The Iris Chang Memorial Hall is the first museum dedicated to the life and work of Iris Chang — Chinese-American writer, daughter of Huai’an, historian, and human rights advocate. The hall stands in Huaiyin District of Huai’an City, on the north bank of the ancient Huai River, on a site of 36,000 square meters with about 1,000 square meters of exhibition space.
The hall’s back faces the land of Huaiyin and its front looks east. The architecture is dignified and restrained; the interior, plain and quiet. Its founding intention is fourfold: to keep the disgrace of history alive, to cherish peace, to remember those who stood up, and to call the next generation to do the same. The exhibition is organized around what cannot be forgotten, and is laid out across six galleries:
- The Parents’ Country Across the Ocean — the historical roots that bind the Chang family to Huaiyin.
- A Chinese Heart in the Diaspora — Iris Chang’s growing up overseas, and her abiding love for Chinese culture.
- Facing the Truth: The Rape of Nanking — the historical record of the atrocities of the Japanese army in Nanjing, the discovery of The Rabe Diaries and other primary sources, and the writing of Iris Chang’s defining book.
- Defender of History — Iris Chang’s tour of bookstores, lectures, and public debates across North America, all in service of a sense of justice that belongs to everyone.
- The Search That Could Not Be Stopped — her later books, Thread of the Silkworm (the life of Tsien Hsue-shen) and The Chinese in America, and the loyalty to Chinese cultural memory that ran through them.
- Light Cast on the World — the recognition and remembrance of Iris Chang’s brief, luminous life, both in China and abroad.
The hall opened officially on April 7, 2017. The Huai’an municipal government held a formal opening ceremony in honor of Iris Chang’s contribution. The hall stands by the bank of the Huai River, and is held in respect by Chinese readers at home and abroad, and by the international friends who come to learn what she gave us.
Hours: Tuesday – Sunday, 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM. Closed Mondays.
Address: Intersection of Nanchang North Road and Mu’ai Road, Huaiyin District, Huai’an City (across from the Huai’an Food and Drug Administration).
Telephone: +86 0517-84680328.
