Taiwan students embracing tradition and togetherness

Spring Festival stands out as the most important annual family celebration in China. People from across the country and around the world make their way home for family reunions and festivities.

Chen Simo, a Taiwan student at Shanghai International Studies University, cherishes the entire lead-up to the celebration — from selecting and pasting couplets, shopping for Chinese New Year goods, undertaking a thorough cleaning process, preparing the reunion dinner and gathering around the TV for the Spring Festival Gala.

"It's not just the lively atmosphere I look forward to; it's the serene moments with family, the comforting embrace of home, and the joy of ushering in the new year collectively," she said. "Each step in this process is a thread in the fabric of happiness and warmth."

Tsai Li, a Taiwan student at Wuhan University in Central China's Hubei province, eagerly anticipates setting off fireworks, seeing it as not just a traditional custom but also a profound emotional expression.

For Lin Yenchen, a Taiwan student at Peking University, the excitement lies in watching the Spring Festival Gala with family and friends, followed by a visit to the cinema for holiday films. Meanwhile, for Lin Kuanting, also a Taiwan student at Peking University, the highlight is the reunion dinner with family, where the thought of savoring an oyster omelet and fotiaoqiang, a traditional soup made of various seafood in East China's Fujian province, fills him with immense happiness.

Reflecting on the significance of "home" and "reunion", Chen poetically describes "reunion" as the interweaving of countless lights, with "home" standing out among them — a constant beacon patiently awaiting her return.

To Lin Peiying, a Taiwan student at Peking University, reunion signifies returning to a place of belonging and security. "As a student away from my hometown, home is a sanctuary filled with love and a wellspring of strength during challenging times in my life, propelling me forward," she said.

Lin Yenchen views home as where the heart finds peace. "My home resides where my family is. Beijing, Taiwan, and Fujian are all my homes. Reunion, for me, is the most eagerly anticipated and joyous occasion, a sentiment I hope echoes for cross-Strait compatriots."

Looking ahead to the new year, Zheng Tingyi, a Taiwan student at Beijing Normal University, conveyed his wish for the realization of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and his heartfelt desire for reunification on both sides of the Strait. Similarly, Liu Yufu, a Taiwan student at Peking University, aspires to witness higher-quality development for China, his motherland, improved lives for its people, and deeper integration across the Taiwan Strait.

Chen used a metaphor of the dragon for her wishes for an auspicious year. "With the dragon soaring across the Chinese land, it will bring good fortune to the nation," she said.