role of a guardian of this history.
"Lonely nights clouded and grey. Time goes by, you begin to fade..."
The girl singing is 17-year-old Megan Brady.
Her great-grandfather was Richard Brady, a doctor at Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, where he treated injured refugees during the war.
Back in 1937, when Nanjing fell to Japanese invasion, some foreigners, including Megan's great-grandfather, risked their own lives and saved many civilians.
Today, a photograph of the Brady family is displayed inside the Memorial Hall of the Victims of the Nanjing Massacre.
"So here in the bottom left is my great-grandfather, and his wife. And at the top there is my grandfather. The first time I saw this picture was in 2016. That was actually the first time I've ever seen a photo of my great-grandfather. I've never seen him before, and I had not met my grandfather -- he died when I was two," Megan told China Global Television Network (CGTN).
"I was a little bit too young at the time to really understand the depth and the reality of the entire situation. But being able to come back and have the chance to learn over time as I grew older, really helps develop an understanding of what really happened, what his role was, and what he did," said the young woman.
The bravery of Richard Brady and other foreigners inspired Megan to compose her song "Mercy". Among these foreigners was Minnie Vautrin, who transformed Jinling College, a women's college in Nanjing, into a refuge that sheltered thousands.
On December 13, 2019 -- China's National Memorial Day for the victims of the Nanjing Massacre -- Megan performed the song for the first time to honor the 300,000 lives lost.
"I think my favorite line is 'love douse the fire and peace comes with the rain, rise from the ashes' because the imagery behind that of just washing away such a tragedy to allow Nanjing to be rebuilt into an incredible city that it is today, the resilience of the Chinese people to overcome such an atrocity, and to still bring such joy and hope into the world, is absolutely incredible," she said.
Megan was first brought to China by her father, Stephan Brady.
This time, Stephan brought some photographs of Richard Brady and his father sitting in front of a dormitory at the hospital.
With the help of the hospital staff, they found the same building.
"Being able to walk in the same places that he used to work, and all of this incredible work was done. It really allows me to connect with him more and see his experience through his eyes," Megan said.
"It's the next generation's opportunity and responsibility. Because when I grew up, I didn't know anything about it as well. And I think it's important to get the younger generation talking about it," said the father.
Over 80 years have passed; most of the witnesses of that time are gone, and memories are fading.
Megan knows this and wants to join the effort to preserve those memories. She became one of the inheritors of Nanjing Massacre memories, a campaign the memorial hall started three years ago.
"I think as the survivors of the Nanjing Massacre grow older, it is important to pass down to the younger generations this responsibility to carry forward the truth and keep their voices alive," she said.
And artistic work, like music, is Megan's way of passing on the memory to her generation. She says she plans to write more music about the history, as there are many more stories worth telling.
Young Canadian devoted to spreading voice of peace through remembrance of Nanjing Massacre
