The 12th national memorial day was observed in Nanjing on Saturday to honor about 300,000 victims killed by Japanese troops during the Nanjing Massacre, in a year that marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II (WWII).
Despite the winter chill, thousands dressed in dark attire gathered 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, with white flowers pinned to their chests, to take part in the ceremony.
China's national flag was flown at half-mast in front of the crowd that included survivors of the massacre, local students and international guests.
Sirens began blaring at 10:01. Drivers in the downtown area stopped their vehicles and honked in unison, while pedestrians paused to observe a moment of silence in memory of the victims.
Following the moment of silence, eight large wreaths were presented to the memorial altar by the Guard of Honor.
At the memorial ceremony, 88 representatives of Nanjing youth recited the Declaration for Peace, a poem authored by late writer Feng Yitong (1941-2023) in 2014 in memorial of those who perished in the massacre, and six representatives from various social sectors then tolled the Bell of Peace.
As the bell sounded three times, 3,000 white doves, symbolizing the longing for peace, were released and flew over the memorial hall's square.
Parallel commemorative activities were held simultaneously at 17 burial sites of the Nanjing Massacre victims, in 12 communities, and at patriotic education centers across Jiangsu Province that focus on the history of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression.
The Nanjing Massacre took place when Japanese troops captured the then-Chinese capital on Dec 13, 1937. Over the course of six weeks, they proceeded to kill approximately 300,000 Chinese civilians and unarmed soldiers in one of the most barbaric episodes of WWII.
In 2014, China's top legislature designated December 13 as a national memorial day for the massacre victims. The Chinese government has also preserved survivors' testimonies in both written transcripts and on video. These documents on the massacre were listed on UNESCO's Memory of the World Register in 2015.
Eight survivors of the Nanjing Massacre have passed away since the beginning of 2025, reducing the number of living registered survivors to 24.
This year commemorates the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. The only way to move on with hope for a peaceful future is to remember this tragic past.
China holds national memorial for Nanjing Massacre victims, calling for remembrance of history
