HK Media’s Jiangsu Tour: Fading Memories - Survivors' Portraits Turn Black and White at Nanjing Massacre Hall

The Hong Kong media delegation visited the Memorial Hall of the Victims of the Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders in Nanjing on March 24. Guided by a staff member, the delegation toured the Square and the Exhibition Hall of Historical Facts, and interviewed Mr. Wang Min, Director of the Educational Services Department at the Memorial Hall.

The Hong Kong media delegation visited the Memorial Hall of the Victims of the Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders in Nanjing. Photo by Bastille Post

The wreath sent by the Hong Kong media delegation, Photo by Bastille Post

Every year, on December 13, a national memorial ceremony is held in the Square of the Memorial Hall. The 12th ceremony took place in 2025. Last year, the Memorial Hall received approximately six million visitors, an increase of about 600,000 from the previous year.

Stones and Iron Rings: Forging the Numbers in the Square

Upon entering the Square, the first thing catching the eye is a black disaster wall, inscribed with the number "300,000" in 11 languages, which represents the death toll during the six weeks of Japanese occupation of Nanjing—from December 13, 1937, to the end of January 1938—as determined by the two post-war international trials.

Photo by Bastille Post

At the north side of the Square stands an installation titled "The 300,000 Who Fell": three black pillars, each topped with an iron ring. Five rings symbolize the five zeros in the number "300,000". In the center of the Square sits the Peace Bell, whose truss forms a V-shape when viewed from below. "It means that the 300,000 compatriots who perished support this bell, so that we may ring it as a constant warning for the future."

The Peace Bell, Photo by Bastille Post

The ground of the Square is paved with cobblestones, designed by Professor He Jingtang, a highly influential Chinese architect and a Fellow of the Chinese Academy of Engineering. The original design intention was for visitors to walk on them, using the stepping sound to evoke reflection. Nevertheless, due to the openness of the Square, it ultimately became an exhibition space rather than a passageway.

One by One, Survivors' Portraits on the Wall Fade to Black and White

Inside the Memorial Hall stands a wall that renders visitors silent. On September 30, 2017, the Memorial Hall displayed color photographs of the survivors of the Nanjing Massacre on this wall, with the design symbolizing December 13.

The survivors' portraits, Photo by Bastille Post

"As time passed, many survivors passed away since 2017, making the photographs on the wall eventually fade to black and white," the docent explained. Each time a survivor passes away, the Memorial Hall holds a farewell ceremony to officially convert their color photograph to black and white.

The names of the victims. Photo by Bastille Post

Photo by Bastille Post

On either side of the hall are 18 niches containing 18 iron books, engraved with the names of nearly 11,000 confirmed victims.

On either side of the hall are 18 niches containing 18 iron books, engraved with the names of nearly 11,000 confirmed victims. Photo by Bastille Post

Soldier's Diary: Tracing the Roots of Atrocities

In the hall, the docent systematically explained the causes of the massacre, summarizing them into five key factors: 1. the Japanese army, facing supply shortages along the way, resorted to looting to sustain its advance; 2. overwhelmed by the sheer number of captives, since the troops received orders from superiors to "leave no captives alive"; 3. as Nanjing was the capital of the Nationalist Government, the atrocities were intended to break the residents' willingness to resist; 4. a culture of revenge within the army led soldiers to redirect their anger over injured comrades onto civilians in Nanjing; 5. a distorted, pathological mindset took hold among Japanese soldiers shaped by militaristic education.

Photo by Bastille Post

Photo by Bastille Post

One of the most striking exhibits comes from the diary of a Japanese soldier, Azuma Shiro. He described how Japanese soldiers stuffed a Chinese man into a sack, bound it tightly with wire, doused it in kerosene, hung a grenade from the wire, pulled the pin, and kicked the sack into a pond to detonate—all while others stood by laughing. "Without military discipline, you could do whatever you wanted," the docent added. "It shows the overall morale of the Japanese army at that time." Elsewhere in the hall, a series of photographs documents two Japanese soldiers engaged in a "killing contest", competing to see who could kill 100 people first. The incident was even reported in the Japanese media at the time.

John Rabe's Identities: Nazi Party Member and Protector of Refugees

In late 1937, foreigners, including German businessman John Rabe and Miner Searle Bates, the Acting President of the University of Nanking, established a safety zone in Nanjing to shelter refugees, following the model previously set up in Shanghai.

Photo by Bastille Post

Photo by Bastille Post

John Rabe, a Nazi Party member and the Siemens representative in Nanjing, was able to leverage his dual identity to negotiate with the Japanese army and provide protection for civilians. The safety zone covered the area where Nanjing University now stands, and Rabe's diary later became a vital historical record of the atrocities in the city.

The Second Seat at the Tokyo Trial: A Position That Influenced History

On September 2, 1945, Japan signed the instrument of surrender aboard the USS Missouri. General Xu Yongchang, representing the Nationalist Government, accepted the surrender in second place. The seemingly ceremonial arrangement laid the groundwork for the following Tokyo Trial—Chinese Judge Mei Ru'ao argued for China to occupy the second seat, based on China's second-place standing in the surrender ceremony. "Don't underestimate the importance of taking the second seat," the docent said. "It played a crucial role in determining the seating order for the Chinese judge at the Tokyo Trial." The Trial ultimately indicted 28 Japanese Class-A war criminals, with seven—including Matsui Iwane, Commander of the Central China Area Army—sentenced to death.

Photo by Bastille Post

Photo by Bastille Post

Wang Min: Sino-Japanese Tensions Won't Alter Historical Presentation

Following the visit, Hong Kong reporters interviewed Mr. Wang Min, Director of the Educational Services Department at the Memorial Hall. He shared that the Memorial Hall received approximately six million visitors last year, including more than 14,200 Hong Kong residents who visited through reservations, as well as over 50 groups of Hong Kong students and young people, totaling over 2,000 individuals. So far this year, only three groups from Hong Kong—about over 100 people—have visited, with peak visitation expected during the Qingming Festival and summer holidays.

Mr. Wang Min, Director of the Educational Services Department at the Memorial Hall, Photo by Bastille Post

Photo by Bastille Post

Addressing recent tensions in Sino-Japanese relations, Mr. Wang stated: "No matter how Sino-Japanese relations change, the Memorial Hall's presentation of the history will remain steadfast." He noted that statements from the Japanese government have not dampened the willingness of visitors to come. On the contrary, many research-oriented schools and institutions have become even more eager to visit and explore the historical truth.

Photo by Bastille Post

Mr. Wang also revealed that in commemoration of the 80th Anniversary of the Victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the Memorial Hall co-organized a special exhibition in Hong Kong with the HKSAR Government last year. Looking ahead, the Memorial Hall plans to continue holding exhibitions in Hong Kong at appropriate commemorative moments in a proper manner. "In the future, we will select specific occasions and bring exhibitions to Hong Kong in suitable formats," he said. The International Poster Biennale, now in its fifth edition, is one of the options being considered for a special exhibition in Hong Kong.

Photo by Bastille Post

Photo by Bastille Post

In late March, the Hong Kong media delegation visited the Confucius Temple, Qinhuai River, Slender West Lake, the Yangzhou China Grand Canal Museum, and the Suzhou Pingjiang Historical and Cultural District, following the Grand Canal and waterways from various dynasties. Appreciating lantern festivals, classical gardens, ancient streets, and the timeworn waters, the delegation experienced the cultural heritage of Jiangnan in early spring and witnessed the preservation of the world's cultural heritage sites.

Photo by Bastille Post

Nanjing: Qinhuai River's Glimmering Lanterns

On the evening of March 23, the delegation boarded an ornately decorated boat from the Confucius Temple and traveled along the Qinhuai River.

On the water, lotus lanterns, cicada lanterns, rabbit lanterns, and lanterns depicting ladies in ancient costumes and zodiac animals swayed with ripples. The docent explained, "The Qinhuai Lantern Festival and Qinhuai lantern decorations are both national intangible cultural heritage. The classic Qinhuai lantern designs include lotus lanterns, cicada lanterns, and rabbit lanterns, etc." The Qinhuai Lantern Festival, revived in 1984, is now in its 40th year, with the theme "A Thousand Years of Lanterns Illuminating Jinling, A New Chapter Begins at 40th Year." The festival features eight exhibition areas and approximately 390 lantern sets.

On the water, lotus lanterns, cicada lanterns, rabbit lanterns, and lanterns depicting ladies in ancient costumes and zodiac animals swayed with ripples. Photo by Bastille Post

The firewalls of the Hui-style buildings on both banks rose high into the night. The docent explained that the firewalls were "both aesthetically pleasing and, due to their height, provided excellent fire prevention".

Photo by Bastille Post

The boat passed Wende Bridge, famous for its alignment with the meridian. Every year on the fifteenth day of the eleventh lunar month at midnight, the bridge's shadow perfectly splits the moon's reflection in the river in two, with half the moon visible on each side — a phenomenon known as "Wende Dividing the Moon."

The Confucius Temple is crowded with visitors. Photo by Bastille Post

According to folklore, the poet Li Bai, while drinking at a tavern near the bridge, saw the moon's reflection in the water and leapt from the bridge in an attempt to catch it, thus adding fame to this extraordinary sight.

Yangzhou: The Enduring Grace of Classical Gardens and Ancient Waterways

On the evening of March 25, the delegation boarded a boat in Yangzhou for a night cruise on Slender West Lake.

Tracing back to history, when Emperor Qianlong traveled south by water, Slender West Lake lay along his imperial route. As the emperor passed through, the salt merchants of Yangzhou vied to build a garden along the shores. Whoever built a more beautiful garden would have the emperor's procession slow down before theirs for appreciation. Driven by the competition, one garden after another rose along the shores, until the lake landscape became "flowers and willows lining both shores, pavilions and terraces stretching all the way to the mountains."

The beautiful scenery of the Slender West Lake at night, Photo by Bastille Post

The docent introduced the history of the Five Pavilion Bridge, the Twenty-Four Bridges, and the Fishing Terrace along the lake. The Five Pavilion Bridge, whose official name is "Lotus Bridge", was originally built during the Qianlong era. The existing White Pagoda and the bridge foundation of the Five Pavilion Bridge are authentic Qing Dynasty relics; the rest were rebuilt after being destroyed during the Taiping Rebellion.

The White Pagoda, Photo by Bastille Post

The docent remarked, "The beauty of Slender West Lake during the day is visible at a glance, but its beauty at night must be comprehended." The lake features a water curtain performance titled "Two Parts of the Moon", inspired by the Tang Dynasty poem: "Of the three parts of the moonlit night under heaven, two parts belong to Yangzhou." Using lights and water mist, the performance brings to life the poetic imagery that scholars have sung of for centuries.

The water curtain performance at night, Photo by Bastille Post

The following day, the delegation visited Jianzhen Road and the Grand Canal Museum. Jianzhen Road is named after the Tang Dynasty monk Jianzhen, a native of Yangzhou who travelled six times to Japan to spread Buddhism. During the flowering season, cherry blossoms bloom along the road, accompanied by creative markets and Hanfu (traditional Han clothing) photography events.

The statue of the Tang Dynasty monk Jianzhen, Photo by Bastille Post

The Yangzhou China Grand Canal Museum, located in the Sanwan Scenic Spot, is a national first-class museum. It houses over 10,000 artifacts related to the Grand Canal, spanning from the Spring and Autumn Period to the present day. A key exhibit is a 25-meter-long cross-section of the Bian River channel, retrieved intact from an archaeological site in Henan Province. Layers of bed soil from different dynasties are stacked, allowing visitors to see a cross-section of time itself.

The Yangzhou China Grand Canal Museum, Photo by Bastille Post

A key exhibit is a 25-meter-long cross-section of the Bian River channel, retrieved intact from an archaeological site in Henan Province. Photo by Bastille Post

The museum houses over 10,000 artifacts related to the Grand Canal, spanning from the Spring and Autumn Period to the present day. Photo by Bastille Post

Photo by Bastille Post

Photo by Bastille Post

Moreover, the museum also features a digital immersive exhibition titled "Love of the River". In 2014, Yangzhou led 35 cities along the Grand Canal in successfully applying for UNESCO World Cultural Heritage status.

The exhibits at the museum, Photo by Bastille Post

Photo by Bastille Post

Suzhou: Spring Breathes Life into Ancient Streets and Winding Waters

On the afternoon of March 28, the delegation visited the Suzhou Pingjiang Historical and Cultural District.

Pingjiang Road is approximately 1,600 meters long, and its layout closely matches the Pingjiangtu, a city map of Suzhou in the Song Dynasty. The double-chessboard structure of "parallel waterways and land, streets adjacent to rivers" from the Tang and Song Dynasties has been preserved to the present, earning it the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Conservation Award.

Photo by Bastille Post

In the springtime, tourists and locals enjoyed themselves along Pingjiang Road, which is not a deliberately constructed tourist attraction, but a living ancient street where people still reside, run shops, and go about their daily lives. Some were even dressed in traditional costumes, strolling amidst the lively atmosphere.

Photo by Bastille Post

Near the parking area stands a building hidden within the campus of Suzhou Pingjiang Experimental School — the Dacheng Hall of Changzhou County School, the main hall of the county school. Originally built in the Song Dynasty, the current structure is a reconstruction from the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty, sharing the same site with the present-day school. 

The Dacheng Hall of Changzhou County School, Photo by Bastille Post

As the trip drew to a close, the delegation moved to a lakeside in Suzhou, appreciating the beauty of the flower season and spring scenery.

Photo by Bastille Post

Ancient streets and waterways lay on one side, while the springtime lakeside was on the other. One side held a landscape spanning over two thousand years; the other held a modern spring afternoon. Each simply rested in its own tranquility to form a peaceful harmony.

Photo by Bastille Post

Photo by Bastille Post