Nearly a hundred young people from both sides of the Taiwan Strait embarked on a walking journey to find their roots in Hui'an, Fujian Province

Dressed in traditional Hanfu and carrying a statue of Mazu on their backs... nearly a hundred young people from both sides of the Taiwan Strait set off from Qingshan Palace, Shanxia Town, Hui'an County, Fujian Province on the 11th to embark on a four-day walking journey to find their roots.

The 4th Quantai Youth Mazu Culture Week event, "Fragrance of Petals Leading Both Sides of the Taiwan Strait, Walking to Follow the Original Aspiration" launched on the same day, was guided by the Southern Fujian Cultural Working Committee of the Chinese Culture Promotion Association, hosted by the Mazu Cultural Exhibition Hall of Yipetanxiang, Hui'an County Mazu Culture Research Association, and co-organized by the Hui'an Shanxia Qingshan Palace Management Committee. With the theme of "Going Home, Reunion, and Finding Roots", young people from both sides of the Taiwan Strait walked along the ancient southern Fujian road, passing through Hui'an County, Quangang District and Putian City in Quanzhou City, and finally arrived at the Mazu Ancestral Temple in Meizhou.

"Hui'an and Taiwan are geographically close and culturally connected, and Mazu culture has long been the emotional bond between people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait." Zhang Lianzhi, president of the Mazu Culture Research Association of Hui'an County, said that he hopes that through this root-seeking hiking activity, he will dig deeper into the local Mazu cultural heritage, inherit the excellent traditional Chinese culture, and invite young people from both sides of the Taiwan Strait to follow the cultural context to trace their roots and share the same friendship.

During the launching ceremony, young people from both sides of the Taiwan Strait displayed the works of Mazu and Qingshan Wang on site, gave each other Hui'an shadow sculptures and brick sculptures, and participated in tree planting activities together, conveying their good wishes of walking hand in hand with practical actions. Young people from both sides of the Taiwan Strait also walked into the Qingshan Palace Exhibition Hall to learn about the Qingshan King’s beliefs and customs and local history and culture, and felt the unique charm of Hui’an’s traditional culture while tracing their roots.

Huang Ziyan, who comes from New Taipei, Taiwan, has been in business in the mainland for 6 years and is engaged in the promotion of new Chinese-style clothing and intangible cultural heritage. This time she came all the way from Shanghai to participate in the event. "This is my first time to participate in a hiking activity. It is a big challenge." Huang Ziyan said, hoping that she can calmly adjust during this process, get to know more like-minded cross-strait partners, and work together to inherit and carry forward Mazu and other excellent Chinese traditional cultures.

Qingshan Palace, built in the early Northern Song Dynasty, is the ancestral temple of Ling'an King (Qingshan King). The beliefs and customs of Qingshan King followed the ancestors of Quanzhou across the sea to open Taiwan, and their spirits entered the island, becoming an important witness to the exchange of folk beliefs between Fujian and Taiwan.

"The King of Qingshan protects the environment and the people, and Mazu protects the world. They are both planted in the soil of marine culture and carry the common cultural memories and local sentiments of the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait." Sun Zixuan, representative of the event organizers and director of the Mazu Cultural Exhibition Hall of Yipinxiang, told China News Network that the most touching thing in the event was the care for each other on the road together. "Young people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait move forward step by step, completing the journey with perseverance and feeling the simple and warm human touch while getting along."

"We set up a communication platform by walking. We hope that young people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait will often communicate with each other and have a heart-to-heart connection. We will get closer and closer," said Sun Zixuan.

It is understood that the hiking team started from Qingshan Palace and visited palaces, temples, ancient buildings and cultural venues along the way. The entire itinerary combines Hui'an women's folk customs, stone carving skills, family tradition and family mottos, traditional food and folk custom performances. It includes local special activities such as welcoming guests in the array, puppet shows, as well as Nanyin appreciation and intangible cultural heritage experience, allowing young people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait to appreciate the unique charm of southern Fujian traditional art.

In addition, this event also incorporates traditional folk experiences such as making glutinous rice balls to experience the reunion culture of southern Fujian; social activities such as Quantai Youth Singles Party create opportunities for young people to get to know each other and communicate and make friends. Zeng Yating, a post-2000s girl who has participated in four consecutive years, met Zhang Jiahao from Beigang, Taiwan during the hike. "We met at the first event, and after two years of getting to know each other, we came together hand in hand at the third event." Zeng Yating said that young people from both sides of the Taiwan Strait who had never met each other worked together to complete the hike. This atmosphere made people feel very warm.

The hiking team will arrive at the Mazu Temple in Meizhou on November 14th, continuing the cultural bond between the two sides of the Taiwan Straits that share the same roots. Sun Zixuan said that through on-site visits and interactive experiences, young people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait can get to know each other up close, feel the local customs while walking, and realize the common cultural roots through exchanges, allowing traditional culture to take on new vitality through personal experience and youthful exchanges.