Iris Chang's legacy remains an inspiration to youth

Twenty years after Chinese American historian and author Iris Chang's passing, her determination to seek truth and justice continues to inspire a new generation of young people to explore overlooked chapters of history, particularly the Nanjing Massacre, which she brought to Western attention through her groundbreaking work.

Chang's most influential work, The Rape of Nanking: The Forgotten Holocaust of World War II, published in 1997, chronicled one of human history's darkest chapters.

When Japanese forces captured the Chinese city of Nanjing, formerly known as Nanking, on Dec 13, 1937, they unleashed a six-week campaign of terror, claiming the lives of 300,000 Chinese civilians and unarmed soldiers.

At the Iris Chang Memorial Park in San Jose, California, a group of students gather monthly to maintain the park.

Their commitment is more than just community service. For them, the park represents a gateway to understanding a crucial yet often neglected chapter of World War II history.

When Jun Le Lim, 15, first visited the park, he assumed it was "just another park cleanup" for volunteers. But what started as routine volunteer work has transformed into a meaningful three-year commitment to preserving an important legacy.

"If it's well maintained, people will come and learn about who Iris Chang was and what she accomplished," said the student at Irvington High School in Fremont. "It's important to preserve her legacy and help others understand her impact on the world."

The park, inaugurated in 2019 in memory of Chang, features a monument inscribed with her inspiring quote "Power of One". The quote reflects her belief that a single individual can make an enormous difference in the world.

The message resonates strongly with young volunteers like Lim, who interpret it as a call to action. "It only takes one person to speak up and raise awareness. One voice can make a difference," he said.

Despite its magnitude, the Nanjing atrocity has often been overshadowed by other World War II events in Western historical accounts. Chang's book became a bestseller and introduced many Western readers to the tragic history for the first time.

The park cleanup program, initiated five years ago by the Silicon Valleybased Hanlin Education Foundation of America, has grown from just three participants to a regular group of 15 to 20 students every month.

Song Gao, director of the foundation's youth division, said volunteers help maintain the monument, remove weeds, pick up litter and address maintenance issues.

"Many volunteers continue their involvement even after entering college and often bring friends and siblings to join the program," she added. To help the students better understand the history, the foundation hands out flyers and Chang's books.

Chang also authored two other books documenting Chinese and Chinese American historical experiences before her life tragically ended on Nov 9, 2004. During her research for her fourth book at the age of 36, Chang took her own life after losing a battle with depression.

Her passing left unfinished her mission to raise awareness about Chinese suffering during World War II, particularly among younger generations.

The author's commitment to confronting injustice remained unwavering throughout her life. Though born in the United States, Chang maintained a deep connection to Chinese history, conducting extensive research in China and interviewing survivors of the massacre. She consistently advocated for Japanese acknowledgment of the atrocities.

Chang's legacy continues through initiatives like the recent "Iris Chang, I Remember You" art and writing competition organized by the Hanlin Education Foundation and others. The competition has drawn international participation from the US, China and Spain, featuring creative works from participants ages 4 to 16.

Frank Shau, 17, a senior at Independence High School in San Jose, was deeply moved after reading Chang's Rape of Nanking. "The personal accounts were devastating to read," he said. "I was shocked that such a significant historical event received so little attention in mainstream media or education."