A portrait of Cen Honglan, a survivor of the Nanjing Massacre, taken on July 13, 2019 (R, top); Cen Honglan and his brother Cen Honggui, also a survivor of the massacre (L, top); Cen Honglan plays with Yu Huiyu, her sister Cen Hongying's great granddaughter (L, central); Cen Honglan shows her bullet wound by Japanese invaders (L, bottom); Cen Honglan (third from right) poses for a photo with her family (C, bottom); Cen Honglan sits in a residential area in Nanjing, East China's Jiangsu province (R, bottom). [Photos/Xinhua]
This year marks the 82nd anniversary of the Nanjing Massacre, in which more than 300,000 Chinese were killed by the Japanese invaders who occupied Nanjing on Dec 13, 1937, marking the start of six weeks of destruction, pillage, rape and slaughter in the city. By Dec 12, 2019, the number of registered survivors of the massacre has decreased to 78. Reporters from Xinhua spent many years to look for the survivors of Nanjing Massacre and record their current lives.
Cen Honglan was born on July 5, 1934. Her family moved to Nanjing in 1930 from a famine-stricken area in Jiangsu province. In 1937, Cen Honglan's jaw got injured from the Japanese invaders' gunshot, and her little brother Cen Xiaosan was burned alive in a house. Cen Honglan now lives in Suqian and has 5 children.
Zhou Wenbin, a survivor of the Nanjing Massacre, takes care of his fish at home, on Nov 15, 2019 (L, top); Zhou Wenbin sits in his bedroom (L, central); Zhou Wenbin shows the bullet wound on his left foot by Japanese invaders (L, bottom); Zhou Wenbin tells his past experience (C, top); a photo copy of Zhou Wenbin (top row, second from right) and his family (C, bottom); Zhou Wenbin does chores at home (R, top); Zhou Wenbin reads instruction for medicine (R, central); Zhou Wenbin poses for a photo with his wife Fan Cuihua at home (R, bottom). [Photos/Xinhua]
Zhou Wenbin was born in January of 1938. During a mopping-up operation by the Japanese invaders, Zhou Wenbin, still an infant sleeping in a cradle, was seriously injured on his left foot by gunshot. His 11-year-old brother Zhou Wenxin, playing nearby, failed to escape and got a bullet clean through his leg. Zhou Wenbin got married in 1972 and has two daughters now.
Fang Suxia, a survivor of the Nanjing Massacre, exercises in her residential area, on Nov 13, 2019 (L, top); Fang Suxia reads newspapers at home (L, central); Fang Suxia chats with her husband Zhou Wenshu (L, bottom); a portrait of Fang Suxia (C, top); a copy of a family photo of Fang Suxia (top row, right) and her sisters (C, bottom); Fang Suxia sits at home (R, top); Fang Suxia poses for a photo with her husband and daughter (R, central); Fang Suxia takes a walk with her daughter in her residential area (R, bottom). [Photos/Xinhua]
Fang Suxia was born on Nov 11, 1934. After witnessing the massacre in Nanjing, Fang Suxia's family escaped by boat by a fluke amid the shooting rampage. However, Fang caught a fever and got hearing-impaired, and her grandmother died of a heart attack triggered by fear. Fang Suxia's uncle Fang Qingyi got separated and lost touch with the family. Later the family went back home and found it robbed of everything they had. Fang Suxia got married in 1953 and has a son and a daughter.
Yu Changxiang, a survivor of the Nanjing Massacre, cooks in the kitchen, on July 12, 2019 (L, top); Yu Changxiang talks with a Japanese friend (L, central); Yu Changxiang walks at home (L, bottom); a portrait of Yu Changxiang (C, top); Yu Changxiang poses for a photo with his daughters and his great grandson (C, bottom); Yu Changxiang sits in front of his home (R, top); Yu Changxiang listens to the radio (R, central); Yu Changxiang stands in front of his home (R, bottom). [Photos/Xinhua]
Yu Changxiang was born on Oct 19, 1927. After the Japanese invaders occupied Nanjing, Yu Changxiang and some of his families succeeded to escape from the massacre by hiding in a tunnel of Saozhou alley. However, Changxiang's natural father was murdered and his foster father was stabbed 7 times by the invaders.
Xu Jiaqing, a survivor of the Nanjing Massacre, takes a walk in his residential area, on Nov 26, 2019 (L, top); Xu Jiaqing views a recreational video clip at home (L, central); Xu Jiaqing tells his experience (L, bottom); a portrait of Xu Jiaqing (C, top); Xu Jiaqing poses for a photo with his daughter Xu Xiaoxia and son-in-law Zhang Gaoming (C, bottom); Xu Jiaqing has lunch with his family (R, top); Xu Jiaqing sits in his bedroom (R, central); Xu Jiaqing shows his certificate as survivor of the Nanjing Massacre (R, bottom). [Photos/Xinhua]
Xu Jiaqing was born on Feb 8, 1925. After the Japanese invaders occupied Nanjing, Xu Jiaqing and his family hided in a shelter on Shigu Road. After they moved to another residential point, a few Japanese invaders found them. Xu Jiaqing and three adults went for the card, but two never came back. Xu Jiaqing also witnessed his family members being undressed, tied and forced to kneel by the Japanese invaders. Now Xu Jiaqing has five sons and three daughters and lives with his youngest daughter.
Wu Jiying (left), a survivor of the Nanjing Massacre, rests and chats with her neighbor, on Dec 5, 2019 (L, top); Wu Jiying sits in her bedroom (L, central); Wu Jiying chats with her daughters (L, bottom); a portrait of Wu Jiying (C, top); Wu Jiying poses for a photo with her son Zhang Aihua, her daughters Zhang Yuezhen and Zhang Suqin (C, bottom); Wu Jiying shows her wound stabbed by the Japanese invaders (R, top); Wu Jiying walks at home (R, central); Wu Jiying prepares lunch at home (R, bottom). [Photos/Xinhua]
Wu Jiying was born on June 15, 1924. Due to her family debt, 10-year-old Wu Jiying was sold to a Zhang family as maid in Nanjing. When the Japanese invaders occupied Nanjing, Wu was stabbed in her leg. She succeeded to escape by hiding among the corpses and later was brought back to her hometown Jurong by her father. Now Wu Jiying has two sons and four daughters.
A portrait of Guan Shunhua, a survivor of the Nanjing Massacre, taken on Nov 7, 2019 (L, top); Guan Shunhua sits at home (L, bottom); Guan Shunhua chats with her daughter Liu Yufang (C, bottom); Guan Shunhua shows her certificate as survivor of the Nanjing Massacre (R, top); Guan Shunhua trims vegetables for cooking (R, central); Guan Shunhua poses for a photo with her daughter Liu Yufang and her grandson's wife Ou Liuling (R, bottom). [Photos/Xinhua]
Guan Shunhua was born on Aug 10, 1925. Before the Japanese invaders occupied Nanjing, Guan and her family moved to Huai'an, and later returned to a refugee camp in Nanjing. Guan's uncle was murdered by the Japanese invaders. Guan Shunhua got married at 19 and now has a daughter.
Jing Zhizhen, a survivor of the Nanjing Massacre, takes care of flowers at home, on Nov 7, 2019 (L, top); Jing Zhizhen practices calligraphy at home (L, central); Jing Zhizhen's daughter He Minxia brushes her hair (L, bottom); a portrait of Jing Zhizhen (C, top); Jing Zhizhen poses for a photo with her daughter He Minxia and her son He Minkun (C, bottom); Jing Zhizhen sits in her bedroom (R, top); Jing Zhizhen chats with her family at home (R, central); Jing Zhizhen stands in front of her home (R, bottom). [Photos/Xinhua]
Jing Zhizhen was born on Sept 29, 1928. When the Japanese invaders occupied Nanjing, Zhizhen and her family first hided in the countryside and later in a refugee camp in Shanghai. Jing Zhizhen's uncle was murdered by invaders and her grandmother went stark mad. Jing Zhizhen got married in 1947, and has a daughter and three sons.