Source title: The Anti-Japanese War Memorial Hall reopens with a view of the “Beacon Fire Mark” looking back at the history of the Anti-Japanese War in Beijing
In order to commemorate the 85th anniversary of the outbreak of the Anti-Japanese War, on July 7, the Memorial Hall of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance once morest Japanese Aggression was reopened, and the “Mark of the Beacon Fire – Special Exhibition on the Theme of the Anti-Japanese War in Beijing” opened. The 200 photos and 50 pieces (sets) of precious cultural relics vividly show Beijing’s rich cultural resources of the Anti-Japanese War, and comprehensively reflect the history of the Anti-Japanese War in Beijing.
“This is the first time that the Anti-Japanese War Museum has included the anti-Japanese war memorial facilities and relics in Beijing as the main content of the exhibition.” Luo Cunkang, secretary of the Party Committee and curator of the Anti-Japanese War Museum, introduced that the exhibition is divided into “the core exhibition area of the national memorial site for the outbreak of the Anti-Japanese War” and “the important memorial facilities for the Anti-Japanese War.” The three parts of “Exhibition Area” and “Important Exhibition Area for Anti-Japanese War Relics” display more than 160 key memorial facilities and relics in the Anti-Japanese War themed area in Beijing.
A steel helmet with a broken top is one of the highlights of the exhibition. “This is the steel helmet of the 29th Army soldiers unearthed during the restoration of the Wanping City Wall in 1985. The large and small bullet holes on it have witnessed the tragic war of that year.” Luo Cunkang said that this steel helmet also reflects the indomitable spirit of the Chinese army.
On February 1, 1940, Xiao Ke, the commander of the Jirechajin advance, reported to the Central Military Commission the strategy of the “Trinity” of Jirechajin’s advance; on February 11, the Military Commission returned a call affirming it. Today, the manuscript of Xiao Ke’s report on Jirecha’s work to the Military Commission and the copy of the call back from the Military Commission to Xiao Ke and the Military and Political Committee are displayed in the exhibition hall. “This set of precious manuscripts and transcripts of the call backs truly records the extraordinary process of Jirecha’s advance and development.” Luo Cunkang said that the cultural relics were donated by Xiao Ke to the Anti-Japanese War Museum in 1990.
Some exhibits are on public display for the first time. The Illustrated London News, founded in 1842, is the world’s first weekly news magazine focusing on pictures. From 1937 to January 1938, the weekly opened a column called “Site of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression” and continuously published reports on China’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. An overseas Chinese donated the hardcover bound volume of the weekly magazine from July to September 1937 to the Anti-Japanese War Museum. In this exhibition, on the basis of the originals, the old photos were digitally processed for the audience to enlarge and watch on the touch screen. After being bombarded by the Japanese army, the dilapidated gate of Wanping City, the soldiers of the 29th Army who were waiting with big swords on their backs… One following another black and white photos bring the audience back to that war-torn era.
