As fireworks lit up skies from Fujian to Kinmen this Lunar New Year, communities across the Chinese mainland and Taiwan region proved cultural bonds outshine geography. 🌏 From sizzling hot pots to synchronized pyrotechnics, here’s how the Spring Festival continues to bridge hearts.
🎇 Fireworks That Defy Distance
For the 37th year, Xiamen and Kinmen launched 50,000 dazzling fireworks simultaneously on New Year’s Eve – a 30-minute spectacle watched by tearful families. 'Seeing both shores glow together… it’s like our ancestors are smiling,' said Hung Tzu-i, a Taiwan native living in Xiamen.
🍲 Dumplings, Hot Pots & ‘Buddha’s Leap’
Reunion dinners featured identical staples: steaming hot pots (symbolizing unity) and Buddha Jumps Over the Wall – a Fujian-origin stew now beloved in Taiwan. 'Every bite tastes like childhood,' laughed a Taipei resident, while surveys showed 89% of families on both sides prioritize these dishes.
🕯️ Ancestral Altars & Pine-Smoked Memories
Photographer Chuang Ling, whose family moved from Sichuan to Taiwan decades ago, keeps traditions alive: 'We smoke meat with pine branches, write couplets… just like Grandpa taught us.' His story mirrors millions – 72% of Taiwan households still honor mainland-rooted customs during Spring Festival, per local media.
As Taiwan’s United Daily News noted: 'The strait divides land, not culture.' This Lunar New Year, that truth shone brighter than any firework. 🧧
