The Last Witness: Nanjing massacre survivor recalls history

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December 13 marks the 80th anniversary of the Nanjing Massacre during which more than 300,000 people were killed by Japanese invaders.

A gallery of sculptures in Nanjing depicts the devastating period in China's history. Eighty years after the brutal massacre, survivors of the grim event are still haunted by vivid memories.

Up to this day, Chang Zhiqiang still can't walk by the sculpture of his mother and his younger brother.

"I saw my younger brother crying, then I took him to our mother. Then I saw her remove her shirt to breastfeed him. That's when I saw that she’d been stabbed, and was bleeding. I couldn't stop crying," he said.

Chang Zhiqiang is one of around 200 living survivors of the Nanjing Massacre in 1937. /Xinhua Photo

Now in his 80s, Chang was only nine years old when Japanese troops invaded Nanjing, east China's Jiangsu Province. Six members of his family were murdered in front of his eyes. He survived, but the nightmares have lived with him since.

Every year, Chang and his family visit the Nanjing Massacre Memorial Hall to honor those he lost.

"I can never forget what happened to our family that year. I remember the atrocities the Japanese committed, and I will tell our children to remember history," Chang said.

Chang Zhiqiang (R) is one of around 200 living survivors of the Nanjing Massacre in 1937. /Xinhua Photo

New buildings and streets hide the scars of the city's past. But Chang's scars have not healed.

"It's been a long long time. Behind this building was where the Japanese soldiers were stationed. Yes, it's here," Chang said, pointing his finger at an architecture.

To ensure his family remembers what happened, Chang brought his eight-year-old great-granddaughter along to this year's family commemoration.

"I think people in Japan are different from their government. We should not hold a grudge against Japanese for the brutality and crimes their government committed. People from our two countries can be friends," Chang Ling, granddaughter of Chang Zhiqiang, said.

Chang's family is only one of thousands who pay tribute to victims of the Nanjing Massacre every year. There is no hatred in their hearts, they say, only a desire to remember their lost loved ones and cherish peace.