Macao holds commemoration for Nanjing Massacre victims

China's Macao Special Administrative Region held a memorial ceremony on Saturday to remember the 300,000 victims of the Nanjing Massacre during Japan's aggression against China in the 1930s-1940s and reflect on history.

Saturday marks the 12th National Memorial Day for Nanjing Massacre Victims. They were brutally killed by Japanese aggressors after they occupied Nanjing, then the capital of China, on Dec 13, 1937.

Macao’s Saturday memorial ceremony began at 09:00 at the Macao Academy of Public Security Force, with the Chinese national anthem. Around 450 attendees from all walks of life mourned the victims.

Four large wreaths were escorted by the guard of honor and presented by Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai, Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Macao Zheng Xincong, and other high-ranking officials.

They bowed to wreaths and observed a minute of silence with the attendees.

Teacher and student representatives from Keang Peng School expressed their feelings about the ceremony.

"Today, bringing the students here to this solemn occasion, we sang the national anthem together. Besides experiencing the tragic history, it was also a rare opportunity to delve more comprehensively into our history. At the same time, we can sow the seeds of patriotism more effectively in the hearts of our students," said Wong Cheuk Him, a teacher of the school.

"As I look at this memorial wall of the deceased compatriots, I feel that these are not just cold numbers but the shattered lives of countless families. As a student from Macao, I understand that peace is hard-won. I believe that we should collectively protect and safeguard the current tranquility to prevent these tragedies from happening again," said Hui Ka Hou, a student from the Keang Peng School.

Macao holds commemoration for Nanjing Massacre victims

Ballet "A Dream of the Red Mansion", an original production by the National Ballet of China, took the stage in Singapore this week, bringing one of China's most famous literary works to Singaporean audiences.

Performed at the Esplanade from Thursday to Sunday, the show was supported by the Chinese Embassy in Singapore and organized by the China Enterprises Association (Singapore). It follows a tour in Bangkok, Thailand, marking the troupe's second overseas stop.

The ballet tells the story of Jia Baoyu through the language of choreography, delving into his innermost emotions and weaving together iconic scenes from the classic novel by Chinese writer Cao Xueqin to depict the grandeur and decline of the Grand View Garden.

Chinese Ambassador Cao Zhongming said the ballet interprets classic literature from the contemporary perspective, and blends classical ballet vocabulary with Chinese choreographic aesthetics, showing that the Chinese culture is both historical and contemporary, belonging to the Chinese nation and to the whole world as well.

Chinese ballet "A Dream of the Red Mansion" debuts in Singapore