Former “comfort woman” Mao Yinmei and documentary crew members

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Aug. 14 is the fifth International Memorial Day for Comfort Women. To mark the occasion, a Chinese movie titled Twenty-Two, which depicts the present-day lives of former “comfort women,” was released in the country. This is the first time that a documentary on “comfort women” has been screened in China, and it is the fruit of public participation and support. It showcases that Chinese people will never forget the lessons drawn on that period of history. Born in the 1980s, director Guo Ke and his crew focused their lenses on former “comfort women” and recorded a final homage to this group in two documentaries: Thirty-Three and Twenty-Two.

Unlike other movies that reflect miseries of war, Twenty-Two captures the echoes of history through stories of everyday life rather than dramatic scenes. Guo didn’t adopt magnificent music or sentimental narration. He probed the memories of 22 old women by recording their ordinary lives in a restrained way. In the trailer, the old women’s names are framed in white to inform viewers that they have passed. About 25 “comfort women” have died since 2013.

The old women require great courage and persistence to share their hardships with the world. It is painful for them to recall the past, but these reflections help to break the silence so that society can properly treat and protect victims of war, thus helping them to live a normal life. Meanwhile, the film serves as a record of Japan’s war crimes, including the widespread use of sexual slavery in China.

In the process of rapid development, we should create room for war memories by emphasizing preservation of such historical sites as government offices, former residences, comfort stations and mass graves. At present, fewer than 20 former “comfort women” remain alive, their average age is over 90. I hope more Chinese, especially youth, can go to cinemas to experience the scars of war and ponder how to safeguard peace. Recording scars of pain is recording history.

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the outbreak of the nationwide War of Resistance Against Japanese Agression. History appears to have gone away, but actually it always stays around us. Only when everyone participates and contributes to the cause of peace, can the sufferings of war be avoided in the future.

 

Su Zhiliang is a professor from Shanghai Normal University and the Curator of Nanjing Comfort Stations, Liji Lane Site Museum. The article is translated from People’s Daily.