Today is Martyrs' Day. The memorial hall held the “Remembering the Martyrs and Paying Tribute to the Heroes” Martyrs’ Memorial Day Theme Education Activity in the Victory Square. More than 150 people participated in the activity, including representatives of young students, inheritors of the historical memory of the Nanjing Massacre, military personnel, university teachers, museum staff, and volunteers.

Victory Square at the memorial hall, surrounded below by black granite, is engraved with the names of the first 300 renowned anti-Japanese martyrs and heroic groups, recognized by the Ministry of Civil Affairs in 2014. Behind every name, such as Zhao Yiman, Zuo Quan, Le Yiqin, Zhu Chi, Yi Anhua......, there is a heroic story that should not be forgotten. That national spirit of resilience and never giving in are fused in the depths of each strand of the loyal soul, burning like a raging fire, crossing time and space, illuminating the present day. As the stirring ‘March of the Volunteers’ played, all attendees stood solemnly to sing the national anthem of the People’s Republic of China.

With flowers in hand, the staff solemnly marched from each side of the Wall of Martyrs to the center. All attendees then stood in silent tribute, paying their deepest respects to the martyrs.

“We are the Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army, the first route army that created the United Army. The ping-pong sound of charging forward and surrendering is the irrefutable evidence of the victory of the revolution......” Six representatives of Zijin grass volunteers stepped out in turn, read aloud the first batch of letters from the part of the anti-Japanese martyrs and part of the heroes and martyrs, the resounding sound of reading echoed over the Victory Square for a long time.

"Remember, be grateful, and continue the fight!" Volunteer Fu Yunsheng, wearing a party emblem and standing straight, said, "Every time I share stories of the martyrs in the exhibition hall, I remind visitors of the martyrs’ sacrifice. They were so young when they sacrificed, yet they defended their country without fear of life and death, and our descendants will never forget and continue the fight!"

Ge Fengjin, the second son of the late Nanjing Massacre survivor Ge Daorong and one of the second batch of ‘Inheritors of the Historical Memory of the Nanjing Massacre’, also participated in the event today, reciting a letter to his wife and children written by Yi Anhua, a martyr in the 1937 Nanjing Defence Battle. He said, “I was deeply touched in my heart when reciting the family letters, and my second uncle also sacrificed heroically in the battle. As an inheritor of the historical memory of the Nanjing Massacre, I feel a duty to remind future generations to honor our martyrs, remember our history, give their best, and contribute to building our country. Because there is a home only when there is a country, and only when the country is strong and the nation is revived can we have a happy life generation after generation.”

Student Qu Yuanming, from the Education Group of Jinling Huiwen School (Primary Division) in Nanjing, recited the story of Norman Bethune at the event. He said: “Grandpa Norman Bethune was incredibly noble, I want to learn from his spirit of dedication. As a child of Nanjing, I will never forget the atrocities of the Nanjing Massacre by the invading Japanese army. Now China has stood up! I want to study hard and serve my motherland in the future to make her stronger and more beautiful!”