Illustrated story revives tragedy of Nanjing Massacre survivors (5)

The combo picture shows the portrait, signature of Li Gaoshan and illustrated story reviving his tragedy based on facts. Born on Feb. 24, 1925, Li is a survivor of Nanjing Massacre, a heinous crime committed by the Japanese militarists during World War II in 1937, in Nanjing, then capital of China. In the winter of 1937, then 13-year old Li served as a soldier guarding Nanjing. After handing over his arms and surrendered, he and hundreds of his battle companions were escorted to enclosed houses, then confronting with wild machine gun blasting and massive fire. Almost every bare-handed prisoner of war there died on the spot, most fortunately, Li survived thanks to his short stature. The year 2017 marks the 80th anniversary of the Nanjing Massacre, in which more than 300,000 Chinese were killed by the Japanese invaders who occupied Nanjing on Dec. 13, 1937, marking the start of six weeks of destruction, pillage, rape and slaughter in the city. There are only less than 100 living survivors of the atrocity. Reporters from Xinhua spent many years to look for the survivors of Nanjing Massacre and record their current lives. (Xinhua/Photo by Han Yuqing, Illustrated by Chen Congying)