On July 7, 1937, exactly 87 years ago today, Japanese invaders shocked China and the whole world by launching an assault on the Lugou Bridge in Beijing, an event known as the Lugou Bridge Incident. The incident is widely recognized as the beginningof China’s nationwide resistance against Japanese aggression. To commemorate the 87th anniversary of this significant event, the Memorial Hall hosted an educational event on July 7, servingas a poignant reminder of the importance of remembering history and cherishing peace as we move towards a brighter future. A total of 87 representatives attended the event, including descendants of Nanjing Massacre survivors, members of the Chinese Young Pioneers organization in Nanjing, visitors and Memorial Hall staff.

The event commenced at 9 a.m. with the playing of the national anthem, in a solemn atmosphere at the square adorned with the Catastrophe of War statues. Attendees stood facing the national flag to express their reverence. Those wearing hats removed them, and the Young Pioneers offered their distinctive salute to the flag as they joined in singing the national anthem.As part of the ceremony, youth representatives from Nanjing recited a poem on the anti-Japanese war, I Say This Is the Last Time’s Tears by late Chinese writer Ba Jin.

Xuan Yujia, a sophomore fromCommunication University of China Nanjing, led the recitation together with several others. “Today marks a day of profound historical significance, prompting us to reflect on the past, consider the present, and look forward to the future. As a university student, it is my role to convey these words of patriotic sentiment to everyone present. My hope is that we, the younger generation, will strive with greater determination and diligence to make our motherland stronger and more prosperous,” she said.

Memorial Hall staffpresented flower baskets in memory of the innocent victims of the Nanjing Massacre, Chinese compatriots killed by Japanese invaders, revolutionary martyrs and national heroes who sacrificed their lives for the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, and international fighters and friends who laid down their lives alongside the Chinese people. The attendees followed by offering floral tributes, one by one.

Many visitors voluntarily stopped to pay their respects by presenting flowers, including Yu Boran and his family from Hefei, Anhui Province. “My child will be entering the first year of middle school in the second half of this year. I brought him here to give him an early understanding of modern history,” his father said.

Encouraging Visitors to ShareTheir Reflections on Themed Postcards

In the visitor comment area, Memorial Hall staff distributed themed postcards commemorating the resistance against Japanese aggression. These postcards featured a themed poster on the front and space for a message on the back, allowing visitors from across the country to write down their impressions of the visit.

Ji Wenzhe, a fourth-grade student from Kunming, Yunnan Province, shared, “I participated in the bell-striking ceremony this morning, which I found very meaningful. I will take this postcard home and place it on my desk as a constant reminderto remember this history forever.”

Gaining Strength from Poems on the Anti-Japanese War

In the visitor resting area at the end of the Memorial Hall, a “Voices of Remembrance” reading session took place. Zijin Grass volunteers invited visitors and young representatives to read poemsabout the anti-Japanese war and letters written by revolutionaries to their families.

Huang Tianyou, a third-grade student from Jiangdongmen Elementary School in Nanjing, led the morning recitation and later participated in the reading session. “The more I read these words, the more I feel the cruelty of war and the preciousness of peace. In the future, I will continue to use my talent for recitation to help more people understand this history and cherish peace,” he said.

Wang Wenlin, another visitor from Kunming, read with deep emotion the family letter of the female anti-Japanese hero Zhao Yiman. “I work in Party building, so I chose this special day to bring my child here for patriotic education, like reading the family letters of martyrs,”Wangsaid.