A major exhibition highlighting the shared wartime history of Guangdong and Hong Kong opened this week at the Guangzhou Uprising Museum. Titled "Flames of the Bay Area, Eternal Monument: Guangdong–Hong Kong History in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression," the exhibition brings together more than 200 artifacts, archival documents, and historical photographs that illustrate how people in Guangdong and Hong Kong, under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, resisted against Japanese aggression during World War II.
"We want to tell the story through objects," said Yi Xibing, Director of the Guangdong Revolutionary History Museum. "This exhibition features 209 items from our collection, including medals, weapons, publications, and personal belongings, some of which are nationally classified cultural relics."
One of the most eye-catching objects on display is a small iron canister once used by underground Party courier Chao Zijun to secretly transport documents. With a false bottom concealed under resin, the canister helped deliver critical communications while Chao worked under the guise of a primary school teacher during the war.
Other highlights include the Declaration of the Establishment of the Dongjiang Column of the Guangdong People's Guerrilla Force Against Japanese Aggression, issued in 1943 when the unit was formally established. The document, preserved by guerrilla fighter Mo Guangzhi and later donated to the museum, reflects the determination of local forces to resist against Japanese aggression and their firm support for the Communist Party.
Also on view is a historically significant passport issued in 1938 to General Ye Ting, enabling him to travel to Vietnam to raise funds for the resistance against Japanese aggression. Donated by his son in 1955, the faded document still bears a clear photograph and handwritten notes.
The exhibition combines historical artifacts with immersive experiences. Themed sections such as "The Bombing of Guangzhou," "Joint Struggle," and "The Secret Rescue Across Guangdong and Hong Kong" are presented through multimedia installations and recreated wartime scenes, offering visitors a vivid sense of life under the shadow of war. It's also part of a national program marking the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. It will run till January 4, 2026.
Reporter: Li Fangwang
Photo: Li Fangwang
Editor: Hu Nan, James Campion, Shen He
