We were saddened to learn that Wu Xiuying, a survivor of the Nanjing Massacre passed away on January 10 at the age of 92.

    Testimony: My name is Wu Xiuying, I was born on May 25, 1933. In 1937, my family lived near Daxinggong on Taiping South Road. My father, Wu Laihua, owned a tub and bucket store on South Taiping Road, Youfu West Street. My family also included my mother, Lady Wu Huang, my older sister and my younger sister.

When the Japanese army invaded Nanjing, they bombarded the city indiscriminately with aircraft and artillery. Our entire family fled to a refugee camp near Wutai Mountain. We brought some rice with us, and the refugee center provided thin porridge. We lived there for several months. After the so-called "pacification," we returned home to find that the one and a half rooms we had rented had been burned down. One day, my father went out and was captured by Japanese soldiers on his way back. They forced him to do hard labor, carrying wood for more than half a month. He was severely beaten—the Japanese whipped him with belts and subjected him to great suffering. Later, when they sent him to buy cigarettes, he seized the chance to escape and was able to survive.

The Japanese army also raped and gang-raped women everywhere. To avoid assault, my mother and sister smeared black soot from the bottom of pots on their faces each day.

In her later years, Wu Xiuying lived a happy life surrounded by her children and grandchildren. Last Mid-Autumn Festival, our staff and Zijin Grass volunteers visited her to deliver holiday blessings. She warmly chatted with us about her family life and urged the younger generation to never forget history, to study hard, work diligently, and serve our country in the future.

On the 2024 Mid-Autumn Festival, our staff and volunteers visited the elderly survivor to offer holiday greetings

In 2022, our staff celebrated her birthday with her