China holds national commemoration for Nanjing Massacre victims
Updated: December 13, 2023 14:11Xinhua
China holds its 10th national memorial ceremony for the Nanjing Massacre victims at the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province, Dec. 13, 2023. The people of Nanjing observed a moment of silence, and sirens were heard across the city as China held a memorial ceremony on Wednesday to mourn the 300,000 victims of the Nanjing Massacre. [Photo/Xinhua]
NANJING, Dec. 13 -- The people of Nanjing observed a moment of silence, and sirens were heard across the city as China held a memorial ceremony on Wednesday to mourn the 300,000 victims of the Nanjing Massacre.
Despite the winter chill, thousands of people, dressed in dark attire, attended the 10th national memorial ceremony for the victims in Nanjing, east China's Jiangsu Province, with white flowers pinned to their chests.
China's national flag was flown at half-mast in front of the crowd, which included massacre survivors, local students and foreign friends.
At 10:01 a.m., sirens began to blare. Drivers in the downtown area stopped their cars and honked, while pedestrians paused for a moment of silence in remembrance of the victims.
More than 80 young people read aloud a declaration of peace, and citizen representatives struck the Bell of Peace. White doves, symbolizing hope for peace, were released to fly over the square of the Memorial Hall of the Victims of the Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders.
In 2014, China's top legislature designated Dec. 13 as the national memorial day for the victims of the Nanjing Massacre, which took place when Japanese troops captured the city on Dec. 13, 1937. The Japanese invaders brutally killed approximately 300,000 Chinese civilians and unarmed soldiers in over six weeks, marking one of the most barbaric episodes of World War II.
As of this year, the number of registered Nanjing Massacre survivors has dwindled to just 38.
China holds its 10th national memorial ceremony for the Nanjing Massacre victims at the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province, Dec. 13, 2023. The people of Nanjing observed a moment of silence, and sirens were heard across the city as China held a memorial ceremony on Wednesday to mourn the 300,000 victims of the Nanjing Massacre. [Photo/Xinhua]
China holds its 10th national memorial ceremony for the Nanjing Massacre victims at the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province, Dec. 13, 2023. The people of Nanjing observed a moment of silence, and sirens were heard across the city as China held a memorial ceremony on Wednesday to mourn the 300,000 victims of the Nanjing Massacre. [Photo/Xinhua]
China holds its 10th national memorial ceremony for the Nanjing Massacre victims at the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province, Dec. 13, 2023. The people of Nanjing observed a moment of silence, and sirens were heard across the city as China held a memorial ceremony on Wednesday to mourn the 300,000 victims of the Nanjing Massacre. [Photo/Xinhua]
China holds its 10th national memorial ceremony for the Nanjing Massacre victims at the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province, Dec. 13, 2023. The people of Nanjing observed a moment of silence, and sirens were heard across the city as China held a memorial ceremony on Wednesday to mourn the 300,000 victims of the Nanjing Massacre. [Photo/Xinhua]
People observe a moment of silence during the national memorial ceremony for the Nanjing Massacre victims at the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province, Dec. 13, 2023. The people of Nanjing observed a moment of silence, and sirens were heard across the city as China held a memorial ceremony on Wednesday to mourn the 300,000 victims of the Nanjing Massacre. [Photo/Xinhua]
China holds its 10th national memorial ceremony for the Nanjing Massacre victims at the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province, Dec. 13, 2023. The people of Nanjing observed a moment of silence, and sirens were heard across the city as China held a memorial ceremony on Wednesday to mourn the 300,000 victims of the Nanjing Massacre. [Photo/Xinhua]
A veteran attends the national memorial ceremony for the Nanjing Massacre victims at the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province, Dec. 13, 2023. The people of Nanjing observed a moment of silence, and sirens were heard across the city as China held a memorial ceremony on Wednesday to mourn the 300,000 victims of the Nanjing Massacre. [Photo/Xinhua]
China holds its 10th national memorial ceremony for the Nanjing Massacre victims at the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province, Dec. 13, 2023. The people of Nanjing observed a moment of silence, and sirens were heard across the city as China held a memorial ceremony on Wednesday to mourn the 300,000 victims of the Nanjing Massacre. [Photo/Xinhua]
China holds its 10th national memorial ceremony for the Nanjing Massacre victims at the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province, Dec. 13, 2023. The people of Nanjing observed a moment of silence, and sirens were heard across the city as China held a memorial ceremony on Wednesday to mourn the 300,000 victims of the Nanjing Massacre. [Photo/Xinhua]
China holds its 10th national memorial ceremony for the Nanjing Massacre victims at the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province, Dec. 13, 2023. The people of Nanjing observed a moment of silence, and sirens were heard across the city as China held a memorial ceremony on Wednesday to mourn the 300,000 victims of the Nanjing Massacre. [Photo/Xinhua]
China holds its 10th national memorial ceremony for the Nanjing Massacre victims at the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province, Dec. 13, 2023. The people of Nanjing observed a moment of silence, and sirens were heard across the city as China held a memorial ceremony on Wednesday to mourn the 300,000 victims of the Nanjing Massacre. [Photo/Xinhua]
China holds its 10th national memorial ceremony for the Nanjing Massacre victims at the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province, Dec. 13, 2023. The people of Nanjing observed a moment of silence, and sirens were heard across the city as China held a memorial ceremony on Wednesday to mourn the 300,000 victims of the Nanjing Massacre. [Photo/Xinhua]
China holds its 10th national memorial ceremony for the Nanjing Massacre victims at the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province, Dec. 13, 2023. The people of Nanjing observed a moment of silence, and sirens were heard across the city as China held a memorial ceremony on Wednesday to mourn the 300,000 victims of the Nanjing Massacre. [Photo/Xinhua]
China holds its 10th national memorial ceremony for the Nanjing Massacre victims at the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province, Dec. 13, 2023. The people of Nanjing observed a moment of silence, and sirens were heard across the city as China held a memorial ceremony on Wednesday to mourn the 300,000 victims of the Nanjing Massacre. [Photo/Xinhua]
China holds its 10th national memorial ceremony for the Nanjing Massacre victims at the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province, Dec. 13, 2023. The people of Nanjing observed a moment of silence, and sirens were heard across the city as China held a memorial ceremony on Wednesday to mourn the 300,000 victims of the Nanjing Massacre. [Photo/Xinhua]
People observe a moment of silence during the national memorial ceremony for the Nanjing Massacre victims at the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province, Dec. 13, 2023. The people of Nanjing observed a moment of silence, and sirens were heard across the city as China held a memorial ceremony on Wednesday to mourn the 300,000 victims of the Nanjing Massacre. [Photo/Xinhua]
China holds its 10th national memorial ceremony for the Nanjing Massacre victims at the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province, Dec. 13, 2023. The people of Nanjing observed a moment of silence, and sirens were heard across the city as China held a memorial ceremony on Wednesday to mourn the 300,000 victims of the Nanjing Massacre. [Photo/Xinhua]
China holds its 10th national memorial ceremony for the Nanjing Massacre victims at the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province, Dec. 13, 2023. The people of Nanjing observed a moment of silence, and sirens were heard across the city as China held a memorial ceremony on Wednesday to mourn the 300,000 victims of the Nanjing Massacre. [Photo/Xinhua]
Ai Yiying, a survivor of the Nanjing Massacre, attends the national memorial ceremony for the Nanjing Massacre victims at the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province, Dec. 13, 2023. The people of Nanjing observed a moment of silence, and sirens were heard across the city as China held a memorial ceremony on Wednesday to mourn the 300,000 victims of the Nanjing Massacre. [Photo/Xinhua]
Students light candles to mourn the victims of the Nanjing Massacre on the occasion of the 10th National Memorial Day at the 9.18 Historical Museum in Shenyang, capital of northeast China's Liaoning Province, Dec. 13, 2023. In 2014, China's top legislature designated Dec. 13 as the national memorial day for the victims of the Nanjing Massacre, which took place when Japanese troops captured the city on Dec. 13, 1937. The Japanese invaders brutally killed approximately 300,000 Chinese civilians and unarmed soldiers in over six weeks, marking one of the most barbaric episodes of World War II. [Photo/Xinhua]
Students lay flowers to mourn the victims of the Nanjing Massacre on the occasion of the 10th National Memorial Day at the Exhibition Hall of Evidence of Crime Committed by Unit 731 of the Japanese Imperial Army in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Dec. 13, 2023. In 2014, China's top legislature designated Dec. 13 as the national memorial day for the victims of the Nanjing Massacre, which took place when Japanese troops captured the city on Dec. 13, 1937. The Japanese invaders brutally killed approximately 300,000 Chinese civilians and unarmed soldiers in over six weeks, marking one of the most barbaric episodes of World War II. [Photo/Xinhua]
People lay flowers to mourn the victims of the Nanjing Massacre on the occasion of the 10th National Memorial Day at the Museum of the War of Chinese People's Resistance Against Japanese Aggression in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 13, 2023. In 2014, China's top legislature designated Dec. 13 as the national memorial day for the victims of the Nanjing Massacre, which took place when Japanese troops captured the city on Dec. 13, 1937. The Japanese invaders brutally killed approximately 300,000 Chinese civilians and unarmed soldiers in over six weeks, marking one of the most barbaric episodes of World War II. [Photo/Xinhua]
