The Memorial Hall Media Convergence Center launched the “Watching Over the Survivors” series, in which Ma Tingbao recounts the unfortunate experiences of himself and his family during the Nanjing Massacre period and their lives in the years since. During the Nanjing Massacre in 1937, Ma Tingbao’s entire family sought refuge in the refugee zone. There, his father, uncle, and second great-uncle were bound with ropes by Japanese soldiers and taken away on a truck, never to return. Forced by circumstances, Ma Tingbao began working in a factory at the age of 17 until his retirement. For many years, Ma Tingbao and his surviving brother, Ma Tinglu (who passed away in January 2023), visited the Memorial Hall’s Wall of Tears, which bears the engraved names of the victims, to pay tribute to their relatives. For them, half of their family is by their side, while the other half is in the memorial hall. Today, Ma Tingbao has four great-grandchildren. Holding his young great-grandchildren, he smiles like a child.

Photo by Sujia