Nanjing with Emily
09.01.2020 - 10.01.2020
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It was about 11 a.m. when I checked into the nice hotel in Nanjing's old town. I headed to the Nanjing Museum on another free share bike. It was 7 km away and a little rainy, so I guess that contributed to my subsequent illness. The museum was new and way too big for me to see everything.
When it closed, I went to see the palace ruins and a couple of city gates on my cycle home. Emily got there just after I did, and then we went out for hot pot. There was a pig made out of soup stock that melted into the pot as we ate. So sad.
We slept in again and then went to the Nanjing Massacre Memorial. When I first entered the building and was greeted by hundreds of photos of victims, I was overcome and immediately began crying. All of the faces, quite literally looking down from heaven were very touching. The rest of the museum was overwhelmingly informative. All the facts of the Japanese invasion were written down and proven with mind numbing detail. There was no way anyone could claim it didn't happen. Three hundred thousand victims in less than a week is astounding but this museum made it easy to see how the Japanese accomplished this exact feat. An interesting aspect of the museum was the corner for foreigners who helped smuggle letters, photos and videos about the event. I found this fascinating. The Chinese people really relied on foreigners for their message to get out. There were also a few businessmen and teachers who sheltered refugees. Somehow, the presence of foreigners at that time was a safety net for the victims. I rounded one corner and was met by a video of women recounting rape stories. To my horror, this was the most popular exhibit in the entire place. People had crowded around a tiny screen to hear all the titillating details of the countless women and girls who were raped and killed at this time. I was utterly disgusted . Is it that important to revel in these details? Why is just knowing that not enough. Why do these sick puppies have to hear about all the details? The amplification of such pointlessness subtracts from the enormity and seriousness of the atrocity.
After seeing those curious gawkers, I could not learn anymore about this event. I strolled through the rest of the exhibits feeling numb and angry. I met Emily at the exit and we tried to warm ourselves up with a late hot pot lunch. At this point, my body had already succumbed to illness. I ached and could barely stand. We made it back to the hotel after taking the wrong bus for a bit. I thoroughly enjoyed a nice hot shower and soft, warm bed.
Posted by baixing 06:16 Archived in China Tagged nanjing jiangsu
