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Unit 4—Handout 13
Survivor Testimony of Madame Xia Shuqin, Survivor of the Nanking
Massacre, 77 years old — Interviewed in 2006, Nanjing
When were you born?
I was born on May 5, 1929. I am 77 years old [in 2006].
My family had nine members, including my maternal grandparents, my parents and four siblings. I am
the middle child.
Growing up, we rented our home from Mr. Ha of the Muslim minority.
On December 13, what happened to your family?
At 10 AM, Japanese soldiers came to where we lived led by Mr. Ha. The door opened and 20 to 30
soldiers came running into the house. The Japanese soldiers immediately killed my father. Mr. Ha was also
killed. My mother hid under the table with my baby sister. We weren’t prepared for the soldiers to come. We
thought it was just another air raid!
The Japanese soldiers found my mother. They killed my baby sister by throwing her on the ground.
Then they raped my mother.
My grandparents took the four remaining children into their room and hid in the attached room, but we
were still found. The children hid under the bed. Our grandparents died trying to protect us. The Japanese
soldiers found us. They threw the blankets off the bed, took my older sister, who was fi fteen years old and
gang raped her on the bed. They took my second eldest sister, who was thirteen years old and gang raped her
on the table. A Japanese soldier stabbed me three times on the arm, in the shoulder and on the back.
Whenever I recall this, I can’t help crying.
My younger sister, who was four, was crying for our mom. We left the bed and saw the bodies of our
grandparents beside the bed. We then found the body of my mom. My younger sister was still crying for her
mom. Both of our older sisters were dead.
There was nothing I could do; I was so young, only seven years old. In a short time, everyone in our
family had been killed except for my younger sister and myself. We hid in a corner of the house, under a
table. We stayed there all day and only came out at night. We ate rice cakes my mother had been saving for
the air raids.
How did you get to the International Safety Zone?
Ten days later, an elderly lady came by the house on her way to the International Safety Zone and heard
us. She took us to a home to care for us. My stab wound was deep and there was medicine so she cauterized
it. She gave us some congee [rice porridge] and we started to feel better.
She then took us into the International Safety Zone. They took us in and fed us. In the Zone, we met a
few foreigners, who were American, British, and German. John Rabe and John Magee took photographs of
us. It was only much later in life when a researcher showed me their photos that I realized who they were. It
was because of their assistance that we survived.
When the International Safety Zone was disbanded, we tried to go with my uncle, but he had three
children of his own and couldn’t provide for us all. My younger sister was sent to an orphanage. I went to
live with my uncle. I found my sister years later. She had been taken care of by distant relatives.
Tell us about the court cases against you.
Many years have passed and I have been telling my stories. I have been sued in Japanese courts for
providing false testimony, but I counter-sued for defamation of my character. I even went to Tokyo to
respond to the allegations.* It was only then that they withdrew the case against me.
When I was sued in the Japanese court, I cried myself blind! I was very angry. I was a victim and a
survivor. Now, I am 77 years old. How could I provide such false testimony?
*Mme. Xia received support from Japanese civilians and lawyers when she went to court in Japan.
Japanese lawyers helped her respond in Tokyo.
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