The spirit of Sun Yat-sen connects both sides of the Taiwan Strait, and the aspiration at the beginning of the century is reflected in reality - all walks of life commemorate the 160th anniversary of the birth of Sun Yat-sen

"China is a unified country. This has been firmly imprinted in our country's historical consciousness. It is this consciousness that allows us to be preserved as a country." These words of Mr. Sun Yat-sen have always been imprinted in the mind of Taiwanese youth Li Dongxian.

"If I were asked to reinterpret the profound meaning of this sentence, it would be that it is imperative to 'Taiwan go home', and the reunification of the country's territory must not be less than an inch." Li Dongxian said.

This year marks the 160th anniversary of the birth of Dr. Sun Yat-sen. Hundreds of years have passed, but the spirit of Zhongshan remains everlasting.

Ye Jianhong, a young Taiwanese teacher who teaches at Beijing Normal University, believes that the Sun Yat-sen spirit carries the common historical memory of compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait and connects the common sentiments of home and country of compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. "When compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait reach a spiritual consensus, they will naturally move closer and closer in the same direction."

"Nowadays, more and more Taiwanese people and young people are beginning to rationally discuss arrangements after reunification. This is an awakening of people's hearts and an inevitable trend." Sun Weiyong, the great-great-grandson of Mr. Sun Yat-sen, told China News Service.

"Zhongshan went first and won the gold - Sun Yat-sen and Taiwan Archives and Historical Materials Exhibition". Photo by China News Network reporter Zhu Yanjing

The continuous cutting of blood connects the feelings of home and country of Taiwanese compatriots in different eras.

Since the beginning of the revolution, Mr. Sun Yat-sen has included the liberation of Taiwan in the ideal of revitalizing the Chinese revolution. He has set foot on or passed through Taiwan four times to sow the revolutionary fire.

Lin Zijin, a famous Taiwanese patriot in modern times, was deeply influenced by Dr. Sun Yat-sen's revolutionary thoughts in his early years. After the Revolution of 1911, he resolutely restored his Chinese nationality. In 1923, he presided over the construction of the Beijing-Guzhou Highway and founded the first officially operating Taiwan-funded enterprise in Beijing's history. While the historian Lien Heng was living in Beijing, he worked hard to compile the "General History of Taiwan", using history books as a spark to preserve Taiwan's Chinese blood. On his deathbed, he asked future generations not to forget to regain their homeland and pass on the hope of reunification from generation to generation.

Qiu Zhixian, president of the Taiwan Whampoa Military Academy Descendants Association, wrote that during the Japanese colonial period, Taiwanese youth had great respect for Mr. Sun Yat-sen and regarded him as a spiritual symbol of resistance to Japanese colonial rule.

A hundred years ago, Liu Jintang, a young Taiwanese who followed Dr. Sun Yat-sen, changed his name and determined to use his paintbrush as a blade to create anti-Japanese masterpieces such as "Abandoned People" and made a solemn oath that "if you don't return to Taiwan for one day, you will never return home in this life."

In 1925, when Dr. Sun Yat-sen passed away in Beijing, Hong Yanqiu and other Taiwanese students in Beijing presented an elegiac couplet in the name of the Taiwan Student Association of Peking University: "Three million compatriots in Taiwan who have just awakened, who will lead Mr. Wei? Who else but me will share in the unfinished business of the motherland in the past forty years!"

This elegiac couplet, which spans a century, is still exciting to read today. It is the most sincere voice of the Taiwanese compatriots to express their gratitude to Dr. Sun Yat-sen and vow to achieve the great cause of reunification.

Taiwanese youth Lu Weixian deeply admires Dr. Sun Yat-sen's tenacity and character of "getting more motivated the more frustrated he becomes" in pursuing national reunification and national rejuvenation. "Contemporary Taiwanese youth should understand Dr. Sun Yat-sen's revolutionary activities and ideological inheritance from a historical perspective."

Lin Jingmao, a doctoral student at Peking University from Changhua, Taiwan, expressed the hope that more Taiwanese young people can take the initiative to visit Dr. Sun Yat-sen’s hometown of Zhongshan, Guangdong, and the place where he carried out revolutionary activities, so as to understand the spirit of Sun Yat-sen on the spot.

Data map: The statue of Sun Yat-sen in the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall in Hong Kong. Photo by China News Service reporter Dai Menglan

The Chinese people are getting ahead, and the blueprint spanning a century has been reflected in reality

A hundred years ago, Mr. Sun Yat-sen wrote the "Strategy for the Founding of the People's Republic of China", which was regarded as unattainable by many people at the time.

"The revolution has not yet succeeded, comrades still have to work hard... I have always kept these words of Mr. Sun Yat-sen in my heart." Pan Shumei, chairman of the Taiwan Chinese Female Calligraphers Association, said emotionally during an interview. Seeing that China has become truly strong and Chinese people are outstanding, we have confidence in countries around the world. "As Chinese, we feel deeply honored and proud."

This confidence and pride have also deeply touched many Taiwan compatriots.

"Seeing the practice of the Chinese Communist Party on the mainland, it not only realized the ideals and beliefs of Mr. Sun Yat-sen back then, but some even surpassed them." Zhang Liqi, CEO of Cross-Strait Tongzhou and a young Taiwanese, said with emotion.

Zhang Liqi, who has been rooted in the mainland for many years, believes that the blueprint drawn by Dr. Sun Yat-sen has now become a reality on the land of China.

"Peace, struggle, save China..." Huang Qingxian, former director of the Mainland Affairs Department of the Chinese Kuomintang, said that the spirit of Sun Yat-sen has always been profoundly influencing Chinese people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. He also called on more Taiwan compatriots and young people to work hard for the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations and contribute to a better future for cross-Strait relations.

"I also hope that I can contribute where I can, ignite a spark together, and do more for the country and nation in the future." Sun Yali, the great-niece of Sun Yat-sen and president of the Sun Yat-sen Cultural Foundation, said.

Sun Weiyong said that as a descendant of the family, what he most wanted to tell Mr. Sun Yat-sen was that today China has completely gotten rid of a century of poverty and weakness. Hundreds of millions of people live and work in peace and contentment, and the country is prosperous, strong and stable. "The stability of the people and the self-reliance of the nation can best comfort his original intention a hundred years ago." (End)