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From north to south, from east to west, the 1.3 billion people on the Chinese mainland are commemorating the WWII victory achieved six decades ago and wishing for eternal peace in the world.
This year marks the 60th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's Resistance War Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-fascist War.
On Sept. 2, 1945, the Japanese government signed the capitulation at a surrender signing ceremony held on the American warship Missouri.
Therefore, Sept. 3 has become a significant day ever since to mark the war victory and Chinese commemorative activities reached a climax Saturday as the public across the country are taking various forms to express their resentment for war and wish for peace.
In Harbin, capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, the Municipal Library staged an exhibition for high schools and communities to display the evidences that testify the invasion of the Japanese militarists during the WWII. Altogether more than 300 material objects, documents, and photos were on display.
The exhibition is in an effort to carry a patriotic education on the primary and high school students, a staff with the library said.
In Changchun, capital of northeast China's Jilin Province, a memorial hall of miners' tomb opened to exhibit the bloody history when the Japanese militarists occupied the province and slaved many Chinese laborers as miners.
"I was forced to work as a miner only 14 years old and I saw for myself many miners died, buried alive or thrown to the mouths of dogs," said Ge Yuchun in tears.
"We must not forget the shame of the country," he said.
In Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province, a peace rally was held, participated by veterans, survivors of the notorious Nanjing Massacre, students and citizens.
"It is a special day today, we specially set up a 'triumphal arch' decorated with 'V' and 'PEACE' outside the memorial. That is to show Chinese determination of carrying forward the spirit of resisting war and adhering to the road of peaceful development," said Zhu Chengshan, curator of the Memorial Hall of the Victims in the Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders.
"We will never allow the tragedy in history to recur again," he said.
In Shanghai, thousand of citizens witnessed the inauguration of a 1.5-ton "bell of peace" built for the commemoration of the war victory.
On the bell in graved with the words "keep history firmly in mind, never forget the past, cherish peace and create a better future."
At 8:15 AM Saturday, the citizens tolled the huge bell for 60strikes and meanwhile 1,500 doves of peace were released into the sky.
On Saturday, many Chinese also listened to the speech via TV delivered by President Hu Jintao at a grand gathering that commemorated the war.
Hu, in the speech, reminded the Japanese government of its commitment regarding historical issues and urged the Japanese Government and its leaders to take a highly responsible attitude toward history in order to "avoid the repetition of historical tragedies."
"The speech is inspiring. What the President has said on the China-Japan relations just represents what we Chinese people actually think," said Yang Yanhui with the Hebei Normal University in Shijiazhuang, capital of north China's Hebei Province.
While Su Zhenhai, a citizen in Qingdao City, east China's Shandong Province, was impressed mostly by Hu's words on peace.
"President Hu's speech is a clear demonstration of Chinese people's attitude toward peace to the whole world: we love peace, we pursue peace, but we are always ready to fight for peace," he said.
(Xinhua News Agency September 4, 2005)
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