Museums
The Memorial Hall for the Victims of the Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders
Updated: Nov 30, 2018
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The Memorial Hall for the Victims of the Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders
侵华日军南京大屠杀遇难同胞纪念馆
Address: 418 Shuiximen Street, Jianye district, Nanjing, Jiangsu province
Website: 19371213.net (Cn),19371213.net/en/ (En)
Hours: 8:30-16:30
Closed Mondays (except for national holidays)
E-mail: nj1937@126.com
General admission: Free
[Photo/nj1937.org]
The Nanjing Massacre refers to the six-week slaughter committed by the Japanese Imperial Army in and around the then capital of China, Nanjing, after it fell to the invaders on Dec 13, 1937.The Japanese troops cruelly claimed the lives of more than 300,000 civilians and unarmed soldiers. More than 20,000 women were raped and many were then killed. One-third of the city was looted and property losses were beyond count.
The memorial hall was the first war memorial in China, and was erected by the Nanjing municipal government in 1985 in the southwestern corner of the city, known as Jiangdong men, one of the execution sites and mass burial places of the massacre. It was established to record the facts of the outrage and to warn that such a tragedy should never be repeated here or anywhere else in the world. In 1995 the memorial was expanded to covering around 103,000 square meters. It consists of three major parts: outdoor exhibits, sheltered skeletal remains of victims, and an exhibition hall of historical documents.
The establishment exhibits 5,381 pictures, 9,992 historical objects and 262 video records. It uses architecture, sculptures and videos, in a wise and sober way, to revisit what took place during the Nanjing Massacre.
The exhibits focus on five themes: Atrocity, Resist, Victory, Trial and Peace. Many historical accessories were donated by Japanese members of a Japanese-Chinese friendship group, who also donated a garden located on the museum grounds.
Dec 13 – the day Japan occupied Nanjing in 1937 –was approved by the Chinese government as a National Memorial Day for the Nanjing Massacre Victims in 2014. National memorial ceremonies were and will be held at the memorial on that day every year. The memorial was also listed as a permanent site to hold such events.
