Testimonies to the truth: Victims of the Nanjing Massacre share their heartbreaking stories with the world (4)

Testimony of Zhou Zhaokun

-"The Japanese soldier hacked my head and the three-inch scars are still visible today."

Testimony of Zhou Zhaokun, a victim of the Nanjing Massacre. (Photo by The Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders)

In 1937, my family lived at No. 178 Xiluchaichang. There were five people in our household: my father, who was in his 50s, my mother, my elder brother, my wife, and me. We made a living by weaving reed mat. One day before the Japanese army entered the city, my family moved to Sanchapai, which is now the Qingjiang village of Jiangdong township, and lived there.

At about 8 or 9 a.m. of the second day of the fall of Nanjing, I wanted to check the situation. Before I could make my way to Hanzhong Gate, several dozen Japanese soldiers were coming towards me. The officer in front came at me with a sword and immediately hacked me. I dodged to left, but was cut in the upper right side of the head, bleeding. Luckily my heavy cotton hat protected me to some extent, otherwise I would have been dead. Later a translator told the Japanese soldiers that I did not look like a soldier, so they let me go. I went home in pain, covering the wound, and I didn't dare to go out again. The wound on my head was treated with a dozen stitches, and it didn't heal until more than a month later. The three-inch scar is still visible today.