Across China: American donor of Japanese war crime photo album embraces China trip

Standing in the park of the Temple of Heaven in central Beijing, Evan Kail from the United States opened a copy of a photo album, trying to figure out just how much things have changed over the past nearly 90 years.

The original album, dating back to World War II (WWII), features photos of China at that time, including ones that document the atrocities committed by Japanese invaders in China back then. It was donated to China by Kail, a pawnshop manager, in 2022. Two years after making this donation, Kail embarked on a month-long visit to China.

"I am here where all these photos were taken and to be physically on the ground of the Forbidden City, Great Wall, Temple of Heaven, and many other sites in China in the following month," an excited Kail said at the beginning of the tour.

In the past few days, he found that China is quite different from what the media have portrayed in the United States. "I recommend people from the West come and check it out," he said.

ALBUM THAT MADE HIM KNOWN IN CHINA

Before he arrived in Beijing on Nov. 16, the news of Kail coming to China went viral on social media, with Chinese web users expressing their welcome and inviting him to different parts of the country to look.

"The album recorded the real situation of the Japanese invasion of China, providing more historical details. In this sense, Kail deserves the respect of the Chinese people," said netizen Lu Xixin.

"Thanks to Kail for what he did, which will be remembered by the Chinese people," said another netizen nicknamed Haishangyilanghua. "Welcome to feel the warmth of the Chinese people."

Kail, 35, likes sharing his experiences on TikTok. Two years ago, he received the photo album from one of his followers on social media.

"They had vaguely mentioned a photo album of World War II from Asia, but they didn't provide many details and only noted that the contents were disturbing."

Kail's first impression upon viewing the photos was "gut-wrenching," he made a video featuring the photo album on TikTok two days after receiving it, which attracted much public attention, particularly among Chinese people of all ages.

"One of my rules when handling artifacts related to WWII is that if an item has any direct connection to a war crime or holds potential historical significance, it doesn't belong to private hands. Instead, it belongs to a museum or a place where it can be studied and preserved for the public," Kail said. "I also wondered if the photos, if previously unknown, could have historical value beyond my means to assess."

He believed the album was a part of Chinese history and could be of immense value to Chinese scholars. Therefore, he reached out to the Consulate General of China in Chicago and made the donation.

The Japanese troops committed countless heinous atrocities in China during their invasion, of which the most notorious was the Nanjing Massacre that took place when they captured the then-Chinese capital on Dec. 13, 1937. In the space of six weeks, they killed approximately 300,000 Chinese civilians and unarmed soldiers in one of the most barbaric episodes of WWII.

Chinese people have praised Kail for shedding more light on that part of history. Some people even visited Kail's store to express their gratitude.

Kail was overwhelmed by the response. "I was fortunate enough to attend good schools, and WWII was discussed in class for countless times. But to see all these Chinese people expressing such emotion was a shock," he explained.

GETTING TO KNOW THE REAL CHINA

In fact, Kail's interest in WWII goes back even further than the start of his formal schooling. His grandfather served as a captain in the U.S. military in the Pacific. "The history of WWII was extremely significant to both my grandparents and my upbringing," he noted.

WWII shaped his grandparents' lives profoundly, but like many in the West, his knowledge of China and its people, history, and culture remained limited. "Over the past two years, I have dedicated time to learning as much as possible about China," he said. "I've been reading books about Chinese history and culture and studying Mandarin."

"I believe that many people in the West still know very little about China, often only bits and pieces from the news. We should take time to know more about this populous country and its rich history," Kail said. "I have made a lot of progress, and I look forward to making even more on this trip."

Kail started his trip in Beijing and will also spend time in Tianjin, Shanghai, and Nanjing -- where he plans to visit the Memorial Hall of the Victims of the Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders.

"I am expecting this trip to be one of the most unforgettable experiences in my life. After studying China for years, I am excited to finally see it with my own eyes," Kail said. "Most importantly, this trip marks the beginning of my lifelong journey as a representative of peace, friendship, and unity between two great nations."

During his time in Beijing, the American already managed to glimpse the real China, which he said was different from what he learned back in the U.S. "To be honest, there seems to be some bias in the Western media," Kail stated.

He gave an example to back up his statement. "Beijing is a very clean city," he said, adding that it is often portrayed in the Western media as "dirty" and "polluted."

This year, Kail created the "Evan Kail Cultural Studio" with a mission to foster peace through cultural exchanges between China and the United States.

"I believe that the key to peace is communication, and the key to communication is understanding. The best way for the two peoples to understand each other is through the medium of culture. I am excited to build upon this vision," Kail said.

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