On August 16, 168 young Taiwanese participants from groups including the Sediq Balun Youth Dance Troupe, Nantou County's Luona Yushan Cultural Troupe, the Xinyun Indigenous Dance Troupe, the Wang Wang Orchestra, Taitung University Baseball Team, and the Octet Vocal Group gathered at the Songjiang Campus in Donghua University alongside 52 students from our university. Centered on the theme ‘Youth Integration, Shared Vision for the Future,’ they launched a cultural and artistic exchange spanning mountains and seas. From tracing cultural roots at historical sites to engaging in innovative dialogues at the forefront of technology, from passing down traditional crafts through finger dexterity to achieving spiritual resonance through artistic performances, the Shanghai and Taiwanese youth crafted a vivid testament to the ‘One Family Across the Strait’ through an immersive cultural journey.
Cultural Roots: Resonating with History and Nature
At the Guangfulin Archaeological Site, the elegant contrast of ebony tiles and white walls mirrored in the shimmering waters creates a poetic ambiance. Following the ‘Roots Culture’ pathway, young participants from Shanghai and Taiwan traced the historical footsteps of early settlements and the dawn of civilization through narratives shared by their guide. At Sanqing Plaza, an impromptu flash mob ignited the atmosphere with vibrant energy. The Taiwanese Octet Vocal Group commenced with melodious ancient indigenous tunes, soon joined by the Wang Wang Orchestra answering with trumpets and flutes. Youth from the Sediq dance troupe swayed with bamboo flutes in hand—as cultural symbols from diverse regions and ethnicities intertwined under the sunlight.
Where Technology and Tradition Converge: Jointly Decoding Cultural Innovation
At the university museum, young people from Shanghai and Taiwan jointly viewed yellowed historical photographs of the school's founding and experimental notes documenting the development process of the ‘Two Bombs, One Satellite’ space suit. At the Science and Technology Museum and the Composite Materials Collaborative Innovation Center, cutting-edge achievements such as smart textile materials, 3D-printed clothing, and green dyeing technologies left the cross-strait youth dazzled. Following the tour, the young people from both sides gathered at the Student Activity Center to learn about the historical evolution of Hanfu and its contemporary innovations. At the round fan painting workshop, each fan became a miniature vessel for cultural exchange. In the traditional Chinese music room, Western music room, and dance studio, the young participants engaged in deep conversations and interactive exchanges.
Painting Dreams Together, Writing Youth's Vows in Color
Inside the university activity center, a ‘Youth Integration’ themed painting session and a moving flash mob brought the event to its climax. Young people from Shanghai and Taiwan wielded paintbrushes to jointly sketch the ‘Youth Integration’ motif on a giant canvas. Amidst the rhythmic drumbeats, a moving cultural flash mob commenced, with young participants from both sides of the strait dressed in traditional attire. Together, they delivered a spectacular cultural extravaganza through song, dance, and instrumental performances.
Young people are not only the inheritors of culture but also the creators of the future. This cultural exchange event has enabled young people from Shanghai and Taiwan to deepen their understanding through mutual learning and exchange, and to cultivate bonds of friendship through shared endeavors, allowing the concept of ‘one family across the strait’ to take root in their hearts.
