Imagine a school holiday trip to a war zone… but it’s a film set! China’s “Dead to Rights” movie set, depicting the Nanjing Massacre, has become an unexpected attraction for young students. They’re exploring ravaged streets and taking selfies amidst simulated machine-gun fire. What kind of historical lessons are being absorbed in this unique environment?

The cinematic recreation of the 1937 Nanjing Massacre has unexpectedly become a popular attraction for Chinese schoolchildren during their holidays, transforming a historical tragedy into a tangible, if solemn, educational experience.

Located within a sprawling suburban Shanghai film park, the meticulously detailed set of “Dead to Rights,” a critically acclaimed Chinese film depicting the horrific events of 1937, now stands open to the public. Visitors are immersed in the ravaged streets and collapsed buildings of 1930s Nanjing.

“Dead to Rights” vividly portrays the six weeks of mass murder, rape, and looting inflicted by the Japanese army in Nanjing, then China’s capital. Despite its harrowing depiction of atrocities, the star-studded blockbuster has achieved immense box office success since its late July release, underscoring its cultural significance.

When AFP correspondents visited, the Nanjing Massacre film set was bustling with enthusiastic fans, many of whom were young children. The scene, complete with the simulated sounds of machine gun fire, offered a striking backdrop for selfies and live streams, as visitors navigated a bullet-ridden landscape and explored bombed-out structures, turning a site of historical education into a unique cultural tourism destination.

An enormous mural of China’s former leader, Chiang Kai-shek, scarred by simulated bullets, loomed over the set, adding to the somber atmosphere. Children, often posing with Chinese flags on mounds of rubble, captured photographs against the summer sky, reflecting a mix of national pride and historical engagement with war history.

The film’s narrative centers on a group of Nanjing residents sheltered in a photo studio, forced to process “souvenir” photographs of Japanese war crimes. While praised by the South China Morning Post as “thunderously powerful,” some critics noted that certain violent scenes appeared engineered to intensify anti-Japanese sentiment within Chinese cinema.

The exact death toll of the Nanjing Massacre, which China claims to be 300,000, remains a contentious subject. Despite overwhelming international evidence, some Japanese ultra-conservatives continue to deny its occurrence. The film set experience contributes to the ongoing public discourse surrounding this dark chapter in history.

Interestingly, many parents encountered by AFP confirmed their children had seen the “Dead to Rights” movie, with one mother from Nanjing indicating school encouragement. This reflects China’s lack of a film rating system, where children often watch content considered too violent in other countries, highlighting a unique cultural approach to historical education through media.