Once again, it is September 18th.

Ninety-four years have passed,

yet the scars of history remain clear.

The pain of that autumn night in 1931

is forever etched deep in the bloodline of the Chinese people.

At this moment,

alarms sound simultaneously across the nation—

from cities to villages,

from borderlands to islands,

the entire Chinese nation

stands in solemn silence,

remembering together.

Ninety-four years of trials and hardships, ninety-four years of forging ahead,

yet the bell of history

still strikes the hearts of generations of Chinese people.

That night,

national calamity descended.

On the night of September 18, 1931,

Japanese forces staged a false flag operation,

blowing up a section of the South Manchuria Railway at Liutiaohu,

falsely blaming Chinese troops,

and then bombarded the Beidaying barracks,

attacking the city of Shenyang.

The entrance to the former site of the Beidaying barracks.
The former site of the Beidaying barracks.

Flames reddened the sky,

gunfire tore through the long night.

The defenders of Beidaying rose to fight back,

countless compatriots awakened from their sleep.

Under the artillery fire,

blood stained the barracks,

homes turned to scorched earth,

cries shook heaven and earth.

In 6 hours,

the Northeast Army’s Beidaying fell;

in 8 hours,

the entire city of Shenyang was captured by the enemy;

in just over 4 months,

the entire Northeast, 1.28 million square kilometers, was occupied.

Bones of victims buried alive by Japanese troops, displayed at the Shenyang “September 18” History Museum.

Thirty million Northeastern compatriots

endured fourteen years of suffering as conquered people.

For a full 14 years,

most of China was trampled under the iron heel of the Japanese army—

over 930 cities fell,

more than 35 million compatriots were killed or wounded,

42 million refugees were left homeless.

Remains of compatriots killed by Japanese puppet forces in Rehe during the creation of “collective villages,” displayed at the Shenyang “September 18” History Museum.</figcaption

South Manchuria Railway

The South Manchuria Railway was a key Japanese-controlled railway company established in 1906 following the Russo-Japanese War, operating in northeastern China. It served as a central instrument of Japanese imperial expansion and economic development in the region of Manchuria. The company’s activities extended far beyond transportation, as it managed ports, mines, and entire towns, profoundly shaping the area’s economy and infrastructure.

Liutiaohu

Liutiaohu, also known as Willow Lake, is a scenic reservoir and park located in the city of Benxi, China. It was originally formed by a dam constructed on the Taizi River in the 20th century. The site is renowned for its stunning natural beauty, featuring clear waters surrounded by willow trees and dramatic limestone cliffs.

Beidaying barracks

The Beidaying Barracks are a historic military complex in Tianjin, China, originally built in 1902 to station soldiers from eight Western nations during the Boxer Rebellion. They are a significant relic of the foreign concessions era and now serve as a preserved historical and cultural district.

Shenyang

Shenyang is the capital of Liaoning province in northeast China, historically significant as the former capital of the Qing dynasty before its conquest of Beijing. The city is home to the UNESCO-listed Shenyang Imperial Palace, a 17th-century complex that served as the dynasty’s original palace and showcases Manchu architectural traditions.

Shenyang “September 18” History Museum

The Shenyang “September 18” History Museum commemorates the Mukden Incident of September 18, 1931, a staged event used by the Japanese Kwantung Army as a pretext to invade and occupy Northeast China. Located at the site of the incident’s explosion, the museum’s exhibits document the subsequent 14-year occupation and the resistance of the Chinese people. It serves as a major patriotic education base, reminding visitors of this period of national humiliation.

Rehe

Rehe, also known as Chengde, is a city in Hebei Province, China, famous for the Mountain Resort and its Outlying Temples. This UNESCO World Heritage Site was constructed in the 18th century as a summer palace and hunting ground for the Qing Dynasty emperors, serving as a second political center away from Beijing. Its complex of palaces, gardens, and temples represents a fusion of Han, Mongolian, and Tibetan architectural styles.