Feature: Connections of youth across Taiwan Strait deepened over snow, ice and heritage
CHENGDU, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- From the snow-covered northeast to the still-green southwest, a delegation of young people from Taiwan embraced the joy of snow and ice, explored relics and museums, and experienced firsthand the vastness and diversity of the motherland.
Despite the "icy and snowy" external environment, exchanges between young people across the Strait are friendly and warm, which can melt even the hardest "ice and snow," said Ma Ying-jeou, former chairman of the Chinese Kuomintang.
Ma made the remarks in Harbin, the "City of Ice" in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, during the first leg of their trip to the mainland from Dec. 18 to 26. This marks Ma's third trip to the mainland in the past two years. His last visit was made in April.
In Harbin, these young people from the subtropical island carved more "bricks" for a snow sculpture of the Great Wall at an art expo and tried their hand at various ice and snow rides. They were thrilled at seeing ice sculptures modeled after the Temple of Heaven in Beijing and Taipei 101, a landmark skyscraper in Taipei.
"The temperature in Harbin is around 10 degrees Celsius below zero, but our hearts are warm," said Lin Pei-chen from the Taiwan Ocean University. "We had snowball fights, posed for pictures in the snow, and had no intention of heading back indoors."
On Dec. 20, the delegation visited the Unit 731 Museum, where they learned about how the Japanese army carried out germ warfare and human experiments during their aggression against China in the first half of the last century.
"Looking ahead, young people across the Strait should bear history in mind and stay vigilant," said Tai Chih-ying from Taipei University, who struggled to find peace of mind after the museum visit.
"We should learn from history and ensure the generation of youngsters knows the past and receives adequate history education. This is the responsibility of our generation," said Ma.
The delegation flew to Chengdu, capital city of Sichuan Province, on Dec. 21, coinciding with Winter Solstice. In Chinese culture, Winter Solstice marks the beginning of deep winter and a break from farming in traditional agricultural society. It is also a time for family gatherings.
Pan Ko-shen, from the Taiwan University of Science and Technology, was impressed by the vastness of the motherland and the disparity across the regions, highlighted by the differences in environment and customs between Harbin and Chengdu.
"We had jiaozi on the morning in Harbin and lamb soup on the evening when we arrived in Chengdu, while my family ate tangyuan in Taiwan. We enjoy different foods in different places, but we celebrate the same holiday on the same day, which truly highlights the greatness and charm of Chinese culture," he said.
The delegation visited the Sanxingdui Museum and the Chengdu Du Fu Thatched Cottage Museum on Dec. 22 and Dec. 23.
They were awestruck by treasures like the bronze masks, the gold scepter, and the bronze heavenly tree at the Sanxingdui Museum.
"People had already mastered such sophisticated craftsmanship more than 3,000 years ago, with styles being a far cry from the central part of the mainland. This is truly impressive," said Lin.
At the museum dedicated to Du Fu, one of the most famous poets of the Tang Dynasty (618-907), the delegation revisited Du's life and literary achievements, recited his poems, and attended a symposium on Chinese culture.
Noting that people across the Strait share the same roots and cultural identity, Ma said that the Democratic Progressive Party authorities are doomed to fail in their attempts to cut the island's cultural connections with the mainland.
When reflecting on the entire trip, he said the interactions between young people across the Strait are instinctive and irresistible.
The future lies in young people. "Let's work together to bring the two sides across the Strait closer and foster their brotherhood. The prospects would be more hopeful," said Ma.