READING AND WRITING
JAPANESE WOMEN'S TEXTS

Cindy Yuen-Chau Chan and Akiko Tsutsui

In memory of Minnie Vautrin (1886~1941), who brought Cindy and Akiko together

This history of Japanese aggression in the 19th and 20th centuries has greatly affected the lives of all Asian peoples. We feel that the Japanese must confront this issue to honour the truth and the victims and to heal the victims' sufferings.

Japanese and Chinese women's art and writings on this subject have been our inspiration. We also have been inspired by the work of Minnie Vautrin, an American missionary, whose work serves as the basis of our collaboration. Her work is hardly known to the world outside of China. We hope to remedy this with our presentation.

On December 13 of 1937 the Japanese Imperial Army occupied Nanjing. They brutally murdered 300,000 Chinese people, plundered and burned the area. This is known as the Nanjing Datusha, meaning the carnage of Nanjing in Chinese. In addition Japanese soldiers savagely raped tens of thousands of Chinese women.

At Ginling Women's College, Minnie Vautrin arranged meals and health management for large numbers of refugees. She volunteered to take care of dying Chinese soldiers, helped women with locating their missing male kin and tried to preserve people's houses and properties. She even dealt with the night soil of refugees herself.

In deep grief and indignation Minnie witnessed the Japanese atrocities and made every effort to rescue Chinese people. Insufficient sleep, malnutrition and extreme strain depleted Minnie both mentally and physically. Eventually she had a nervous breakdown.

On May 14 of the following year of 1941, exactly after one year she left China, she took her own life while she was alone.

During the Fifteen Years War of Japanese aggression (1931-1945), the Japanese Imperial Army murdered at least 18 million people, most of whom were Asians, using many cruel methods.

In her wrath and deep grief at the actions of Japanese soldiers, Minnie Vautrin wrote, "How ashamed the women of Japan would be if they knew these tales of horror.... If the women of Japan knew of the savage and cruel treatment meted out by the soldiers -their husbands and sons - I wonder what they would think?"

Nanjing 1937. Women's bodies	Nanjing 1937. Babies' bodies

Top of Page

 For further information, contact:

| University of Alberta | Faculty of Arts |
| Economic Development Edmonton | Edmonton Tourism |

| Top of Page |

BEST VIEWED WITH

| Webmaster |