BEIJING, June 27, 2025 — This installment of CGTN’s three-part documentary series on Taiwan uses food as a lens to examine the strong cultural connections between the island and mainland China.

Food vlogger Wang Yiqin from Taipei guides viewers on a motorcycle tour of Taiwan Island, exploring the meaning of Ko Cha Bi – a term used by Fujian migrants to Taiwan to describe their longing for home flavors.

In Kaohsiung’s Gangshan district, Liu Yijun, a second-generation restaurant owner, preserves the Sichuan culinary traditions his father brought to Taiwan. A simple bowl of braised beef noodles represents the fortitude of veterans who arrived in Taiwan in 1949 and embodies the story of the juancun – military settlements – where they established their families and lives.

The narrative extends across the Taiwan Strait to Dongshan Island in Fujian. Taiwanese entrepreneur Lin Shengzhang returns to his ancestral home and crafts cultural figurines symbolizing shared cross-Strait beliefs. Additionally, Yan Dingzhao realizes a 50-year ambition by transporting his father’s ashes from Penghu to Dongshan. Local dishes like fish noodle soup and oyster omelets mirror Taiwan’s braised pork rice and oyster pancakes, showcasing a common culinary heritage.

The documentary delves into the emotional and spiritual significance of these symbolic flavors and their historical context. It covers the traditional Dragon Boat Festival in Zhangzhou, revealing how the local zongzi – sticky rice wrapped in bamboo leaves – has become a symbol of familial bonds. It also introduces the Wufeng Lin family in Taichung, highlighting their desire to connect with their Fujian heritage. The film further explores the shared tradition of tofu production as reflected in common place names.

In Dali, located in Southwest China, Lin Yunlian, a businessman from Taiwan, has dedicated two decades to cultivating Taiwan’s high-mountain oolong tea in the similar environment of Mount Cangshan, which lies on the same latitude. His straightforward comment, “It’s easy to settle,” perfectly captures the power of the cultural connections that unite people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.

SOURCE CGTN

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