Dennison and Minnie between the foreigners living in Nanjing and the Chinese citizens between teachers and students between those living in the dormitories and those not between men and women? Does any one person or group emerge victorious over another?ģ. In what ways is this novel about power relationships-between the Japanese and Chinese, between soldiers and civilians between Dr. Why does Ha Jin tell the story of Nanjing and Minnie Vautrin in Anling’s eyes and voice? What does her voice bring to the novel and to Minnie’s story? What are Anling’s strengths and weaknesses as a character and a narrator? Is her version of the events believable? Does her voice change over the course of the novel?Ģ.
In Minnie Vautrin, he has given us an indelible portrait of a woman whose convictions and bravery prove, in the end, to be no match for the maelstrom of history.Īt once epic and intimate, Nanjing Requiem is historical fiction at its most resonant. With extraordinarily evocative precision, Ha Jin recreates the terror, the harrowing deprivations, and the menace of unexpected violence that defined life in Nanjing during the occupation. Even when order and civility are eventually restored, Vautrin remains deeply embattled, and she is haunted by the lives she could not save.
In the aftermath of the invasion, the school becomes a refugee camp for more than ten thousand homeless women and children, and Vautrin must struggle, day after day, to intercede on behalf of the hapless victims. In 1937, with the Japanese poised to invade Nanjing, Minnie Vautrin-an American missionary and the dean of Jinling Women’s College-decides to remain at the school, convinced that her American citizenship will help her safeguard the welfare of the Chinese men and women who work there. Introduction Nanjing Requiem is a searing new novel that unfurls during one of the darkest moments of the twentieth century: the Rape of Nanjing. Marked by an unnerving austerity, best-selling and award-winning author Ha Jin examines a period in Chinese history wracked by inexplicable terror and miraculous resistance. These regressive behaviors have already triggered strong indignation of the Chinese people.”ĬNN’s Steven Jiang and Christy Chen contributed reporting from Beijing.The introduction, discussion questions, suggestions for further reading, and author biography that follow are designed to enhance your reading group’s discussion of Nanjing’s Requiem. “The more eager they are to do so, the more likely it will evoke people’s memory of the past.
“A small group of Japanese individuals are desperate to erase the historical crime,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said Monday. On Tuesday, China’s state-run news agency Xinhua described the incident as “only the tip of the iceberg of Japan’s ultra-right wing’s efforts to revise the nation’s war history.” In 2016, they became the biggest spenders of all foreign visitors to the country, spending over $13 billion, according to state media. Chris McGrath/Getty Images AsiaPac/Getty ImagesĪfter two Chinese tourists wrote about finding the book in their hotel room earlier this month, the issue blew up on Chinese social media, with many demanding for an apology from the chain and calling for a boycott.Ĭhinese tourists have been a huge boon to Japan’s economy in recent years. It was discussed in the Tokyo War Crimes trials following WWII, and in 2015 documents related to the incident were added to UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register.ĪPA did not respond to a request for comment on the claims of the book, and the chain said Tuesday it was still willing to accept reservations from Chinese tourists.Ĭhinese tourists spent about $13 billion in Japan last year. The book claims that figure is “absurd” and argues that the incident was “fabricated by the Chinese side and did not actually happen.” “Although we acknowledge that historic interpretation and education vary among nations, please clearly understand that the book is not aimed to criticize any specific state or nation, but for the purpose of letting readers learn the fact-based true interpretation of modern history,” the chain said.Īn estimated 300,000 people died during the Nanjing Massacre – a weeks-long spree of mass killings, rape and looting after the Japanese military occupied Nanjing in late 19. In a statement last week, APA defended its placement of the book – written by CEO Toshio Motoya – on the grounds of freedom of expression. Guards place wreaths at a ceremony to mark the anniversary of the Nanjing Massacre in China.
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