White chrysanthemum flowers were placed by Shanghai residents outside the Sihang Warehouse Battle Memorial on Monday to mourn the victims of the Nanjing Massacre.

Today marks China's eighth National Memorial Day for the Nanjing Massacre 84 years ago, known as one of the most barbaric episodes of World War II.

It took place when invading Japanese troops captured the city of Nanjing in neighboring Jiangsu Province on December 13, 1937. Over six weeks, they brutally killed about 300,000 Chinese civilians and unarmed soldiers.