Museum of the War of People’s Resistance Against Japanese Aggression
Build in 1987 the Museum of the War of Peoples Resistance Against Japanese Aggression中国人民抗日战争纪念馆 is located near Marco Polo Bridge, where the invasion by the Japanese started in 1937. The museum covers an area of 8,600 meters, with a statue of the “Lugou Awakening Lion 卢沟醒狮” in the center of the square in front of the museum. It symbolizes the awakening of the Chinese nation. There are seven lawns on each side of the central axis of the square, which symbolize the 7th July Incident and the 14-year long war against the Japanese. This war is also commemorated by the 14-meter-high national flag pole on the north side of the square.

The museum has always been one of the main commemorative institutions regarding the Sino-Japanese war. Over the years, it became more objective and scientific, according to a museum publication. In the second phase of building the museum, the exhibitions showed on one hand Chinas victory but on the other hand very graphic pictures narrated from victims of the war. Chinese patriotism instead of political ideology and the resistance of Chinese people against the Japanese imperialism were the main topics of the exhibitions. On the 60th anniversary of the Sino-Japanese war, on 7th July 2005, the victory over the Japan was celebrated with an exhibition “Great Victory 伟大胜利“. This exhibition was visited by high-ranked party members such as Wu Bangguo 吴邦国 (1941-), Wen Jiabao 温家宝 (1942-), Jia Qinglin 贾庆林 (1940-), Zeng Qinghong 曾庆红 (1939-), Huang Ju 黄菊 (1983-2007), Wu Guanzheng 吴官正 (1938-), Li Changchun 李长春 (1944-), as well as Luo Gan 罗干 (1935-). (Denton 2014: 140)
The cultural relics collected in the museum are historical objects and documents from the Sino-Japanese War from 1931 to 1945 and from Japan’s occupation of Taiwan since 1874. Economic, cultural, social, as well as military and political issues are covered by the historic relics. The museum’s collection includes more than 20,000 pieces.
Bibliography
Denton, Kirk A. (2014): Exhibiting the Past: Historical Memory and the Politics of Museum in Postsocialist China. Honolulu: University of Hawai’i Press.
Li Nan 李楠 (2012): Hongse Lüyou – Jing, Jin, Hu Lüxing Shengdi Daohang 红色旅游 – 京,津,红色旅行圣地导航. Changchun: Jilin Sheying chubanshe. Dianliang xinghuo hongse lüyou xilie congshu.
List of Pictures
Picture 1: Anti-Japanese War Memorial https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:%E4%B8%AD%E5%9B%BD%E4%BA%BA%E6%B0%91%E6%8A%97%E6%97%A5%E6%88%98%E4%BA%89%E7%BA%AA%E5%BF%B5%E9%A6%86.JPG, author: taken byor 三猎 [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)]
Featured image: Anti-Japanese War Memorial https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:AntijapaneseWarMemorialMuseum.jpg, author: taken by Fanghong [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)]