Evan Kail and his Chinese fans pose for a photo in Tiananmen Square, Beijing, on November 17, 2024 （PHOTO: @EvanKail on X）  

In 2022, American pawnshop owner Evan Kail acquireda photo album that documented Japanese troops’ war crimes in China and later donated it to the Chinese Consulate General in Chicago. This has made him a known name in China. 

On January 28, Kail had the opportunity to participate in China Central Television’s (CCTV) Spring Festival Gala (Chunwan in Chinese), the annual television event that takes place on the eve of the Chinese New Year (or Spring Festival)--which fell on January 29 this year. Dressed in a traditional Chinese suit and holding a piece of Chinese porcelain that symbolizes friendship, he addressed the hundreds of millions of viewers tuning in for the celebration.

“The warmth of the Chinese people has really touched me and everywhere I go, people have shown me such incredible kindness. I’m especially excited to be here for the Spring Festival because it’s my [Chinese] zodiac sign too,” he said at the Chunwan venue, noting that he was born in 1989, the Year of the Snake. “It’s been amazing to be part of a national celebration and I’m just honored to be here tonight.”

On January 31, as he prepared to temporarily say goodbye to China, Kail became emotional in the farewell video during an interview, expressing that the country had truly become his second home.

Originally from Minnesota, Kail’s recent experiences in China far exceeded his expectations.

Kail donates a photo album documenting Japanese troops' war atrocities in China to the Chinese Consulate General in Chicago on November 16, 2022（PHOTO: @EvanKail on X） 

An unexpected mission 

In November 2022, Kail received an album filled containing over 30 previously unseen photos of the Nanjing Massacre. The graphic content left him questioning how best to handle it.

The Nanjing Massacre took place when Japanese troops captured Nanjing, then Chinese capital, on December 13, 1937. Over the course of six weeks, they killed approximately 300,000 Chinese civilians and unarmed soldiers in one of the most barbaric episodes of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45). In 2015, the records of the Nanjing Massacre were inscribed into the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) Memory of the World Register.

“I have a rule: if something relates to a war crime, it belongs in a museum,” Kail told Beijing Review after a rehearsal for the CCTV Spring Festival Gala in late January. He believed the album should be returned to China as part of its historical narrative.

Our first encounter with Kail took place in November 2022 on social media platform Twitter (now X). However, it wasn’t until this January in Beijing that we had the opportunity to meet him in person.

Born into a Jewish-American family, the pawnshop owner’s awareness of history was shaped by his grandfather, a veteran who fought against Japanese forces during World War II (1939-45). His academic journey in Japanese Studies at the University of Minnesota further deepened his understanding of the war atrocities committed by Japanese invaders in China.

Determined to uncover the album’s significance, Kail posted a video online seeking help, hoping to gather insights and guidance on how to honor its legacy.

“I had Chinese people showing up in my store immediately afterward, just doing some really powerful gestures to say ‘thank you’, from hugging me to crying and giving me flowers. And it made me realize that this [album] belonged in China,” he said.

However, Kail never anticipated that what he had done would plunge him into a storm of controversy and threats.

“Definitely things got really scary,” he said. “I still continue to get at least a lot of anger directed at me. I have definitely stirred up a lot of anger from war crimes deniers.”

The situation escalated to the point where he felt compelled to wear a bulletproof vest and temporarily suspend his business for safety.

For Kail, the threats and abuse represent a chasm--one he must navigate with caution. “I haven’t had a death threat in a while, but this is something I will always need to be vigilant about in my life,” he said. “But that said, I’m not backing down. This was the right thing to do.”

In a pivotal move, Kail reached out to the Chinese Consulate General in Chicago, where he presented the photo album and formally donated it to China. In appreciation, the consulate gifted him a letter and a piece of Chinese porcelain, symbolizing friendship. “They gave me a diplomatic honor that was unprecedented in history,” Kail said.

Telling the truth 

Last November, Kail originally just wanted to travel to China on a leisurely visit, but things took an unexpected turn.

On December 13, 2024, China’s National Memorial Day for the Victims of the Nanjing Massacre, Kail visited Nanjing in Jiangsu Province.

“Being there and being a human symbol of what happened gets people all over the world talking about it and educates them,” Kail said. “That’s important.”

Many Chinese netizens commented on Kail’s account on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, expressing their gratitude for his commitment to historical truth. However, they also voiced concerns about the potential burden of history being too heavy for him to carry, wishing that he could enjoy his time in China.

Despite these concerns, Kail felt, and continues to feel, a strong sense of responsibility and duty to address these issues; simply coming to China to enjoy himself wasn’t the goal.

“I don’t think it’s productive for the sake of global cooperation. Really, it is not often that somebody captures a moment like this. And to neglect that for relaxation, I think would be simply irresponsible,” he explained.

The marginalized truth 

Despite making international headlines and being invited to the 2025 CCTV Spring Festival Gala, Kail's story has received little attention in his hometown in America. While he regrets this lack of coverage, he is not surprised by it.

“Crickets,” he described the situation.

None of the local media outlets in Minnesota have reported on his story, who has gained considerable recognition overseas.

“They (Western media outlets) are totally snubbing my story and I think it has to do with the idea of fear mongering,” Kail said. “Here’s a positive story about a Westerner going to China and being treated well and doing this positive thing. That’s boring. It doesn’t have a negative slant. I think they’re trained to bury positive stories about China.”

During our conversation, Kail appeared undaunted by the challenges he faces. His experiences in China have only reinforced his resolve to challenge the stereotypes that Americans hold about the country. He aims to demonstrate to his fellow citizens that China is a wonderful place, while also showing the Chinese that Americans genuinely care.

Kail also shared his vision for the future. He does not feel excitement or nervousness about what lies ahead; he believes that the future is inevitable.

This year, which sees the 80th anniversary of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, he plans to tour China, exploring different cities, sampling local cuisines, meeting new people, and experiencing the sights.

His goal is to broadcast the history and way of life in China to encourage more Americans to visit and experience it for themselves. He hopes that by opening people’s eyes, similar to the way platforms like Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book or RedNote), which saw a massive influx of overseas TikTok users in mid-January as they faced the looming ban of the latter app in the United States, have influenced American users, he can inspire more travel to China and potentially change perceptions about the country. All for the sake of peace.

Copyedited by Elsbeth van Paridon 

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