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After capturing Nanjing on December 13, 1937, the Japanese army carried out a large-scale massacre in the city. "Pictorial Exhibition on the Nanjing Massacre" is being held from today (December 13) to January 7 next year at the Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defence to let the public learn more about this episode in modern Chinese history.
The exhibition is jointly presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department and the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders. Through text and pictures, the exhibition introduces the background to the Nanjing Massacre and the events that unfolded at that time. It offers the public an understanding of the cruelty and horror of war in the hope of avoiding recurrence of such a tragedy, and reminds people of the duty to defend and preserve the historical truth when mourning the victims of the massacre.
China's weakness was exposed after its defeat in the Opium Wars. Meanwhile, Japan developed into an Asian power and began its preparations for military aggression towards China after the First Sino-Japanese War and the Russo-Japanese War. In 1931, the Japanese army staged the Mukden Incident and occupied the three northeastern provinces of China. In the following year, Japan instigated the January 28 Incident and later established the puppet state of Manchukuo. Full-scale war between the two nations broke out following the Marco Polo Bridge Incident on July 7, 1937. Beijing, Tianjin and Shanghai were seized in quick succession by the Japanese army, which then, on December 13 of the same year, captured Nanjing, where it proceeded to slaughter more than 300,000 prisoners of war and civilians in the six weeks that followed. This episode is known as the Nanjing Massacre.
Please note that some of the photos featured in this exhibition may cause emotional distress.
The Museum of Coastal Defence is located at 175 Tung Hei Road, Shau Kei Wan. It is open from 10am to 5pm daily and is closed on Thursdays (except public holidays). The admission fee is $10. Admission on Wednesdays is free. Free admission is offered today to mark Nanjing Massacre National Memorial Day.
For details of the exhibition, please visit the museum's website hk.coastaldefence.museum/en_US/web/mcd/exhibition/special.html or call 2569 1500.
Ends/Saturday, December 13, 2014
Issued at HKT 11:00
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