Memorials mark Nanjing anniversary

A series of memorials was held on Thursday and planned for Friday in the city of Nanjing to mark the 76th anniversary of the massacre that claimed the lives of 300,000 Chinese civilians and unarmed soldiers.



Nanjing was the scene of mass murder, genocide and war rape following the Japanese capture of the city on December 13, 1937, during the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression (1937-45).



Memorial events included a candlelight vigil, a prayer assembly for peace, and press conferences and seminars, according to Zhu Chengshan, curator of the Nanjing Massacre Hall.



As part of this year's event, a report on protection of oral histories of the atrocity was presented and a Sino-US collaborative project on oral history studies will be announced, Zhu announced.



"This is about expressing sorrow for those that perished and more importantly reminding people to remember history and to cherish peace," he added.



Meanwhile, two survivors, 82-year-old Wang Jin and 89-year-old Cen Honggui, will leave for Japan to attend Nanjing Massacre testimony gatherings by the invitation of Japanese non-governmental organizations.





