2025 Spring Festival: A reunion dinner for Taiwan residents at world heritage Tulou buildings
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Spring Festival means family reunions for millions of Chinese worldwide. For Taiwan residents, visiting the mainland to pay tribute to their ancestors is a tradition during the holiday. In southeast China's Fujian, the world heritage Tulou buildings are welcoming Taiwan residents for the holidays. Chen Tong reports. 

"The whole journey has been very happy. We Taiwan Hakka people must come back to see our relatives right?"

"Right."

This is a special family reunion dinner. 

This group of 22 people travelled from China's Taiwan region – back to the mainland to pay tribute for their ancestors in Fujian Province. 

Rice with salted vegetables, stir-fried chicken with tea leaves…they are finding the taste of home. 

LIAO CHING-FU Taiwan Resident "Our Taiwan Hakka cuisines evolved from cuisines here. But the cuisines here are most authentic and original."

Most of these Taiwan residents regularly travel back to the mainland, but enjoying a reunion meal at the Tulou building is a novel experience. 

CHANG JUNG-CHIEN Taiwan Resident "I've been here once 30 years ago. But it's my first time eating meals inside Tulou. It's fun."

CHEN TONG Zhangzhou, Fujian "The Fujian Tulou buildings are listed on the UNESCO World Heritage list. In Chinese tradition, a round shape means reunion. And to people on both sides of the Taiwan straits, back to the Tulou buildings also has a special meaning – that 'we are one family'."

Burning an incense stick at their ancestral temple – paying tribute to their ancestors is an important task on the travel agenda. 

CHANG CHIA-HONG Taiwan Resident "I'm old and I want to find my roots. My surname is Chang, and I want to find my ancestors."

CHIEN WEN-CHANG Taiwan Resident "I feel so warm back here paying tribute to my ancestors and seeing my clan relatives."

All of this group of 22 people are from the Chien, Chang and Liao families. They've been related since as early as in Ming Dynasty, and some family members moved to Taiwan from the city of Zhangzhou. 

JIAN TIANJIN Chairman, The Jian (Chien) Family Ancestral Temple Council "We are very excited to welcome our clan relative from Taiwan. As the host, we hold ceremonies to welcome them back home."

Among the 23 million people now living in the Taiwan region, most trace their ancestry to Fujian Province. 

"Wish everyone Happy New Year, family reunion and peace."

Chen Tong, CGTN, Zhangzhou, Fujian Province.