"Massacre of Chinese People"... Controversy Over Kimono-Clad Woman Appearing in Nanjing

Photo in Kimono at Nanjing Temple
"Aren't You Embarrassed?"... Chinese Netizens Outraged

A photo of a woman visiting a temple in Nanjing, China, dressed in the traditional Japanese attire 'kimono' has sparked controversy among Chinese netizens. Nanjing is known as the city where Japanese troops massacred Chinese people in 1937.

According to Chinese media outlet 'Jimu News' on the 21st (local time), a woman wearing a kimono was recently seen taking commemorative photos at Gyeongmyeongsa, a temple on the outskirts of Nanjing, which was posted on Weibo (the Chinese version of Twitter). In the photo, the woman is holding a parasol and posing in front of fully bloomed cherry blossom trees.

The media reported that Gyeongmyeongsa is one of the oldest temples in Nanjing and attracts tourists every spring to view the cherry blossoms. The woman in the photo is known to be a Chinese woman in her 20s.

A Chinese woman wearing a traditional Japanese kimono taking photos. [Image source=Weibo]

It is reported that some people at the scene criticized the woman during the photo shoot. Additionally, some residents reported her to the local police station, and an actual police official told 'Jimu News,' "We received a report that someone was wearing a kimono and taking photos at Gyeongmyeongsa." However, the woman reportedly ignored this and continued taking photos.

Chinese netizens who saw the photo poured out criticism. Comments such as "Isn't she ashamed even though this is Nanjing?", "How can someone wear traditional Japanese clothing at the site where the Japanese massacred Chinese people?", and "If you like Japan so much, go to Japan" were common. However, some netizens defended the woman, saying, "Are you saying we shouldn't consume Japanese culture like food, cars, and movies either?"

Nanjing, the City Where 300,000 Were Massacred by Japan in the 'Nanjing Massacre'

The reason Chinese people reacted sensitively to the woman's photo is because the location was Gyeongmyeongsa Temple in Nanjing. Gyeongmyeongsa was used as a communication post by Chinese forces during the Second Sino-Japanese War in 1937.

Moreover, Nanjing is the city where the 'Nanjing Massacre' occurred, in which Japanese troops indiscriminately slaughtered Chinese soldiers who had surrendered and civilians, committing various war crimes such as arson and sexual assault.

At the end of 1937, the Chinese army defeated in Nanjing surrendered to the Japanese army, but the Japanese troops stationed in Nanjing massacred civilians and soldiers over about six weeks until January of the following year. The exact number of casualties is unknown, but it is estimated to be around 300,000.

Even today, the Nanjing Massacre remains a traumatic memory in Chinese society. Since 2014, December 13 has been designated as the 'National Memorial Day for the Victims of the Nanjing Massacre' and is commemorated annually. In 2009, the Chinese film 'Nanjing Nanjing,' which deals with the war crimes of the Japanese Empire during the Nanjing Massacre, was also produced.