A special city walk was held in Shanghai on Sept 3 near the Sihang Warehouse, the site of a fierce defensive battle in 1937, to retrace the path of the Chinese soldiers who resisted the Japanese invasion for four days and commemorate their heroism.
Sept 3 also marked the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression during World War II.
Nestled among Shanghai's towering skyscrapers, the Sihang Warehouse is regarded as a spiritual fortress of the Chinese people. The episode took place during the Battle of Shanghai, a battle that China ultimately did not win.
The city walk began at the gate of the Sihang Warehouse, where the curator of the Sihang Warehouse Battle Memorial presented historic photos of the site and introduced the story of the battle. In October 1937, the "Eight Hundred Warriors" held off the Japanese army for four days, a heroic stand that captured global attention at the time.
The event was attended by approximately 30 middle school students.
"Through this event, they can understand how hard it was for China to develop into such a great country and how hard it was for us to achieve victory against Japanese aggression. By retracing the path, they may feel this profound truth on a deeper level," said Fan Yanmei, a teacher from Shanghai Minli Middle School.
The one-hour journey made stops at Xizang Road Bridge, where Shanghai residents sent food and medicine to the soldiers in 1937, and Zhejiang Road Bridge, the site where the soldiers were evacuated.
The organizer of the city walk emphasized that truly seeing and understanding this history is far more meaningful than simply knowing the facts.
"We have restored the footsteps of the 'Eight Hundred Warriors' and made it a city walk journey where you can walk, read and feel. It's meaningful to let people enter into a real moment in history and restore what happened, then consider our blessings today and think about the future," said Zhu Yining, the event organizer.
Special city walk organized in Shanghai to honor fallen heroes
A former television host from Taiwan, Zhai Xuan, has made a pivotal decision to leave mainstream broadcasting in order to create content that provides a better understanding of the Chinese mainland and cross-strait relations.
Zhai, a seasoned television host with over a decade of experience in Taiwan's media landscape, recently addressed an audience at an event in Beijing, where she revealed her complete transition into independent online media.
In her remarks, she articulated her aspiration to bridge what she perceives as a significant information gap between audiences on both sides of the Strait, highlighting her commitment to fostering a deeper understanding and connection through her new endeavors.
"I was really surprised by all the fake news. There were stories saying people on the mainland can't afford tea eggs or that they live in mud houses and in Taiwan, this was the main information many people received," said Zhai.
Zhai said she initially began producing online videos to challenge such perceptions while continuing her work as a television host.
In April 2025, she travelled to the mainland with her father to fulfill her late grandfather's wish to return to his hometown. The trip, which reunited family members separated since 1949, was recorded in a video series titled "Journey to Find Our Roots", drawing attention from viewers in both Taiwan and the mainland.
"Many people in Taiwan told me that after watching, they wanted to apply for a mainland travel permit immediately and go looking for their relatives. Some had long forgotten these things, but after seeing my story, they began thinking about their hometowns and family members they had never met and decided to search for their roots," Zhai shared her story at the event.
By mid-2025, Zhai said she began to feel increasing pressure amid rising political tensions and a tightening atmosphere around cross-Strait exchanges in Taiwan.
After more than 12 years in the industry, Zhai resigned from her position, believing it was the right thing to do.
"At that moment, I felt this was a major issue，not just for me, but for Chinese people on both sides of the Strait. If I backed down then, I wouldn’t be standing on the right side," said Zhai.
Since leaving television, Zhai has broadened her online programming to encompass a range of daily-life topics, including practical guidance on applying for a mainland travel permit and using commonly employed mobile applications, in addition to content that delves into historical memory and cultural connections across the Strait.
As the debate over cross-Strait relations continues in Taiwan, Zhai said she remains committed to her current path.
Former Taiwan TV host bridges cross-Strait divide via online media
