Remembering history: Preserving the legacy of Nanjing Massacre

In mid-August, the fourth group of inheritors of the historical memory of the Nanjing Massacre was announced and presented with certificates. Among them were Thomas Rabe, the grandson of John Rabe, who established a safety zone and saved countless civilians during the massacre, and Megan Brady, the great-granddaughter of U.S. doctor and Nanjing Massacre witness Richard Brady. Also included were descendants of survivors and protectors of historical artifacts.

By including descendants of international friends for the first time, a total of 38 Chinese and foreign nationals have been officially recognized as inheritors of the historical memory of the Nanjing Massacre, continuing the survivors' mission through documentation, education and international exchange.

Since 2014, the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders has been registering descendants of victims. In 2019, it officially launched the "Memory Inheritance Action for Descendants of Survivors," and in 2022, it introduced an official certification system for inheritors.

These inheritors primarily safeguard the truth and spread the message of peace through oral histories, the publication of original documents, international outreach, and educational services.

As the number of survivors continues to decrease – only 24 remain alive as of December, 2025 – inheritors bear the special responsibility of carrying forward the historical memory.

The historical memory inheritor program is one of the many initiatives China has undertaken to remember the Nanjing Massacre.

In August 2004, the "Aid Association of Survivors in Nanjing Massacre" was established, which was renamed in 2024 as the "Aid Association of Victims in Nanjing during the War of Aggression against China by Japanese Invaders."

The association is a social welfare civil society organization which aims to concern the victims of war and aid the witnesses to history.

In 2014, China's top legislature designated December 13 as a national memorial day for the massacre victims.

The Chinese government has also preserved survivors' testimonies in both written transcripts and on video. These documents on the massacre were listed on UNESCO's Memory of the World Register in 2015, marking the international community's collective acknowledgment of this history.

China will observe its 12th national memorial day for the victims of the Nanjing Massacre on December 13.

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