September 3 marks victory day in the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, and the world’s war against fascism. Ahead of the celebration, people across China, young and old, visit museums and other sites in honor of the day and those who died at war.
93-year-old Chinese veteran is making a salute to the statues of respected generals. /CGTN Photo
93-year-old Wei Taihe, a veteran who joined the Eighth Route Army at the age of 12, is one of the visitors to the Eighth Route Army Revolutionary Memorial Museum in Wuxiang County in north China’s Shanxi Province.
The Eighth Route Army Revolutionary Memorial Museum has received over 4.2 million guests since it opened in 2012. /CGTN Photo
In front of the statues of his respected generals, Wei is making a solemn salute.
Walking around the memorial museum, he remembers well the days he and his fellow Chinese soldiers fought against Japanese invaders. He’ll never forget the brutality of the people he faced on the battlefield.
Wei still remembers the brutality of the Japanese invaders. /CGTN Photo
Wei recalls that once during a battlefield, he found the body of one of his close fellow soldiers, who was stabbed 26 times by the Japanese invaders.
His face was even stabbed beyond recognition. Wei cried bitterly at the scene and he couldn’t understand why the Japanese invaders were so inhuman.
Wei lives in a nursing home over one hundred kilometers away. But he still comes to visit this memorial museum several times a year.
He said the country was built on the tremendous sacrifices of the lives of the Chinese army and the people. Not only their generation, but the next generations should never forget history. Only in this way can people cherish the peaceful life that they’re having now.
The Chinese Eighth Route Army has made tremendous sacrifices in the war against Japanese aggression. /CGTN Photo
Official data showed the museum takes in around a million visitors every year. The number of young guests has been increasing, which should be encouraging for people like Wei.
The number of young visitors has been rising in recent years. /CGTN Photo
Many young visitors said they feel so impressed by the spirit of the Chinese Communist Party during the war.
The peace that they have now was won with blood and lives of the Chinese army and the people. Some also said learning more about history will encourage them to inherit the spirit and work harder to make more contributions to the country.