Maintain memory of the history and create a better future

Jiang Dongping

On International Museum Day in 2023, attention is focused on the role of museums in building a better life and promoting sustainable social development. According to the International Council of Museums’ new definition of a museum, a museum is an institution that researches, collects, conserves, interprets and exhibits heritage. Open to the public, accessible and inclusive, museums foster diversity and sustainability, offering varied experiences for education, enjoyment, reflection and knowledge sharing. At present, museums are adapting to the new situation and new requirements, and the historical memory it embodies will be more sustainable in the new era.

After attending the National Memorial Ceremony for Nanjing Massacre Victims in 2017, General Secretary Xi Jinping said “Whether it is the beauty of history or a historical disaster, it must be true. Past experience, if not forgotten, is a guide for the future. We must clear the mirror of history and learn from history for the benefit of the future.” The cultural relics and historical materials showcased in the museum embody the real memory of mankind, allowing us to see what we experienced and illuminating the way forward.”

Seeing from the mirror of history, we realize hard-won peace. During the “May Day” holiday, a visitor to the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders said that life brings stresses and pressures, but when I saw the old photos in the exhibition hall, I felt that my troubles paled into insignificance, and we live happy lives compared to the past. The Nanjing Massacre is a dark page in human history. The barbaric aggression and savage killing leave us bitter lessons about the defeated country and lost homes. Forgetting history is betrayal. Regardless of changes in the times, we must never forget the bitter years when the country was humiliated, the people suffered and civilization bit the dust, the revolutionary and heroic martyrs, and all the compatriots massacred by the aggressors. The good times of peace and safety we now enjoy come at the expense of sacrifice and struggle by the predecessors.

We must work together to create a better tomorrow. History taught us that we must bear in mind that if you fall behind, you will be bullied. Only by developing yourself can you thrive. The Nanjing Massacre survivors who went through hardships keep their belief in pursuing a better life, becoming “inspirational stories” in all walks of life. The more than 250,000 messages from the visitors to “Exhibition of the Nanjing Massacre” breathe patriotism of constant self-improvement. History tells us that the road to peace is full of twists and turns, and that “mankind can better realize its dreams in times of peace and stability”. In the “ideological and political course” at the Memorial Hall, young people from all over the country heard docent explanation, read historical materials, and expressed their feelings, and can better understanding the sentence “never let historical tragedies repeat themselves”. Working hard to create a bright future of a strong country and rejuvenated nation is not only comfort to the revolutionary martyrs and compatriots who died, but an historical mission our generation must fulfil.

Museums are important places for conserving and keeping alive human civilization, where we see history, are inspired about the present and see clear into the future. We must keep memory of the past, carry forward the Chinese spirit, and build our confidence in Chinese culture. We must “let the torch of peace be passed on from generation to generation, provide a steady stream of power for development, and make the light of civilization shine”, creating a better future as we promote Chinese-style modernization!

Author: Jiang Dongping, a commentator with the Institute of National Heritage & International Peace