Portrayed in the museum’s larger-than-life wall sculpture, serious-faced citizens stand strong. They are united by a common cause of fighting the Japanese. This sets the tone for our visit to the Museum of the Chinese People Resistance Against Japan. It is a place that honors China’s martyrs and heroic sacrifices.
The Museum of the Chinese People Resistance Against Japan documents China’s World War II history. The focus is on the anti-Japanese resistance efforts from 1931 to 1945. Deng Xiaoping inscribed the museum’s title in 1987.
The museum sits in Wanping City in the Fengtai district. Wanping City was first built in 1638 to protect Beijing. The Marco Polo Bridge is next to the museum. The Marco Polo Bridge Incident occurred there on July 7, 1937. This bridge incident is said to be the first recorded site of Chinese resistance.
Inside the Museum of the Chinese People Resistance Against Japan, over 3800 photographs await. Also see 5000 cultural relics and artifacts. Timelines, interactive maps, and songs enhance the experience. A hologram diorama shows villagers resisting the Japanese.
Grainy black and white photos document the historical events in Nanking. These are some of the more emotive and shocking images in the Museum of the Chinese People Resistance Against Japan. Equipment used for torture highlights the brutality of the Japanese occupation. The museum also marks modern China’s achievements from the eighties and nineties.
Outside the Museum of the Chinese People Resistance Against Japan, visit the War of Resistance Square. Check out the Stone Drum Park sculpture memorial garden. Opened on July 7, 2003, the square and garden span over 85000 square meters. Thirty-eight bronze sculpture pillars tower at 4.3 meters high. A lion symbolizes the awakening of the Chinese people. The garden features Chinese pines and stone boulder drum replicas. These are inscribed with calligraphy.
Nearby, the Marco Polo Bridge crosses the Yongding River. It was first constructed in 1189. The bridge is a protected national cultural relic. It measures 235 meters long. Carved miniature lion heads decorate the bridge. Marco Polo wrote about the bridge in his travels.
The Museum of the Chinese People Resistance Against Japan aims at domestic and foreign visitors. It has had several exhibitions outside China. The museum has undergone many developments since it was founded in 1987. It expanded from 1320 square meters to over 6000 square meters.
Inside the museum is the Main Hall, which shows the Japanese invasion from 1931 to 1945. There is also the Hall of Japanese Military Atrocities. The Hall of the People’s War describes the CCP’s use of guerrilla warfare. Finally, the Hall of Martyrs of the War of Resistance is a monument to fallen soldiers.
The Museum of the Chinese People Resistance Against Japan uses various techniques to create a solemn atmosphere. Emotional language and varied tones emphasize the Japanese atrocities. One of the most important techniques is the use of dioramas.
The Hall of the Lugou Qiao Incident employs painting, sculpture, and acoustics. It uses these techniques to exhibit the theme. The hall plays documentaries of the Lugou Incident.
The Museum of the Chinese People Resistance Against Japan is a comprehensive memorial. It shows the undying tenacity and nationalistic commitment of the Chinese. It stands as a reminder of China’s commitment to modernization and world peace.