When Yang learned of this story in 2020, he visited the site and photographed each brick. "I had mixed feelings while taking those photos," he says. "Through them, I could sense the cruelty of war and the sacrifice of Chinese soldiers. Many of the bricks are broken and, as I photographed them, I felt I was taking portraits of the soldiers themselves. The shattered surfaces seemed to echo their broken bodies."

Through his lens, these remnants become human testaments — symbols of endurance and memories. "Maybe through the silent photos," Yang says, "people can see more than what they read in a history textbook."

Contact the writer at wangru1@chinadaily.com.cn