Editor's note: General Secretary Xi Jinping recently met with Ma Ying-jeou and his entourage, emphasizing that compatriots on both sides of the strait have always been in the same line, linked by heart and hand, and helping each other, and clearly put forward the "four firms", including "firmly realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation", pointing out the direction for the development of cross-strait relations. Since then, Hong Xiuzhu, Fu Laiqing, and others have led delegations to visit the mainland one after another, arousing great concern on both sides of the strait. From now on, Nandu and N Video will launch a series of interviews with celebrities from all walks of life on the island of Taiwan, and listen to their efforts and expectations to promote exchanges and work together.
Ma Ying-jeou once again led Taiwanese youths to visit the mainland and came to Guangdong for the first time. Here is an important stop on their visit itinerary - the Memorial Hall of the former site of the Whampoa Military Academy. Not long ago, Hong Xiuzhu also sighed in front of the monument to the martyrs of the Eastern Expedition at the Huangpu Military Academy in Huizhou: As long as the Chinese cooperate, no matter how difficult the difficulties and challenges can be overcome.
This year marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Whampoa Military Academy. Taiwan Whampoa Military Academy Alumni Association, Hong Kong Whampoa Military Academy Descendants Relatives and Friends Association and other groups have launched commemorative activities to practice the concept of "the world is one Whampoa". Qiu Zhixian, president of the Association of Descendants of Taiwan's Whampoa Military Academy, is in the mainland, leading members to carry out exchanges spanning a century.
As a "post-70s" who grew up in Taiwan, Qiu Zhixian has been serving as the president of the Taiwan Whampoa Military Academy Descendants Association since he established the Taiwan Whampoa Military Academy Descendants Association in 2010, and continues to build a communication platform for the descendants of Whampoa on both sides of the strait. Recently, in an exclusive interview with Nandu and N video reporters, he said that he has the responsibility to help young people in Taiwan understand history, inherit and carry forward the spirit of Whampoa, forge a strong sense of community of the Chinese nation, inject new vitality into the development of cross-strait relations, and work together to create national rejuvenation.
Qiu Zhixian.
"Inheriting the national spirit of Huangpu's ancestors"
In the long history, the Chinese nation has jointly built the territory of the motherland, including the treasure island of Taiwan, jointly written Chinese history, jointly created Chinese culture, and jointly cultivated the national spirit.
On June 16, 1924, the first school in mainland China to train revolutionary army cadres, the "Chinese Kuomintang Army Military Academy" was established. The Whampoa Military Academy was held in mainland China for 23 sessions, and was later renewed in Taiwan.
The spirit of Huangpu is the precious spiritual wealth left by the Huangpu Military Academy to future generations, and its core is the patriotism of unswerving and tenacious struggle for the reunification and rejuvenation of China.
Qiu Zhixian's father is a graduate of the Whampoa Military Academy. His father's ancestral home was Yudu, Jiangxi, and after graduating from the Whampoa Military Academy, he went through the war and finally settled in Taiwan. After his father retired, he often gathered with Whampoa alumni, and Yau Zhixian often followed him.
With the encouragement of his elders, in 2010, Qiu Zhixian led and established the Taiwan Whampoa Military Academy Descendants Association to help connect with Whampoa students and their descendants scattered around the world, and build a communication platform for everyone, so that everyone can better connect with emotions, spread the history of Whampoa Military Academy, and inherit the spirit of Whampoa.
Since he became president, Qiu Zhixian has been able to receive requests for help from Huangpu's descendants almost every day, which has made him deeply aware that history has created many unfulfilled wishes of compatriots on both sides of the strait, and "we will do our best to help them fulfill their wishes."
This year marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Whampoa Military Academy, and the Whampoa spirit of "patriotism and revolution" has been inherited to this day and inspires future generations. On April 3, Ma Ying-jeou and his entourage visited the memorial hall of the former site of the Whampoa Military Academy in Guangzhou. When presiding over the activities marking the 90 th anniversary of the founding of the Huangpu Military Academy, he stressed that the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression was won because of the Huangpu spirit, and the Huangpu spirit should always be brought into play.
Yau Zhixian praised Ma Ying-jeou, who was once the chairman of the Chinese Kuomintang, looking back at Whampoa a hundred years later, and expressing the deep meaning of not forgetting history.
A few days ago, Hong Xiuzhu also came to the monument to the martyrs of the Eastern Expedition at the Huangpu Military Academy in Huizhou, and she said with emotion that the victory from the Northern Expedition to the War of Resistance Against Japan proved that as long as the Chinese cooperate, no matter how difficult difficulties and challenges can be overcome.
About 10 years ago, Yau Zhixian had the opportunity to visit Guangzhou for the first time and personally felt the hardships of his ancestors' entrepreneurship. "I heard that the descendants of the first phase of Huangpu recalled the experience of their parents, and it was July and August after the start of school that year, which was the hottest time in Guangzhou. Although the conditions were difficult, everyone still insisted on training and learning, and visiting the old site made me feel the national spirit of the ancestors of Huangpu at that time in order to save the country, in a humble environment. ”
Qiu Zhixian told reporters in the southern capital that after the establishment of the Association of Descendants of Taiwan's Whampoa Military Academy Students, he had organized and participated in many visits and exchange activities. In June last year, he also helped organize more than 200 alumni and relatives of the special training class of the Army Military Academy to come to Guangzhou to visit the former site of the Huangpu Military Academy, relive the spirit of Huangpu, and look forward to enlightening and encouraging compatriots on both sides of the strait to join hands in the Chinese dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
In August last year, Yau Zhixian participated in the root-seeking activity of "carrying forward the spirit of Whampoa and inheriting Chinese culture" for middle school students from Guangdong, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao.
"There is no irrepenetrable barrier between the two sides of the strait"
Yau Zhixian's love for history comes from his early study experience.
He shared with reporters from the Southern Metropolis that about 20 or 30 years ago, Taiwan's textbooks still retained the "Book of Farewell to His Wife" written by Lin Juemin, a martyr of Huanghuagang, and his love for his wife and the motherland between the lines left a deep impression on young people in Taiwan. He still remembers that many popular music in Taiwan also use this as the theme, which is very moving.
However, during the DPP's administration, the Taiwan authorities repeatedly carried out "de-Sinicization" curriculum reforms. Qiu Zhixian consciously has the responsibility to let young people have an understanding and understanding of history in a way that is easily acceptable to young people, so as to reduce or avoid the disconnect between the history and culture of the two sides of the strait.
In his research, Qiu Zhixian found that the history of the Whampoa Military Academy is a vivid story of young people, and it is a portrayal of forgetting life and death, unity and dedication. The spirit of Huangpu is an indelible trace of life for the Huangpu people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, and it cannot be changed by any force. By presenting the life style of Whampoa students a hundred years ago, the historical gap between young people is reduced, so that Taiwanese young people can better feel the life style of young people in different eras and lead them to reflect.
Therefore, over the years, Qiu Zhixian has made documentaries and done cultural and creative works, just to continue the patriotic spirit embodied in the Anti-Japanese War on the island.
He has been doing this work for more than ten years.
Together with his team, Yau and his team set up a fan page for the "Zizhong Academy", posting historical materials, micro-documentaries and short videos on multiple social media platforms to commemorate the perseverance of Zhang Zizhong and all the soldiers and civilians of the Anti-Japanese War. Qiu Zhixian shared with a reporter from Nandu that in a year, the platform has accumulated nearly one million views. This also made him realize that although the Taiwan authorities have implemented a "de-Sinicization" education policy for many years and the content about the history of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression has been repeatedly reduced, this does not mean that the Taiwanese people do not want to know the history of the motherland.
During Ma Ying-jeou's first visit to the mainland in 2023, he came to the Zhang Zizhong Martyrs Cemetery in Beibei District, Chongqing City, to commemorate the anti-Japanese martyrs. Before leaving the cemetery, Ma Ying-jeou said to Zhang Qingcheng, the grandson of Zhang Zizhong, that General Zhang endured humiliation and burden, and martyred the country with his will to die, which was very moving.
On April 4, 2023, at the Zhang Zizhong Martyrs Cemetery in Beibei District, Chongqing, Ma Ying-jeou and his entourage remembered the anti-Japanese martyrs. Xinhua News Agency
"Some Taiwanese youths who have forgotten history are like duckweed without roots, unable to grasp the past, let alone reflect on history and enlighten the future. Qiu Zhixian told reporters from the Southern Metropolis, "Mr. Ma Ying-jeou's trip is a deep realization that the 'de-sinicization' of the Taiwan authorities may lead to historical and cultural faults, so he led Taiwanese youth to the scene to experience and feel the shock brought by history." ”
In the process of carrying out this work, Qiu Zhixian also received a lot of positive feedback from Taiwanese netizens - someone left a message in the comment area of the "Zizhong School" fan page: "History should not be forgotten. Some netizens took the initiative to contact him after watching the video, saying that their ancestors had participated in the Anti-Japanese War and hoped to provide relevant clues.
This also gave him great confidence to continue to create, gradually accumulate the influence of his works, and contribute to the sense of community of the Chinese nation with practical actions, "as long as we insist on developing in the direction of building consensus between the two sides of the strait, there will be no insurmountable estrangement and differences."
"Jointly create a bright future for the reunification of the motherland and national rejuvenation"
In recent years, the mainland's measures to benefit Taiwan have created convenient conditions for the vast number of Taiwan youths to study, live, find employment, and start businesses on the mainland, and more and more Taiwan youths have come to the mainland of the motherland to pursue their dreams, build their dreams, and realize their dreams, and Qiu Zhixian is also one of them.
In his early years working in Taiwan, he was exposed to the field of digital content. In line with the idea that the mainland will have more opportunities in the field of digital content, he came to Shanghai for the first time in 2003. At first, he traveled back and forth between Taiwan and the mainland many times a year, and later, the project he participated in was launched in the mainland, so a few years ago, he settled in Shanghai and developed for a long time, feeling the goodwill and sincerity of the mainland side to unite the Taiwan compatriots and win the hearts and minds of the Taiwan people.
The compatriots on both sides of the strait have always been a family, and they should come and go often, get closer and closer, and get closer and closer.
Chiu Chih-hsien has come to realize more and more profoundly that the compatriots do not want cross-strait relations to become more and more tense, and although many of his friends have returned to Taiwan for development, they have been looking for new development opportunities on the mainland. "The DPP authorities are trying to cut off cross-strait ties and block cross-strait exchanges, but the people of Taiwan have a deep desire and demand for unimpeded cross-strait communication channels. ”
He gave an example to a reporter from Nandu, saying that not long ago, a friend in Nanjing told him that his father was a classmate of the seventh phase of Whampoa and had passed away in Taiwan. During the Ching Ming Festival, this friend wanted to go to Taiwan to pay respects to his father, but he was unable to do so due to the DPP authorities' policy that "he must apply to go to Taiwan within half a year of his father's death". Qiu Zhixian exclaimed, "It doesn't make sense." ”
Like many Taiwan compatriots, Qiu Zhixian is also very concerned about Ma Ying-jeou's visit to the mainland. "Mr. Ma Ying-jeou told everyone with his actions that the two sides of the strait should have normal exchanges. The DPP authorities' trick of smearing Mr. Ma Ying-jeou and advocating 'conspiracy theories' will naturally fail in the interaction and emotional exchanges between young people on both sides of the strait. ”
During the visit, Ma Ying-jeou said that the exchanges between students on both sides of the strait were "natural and unstoppable," and they were naturally and enthusiastic. Qiu Zhixian has a deep understanding of this.
"Communication between people is normal and respectful, and feelings naturally arise. Qiu Zhixian sighed to the reporter of the Southern Metropolis, "Even if the young people on both sides of the strait only get along for a short time, they will still be reluctant to give up when they are separated, looking forward to the next meeting." ”
In October 2021, the Association of Descendants of Taiwan Whampoa Military Academy Alumni visited the Huangshan Anti-Japanese War Site Group in Chongqing.
The strait is constantly blocking the flesh and blood ties of compatriots on both sides of the strait. "When we look at the differences between the two sides of the strait with a tolerant and open attitude, tolerate each other and empathize with each other, we will get closer and closer. Qiu Zhixian said.
He hoped that, under the impetus of Ma Ying-jeou and other people from all walks of life, compatriots on both sides of the strait would enhance their friendship, expand cooperation, and work together to create a bright future for the reunification of the motherland and the rejuvenation of the nation.
"Heart-to-Hand Connections: Revival" interview series
Chief planner: Rong Mingchang, Liu Jiangtao
Executive planner: Wang Jia
Co-ordinator: Nandu reporter Xiang Xueni
Writer: Nandu reporter He Jiahui
Written in this issue: Nandu reporter He Jiahui and intern Yu Xinhong