During this year's 7-day National Day holiday, all the guides of our Memorial have provided the service of explaining the exhibition, informing the queuing time and reminding the route and notices, to ensure the large passenger flow visiting the Memorial at ease. Shen Yang was one of them.

Faced with Large Passenger Flow for the First Time

Shen Yang is a Post-90. This National Day holiday is the first time that she's in the face of such a large passenger flow. In the green channel check point, she was responsible for directing the route. Seeing children sitting in the carriage, she always come forward quickly to help.  "Work during the National Day holiday was tiring, but to see the faces of children or young adults, or to see the old people on crutches or in a wheelchair all the way here the visit, and to get a ‘thank you’ after offering help feels very warm in heart."

This afternoon, she was responsible for the reception of several post-00s middle-school students from Nanjing No. 54 Middle School. They came to the Memorial to carry out the activity of "A Photo with the National Flag". Shen Yang was there to explain for everyone the stories behind the "Disintegration of Families" theme sculpture series in the sculpture square. Under the national flagpole, she was there to introduce the public memorial square. She said that the cross on the square and the inscription "1937.12.13-1938.1" on it keeps reminding us to remember the history and not to forget the national humiliation.

Recite the Words to Tears in the Eyes

To recite the explanatory words is one of the most basic and important part of the job of the memorial guide. Shen Yang said that when she first came to work and started reciting the words, she would unconsciously devote with emotions, especially those about the atrocities committed by the invading Japanese army against China. “Sometimes my eyes were filled with tears as I recited.”

A Deeper Understanding of Life

As a young mother, Shen Yang said that in just two months working at the Memorial, it has given her a more profound understanding of life. "Our generation has no experience in the war. Having come to the Memorial, especially talking about the pictures of children's life and death on the exhibition panels, I couldn’t help associating them with my own child, and in my heart the love of a mother just breaks out.  I think children of now should learn this part of history, receive historical education, so as to sense the hard-won peaceful life of today."

Interview and Editor: Yu Yuehua

Proofreaders: Li Ling, Zhao Yihan

Signer and Issuer: Ling Xi