Museum helps remember major events

The Museum of the War of Chinese People's Resistance Against Japanese Aggression has carried out a series of activities and events since the start of this year to commemorate the 75th anniversary of victory in the war.

On Thursday morning, a commemoration will be held of the anniversary of victory in the 14-year war that started in 1931.

National leaders led by President Xi Jinping, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, will take part and will be joined by representatives from all walks of life.

In the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, which swept China this past spring and disrupted public life, the museum created online themed exhibitions and livestreaming content for members of the public. It redesigned the front page of its website to make it easier for visitors to check its contents.

The website offered a series of online publications about major events and touching moments during the war and historical relics that were used by Chinese soldiers and civilians in the fight against the Japanese invaders.

It also published stories of medical personnel and community workers who contributed greatly to this year's battle against the pandemic.

The museum has launched several livestreaming events on its Sina Weibo account in which its guides show major exhibits, tell war stories and converse with online viewers.

During the Tomb-Sweeping Day holiday in April this year, the museum opened a section on its website that included stories about war heroes and letters written by fallen soldiers, as well as videos and poems about medical workers and others participating in the fight against COVID-19.

The museum also made 14 short video episodes about stories and important people during the war and shared them with some media outlets. These videos became popular on the internet, with many viewers leaving comments saying they learned much from them about the Chinese people's struggle for freedom and independence.

In addition to online events, the museum has hosted several on-site activities since the coronavirus outbreak was basically contained in Beijing.

On July 7, it held a commemorative ceremony and a concert to mark the 83rd anniversary of the outbreak of the Lugou Bridge incident that sparked national resistance against the Japanese invaders.

The museum is located near Lugou Bridge, also known as Marco Polo Bridge, in the southwestern suburbs of Beijing.

On July 7, 1937, soldiers from the Imperial Japanese Army attacked Chinese forces at the bridge. While the event is generally recognized as the start of the nationwide war against the Japanese invasion, the struggle actually started in September 1931, when Japanese troops began an invasion of Northeast China.

The central government approved the founding of the museum in October 1984. After three years of construction and preparations, it opened on July 7,1987, the 50th anniversary of the start of Japan's full-scale invasion.

Over the past 33 years, the museum has held more than 150 themed exhibitions and received over 35 million visitors from home and abroad and has become a center for patriotic education.