Photos like these depict the atrocities of Japanese soldiers during the 1937 Nanjing Massacre. (Photo : Wikimedia)
China commemorated the Nanjing Massacre through the second National Memorial Day held in the capital of Jiangsu Province.
Speaking at the Memorial Hall for the Victims of the Nanjing Massacre, National People's Congress Standing Committee vice chairman Li Jianguo remarked, "When we recall that day, one of the darkest and most painful scenes in our history rises once again before our eyes."
On the same day in 1937, Japanese troops invaded then Chinese capital Nanjing and started the massacre, which lasted for more than a month. On that period, over 300,000 Chinese civilians and soldiers were killed and at least 20,000 women were raped.
According to Li, the event was not meant to prolong hatred; it aimed to evoke the people's will to cherish peace, adding that history should be remembered to promote a diplomatic future.
This year serves as the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II and China's victory against Japanese aggression.
In his speech, Li also lauded the substantial progress of the Sino-Japanese ties since the nations normalized their relations in 1972.
Li shared that the two countries should "continuously push forward good-neighborly and friendly cooperation and make joint contributions to world peace and human progress."
People who gathered outside the memorial, wearing white flowers on their lapels as a sign of condolence, numbered up to 10,000.
The event's attendees also included people from Japan, South Korea, Canada, Serbia and the United States.
For UNESCO Genocide Education chairman Stephen Smith, "Remembrance is the start of education. We remember the past, so as to teach for the future."
Across Nanjing, other commemorative activities were also held.
The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress proclaimed in February last year that Dec. 13 serves as the National Memorial Day for Nanjing Massacre Victims.
