Divided into eight sections, the exhibition, which features 1,525 photographs and 3,237 artifacts, traces the 14-year war of resistance, highlighting the Chinese people's fight for survival and national revival, and a broader struggle for human justice.

"This time, not only are there many exhibits, but also about one-third of them are new collections," said Li Zhidong, deputy curator of the museum.

In addition to the existing exhibits of the museum, Li and his colleagues gathered a large number of cultural relics from donations, international exchanges, descendants of revolutionaries, and collectors. They also collected artifacts from over 50 other museums and memorials nationwide and organized four teams to search for cultural relics across the country.

"We visited villages and mountains in Shanxi and Shandong provinces, some of which are not even accessible by car. We hiked there because these places have cultural relics and the stories behind them have been passed down," Li said.

"Curating the exhibition was not just about reading history books, but also about experiencing and understanding history through artifacts and archives," he added.

Contact the writers at mojingxi@chinadaily.com.cn