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9.18 Incident marked with bells, sirens
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SIRENS sounded and a huge bell tolled in Shenyang, capital of northeast China’s Liaoning Province, on Saturday in commemoration of the September 18 Incident 90 years ago that marked the start of Japan’s 14-year invasion of China.
Some 300 people gathered in front of the 9.18 Historical Museum in the morning. At 9:18am, 14 representatives from all walks of life struck a huge bell 14 times, symbolizing the arduous course of China’s 14-year-long war against Japanese aggressors. Air raid sirens wailed for 3 minutes, with pedestrians standing in silence and cars honking horns.
Zhang Jian, a 90-year-old veteran, said although 90 years have passed, Chinese people must not forget the painful war that caused tens of millions of casualties. “We must be prepared for danger in times of peace, bearing in mind that a backward country will be beaten. We should be united to build a strong country.”
On September 18, 1931, Japanese troops blew up a section of railway under their control near Shenyang and accused Chinese troops of sabotage as a pretext for the attack. Later that night, they bombed barracks near Shenyang, starting the bloody invasion.
Since 1995, it has been a routine for Shenyang to sound the alarm on September 18.
A blue bag embroidered with the word “TRUTH” is on display in the museum. Next to it lies a document of over 400 pages of facts written in Chinese and English, which were collected by nine patriots back then in Shenyang at the risk of their lives.
The document provided first-hand evidence of the Japanese invasion, helping China win support from the international community, said Fan Lihong, curator of the museum.
Just 3 kilometers from the museum, the Beidaying (Northern Grand Barracks) site that the Japanese troops bombarded is undergoing renovation and is set to reopen to visitors as an exhibition hall.
Other cities, including Harbin, Dalian, Changchun and Nanjing, also sounded sirens.
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