Paying our Respects

I had heard it mentioned, but I had never fully understood what happened at the ‘Rape of Nanking’ until I started reading up on China in advance of my visit. Bloody hell. It’s without doubt one of the most shocking atrocities committed in modern warfare, and a black mark on Japanese history for the rest of time. If you’re also unfamiliar with what took place in 1937, I’d suggest you look it up.



With only one day in Nanjing, a visit to The Memorial Hall of the Nanjing Massacre was top priority. This exhibition alone made the city worth a visit. It truly was dumbfounding. With no grisly detail spared, at times it was difficult to take in the events and the personal stories from those infamous six weeks. But that’s one of the reasons that it left such an impression on me. It was incredible that these events took place in this beautiful, historical, thriving modern city only 72 years previous.



And that’s the thing, Nanjing really is a beautiful city in parts, especially when compared to other Chinese cities. In a restaurant recommended by a hostel staff member, we enjoyed one of the best meals we had in China (John in particular enjoyed eating duck embryo). With an abundance of history (it was China’s capital on two occasions, most recently during the time of the massacre), and excellent food, it has a lot going for it.



Towards the end of the massacre memorial exhibition you can hear what sounds like a slowly dripping tap. Each drop lights up a picture of a victim on the wall of a dark hall at the end. Brilliantly effective, I can still hear the drops in my head even now. Unforgettable - as it should be.