The Nanjing Massacre in the works of Chinese and Japanese artists: Resentment and awareness of tragedy

The article is devoted to a comparative analysis of the memory of the Nanjing Massacre as depicted in the works of Chinese and Japanese artists in the post-war period. The events in Nanjing, that took place after the capture of the city by the Japanese army in December 1937, when, according to different estimates, as a result of mass killings, torture, and rape of civilian population by Japanese soldiers, from 40,000 to 400,000 people died, still remain the subject of serious contentions between China and Japan. For each of the countries, this memory remains a severe historical trauma, with China feeling resentment towards its neighbor, and Japan experiencing a loss of face due to defeat in the war and continuing accusations of war crimes. Studying the evolution of how the memory of the Nanjing Massacre has been portrayed through art is crucial for understanding how the countries cope with this chapter in their history and identifying the causes of the ongoing conflict.
The first part of the article is dedicated to the ideologization of the Nanjing problem in the People’s Republic of China and the analysis of the works of Chinese artists that were created in these conditions. The second part presents the works of art dedicated to the Nanjing Massacre created in post-war Japan and draws conclusions about the attitude of the Japanese artistic community towards the tragedy. The author adopts a comprehensive approach, examining the social and political conditions, the historical background, and the motivation of each artist. Special attention in paid to the controversy around the Nanjing Massacre in Japan, which, through the lens of art, reflects the situation in Japanese society as a whole.
The author concludes that art can play a crucial role in enhancing mutual understanding between people and can serve as a tool for overcoming historical trauma. This, however, is only possible with a scientifically backed consensus on the Nanjing issue and provided that the memory is not unjustifiably politicized.

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