Reference News Network, October 28 report. According to the Taiwan China Times on October 26, on October 20, renowned Taiwanese commentator Lai Yueqian and his wife Zhou Yuqin flew from Taipei to Xiamen, making their first visit to Longyan City, Shanghang County, Fujian Province, for ancestral worship and genealogy search. This trip was Lai Yueqian following in his father's footsteps back to his hometown to trace his roots, finally fulfilling his long-held wish.

Longyan is a famous "ancestral home of the Hakka people," with Hakka culture between Longyan and Taiwan being rooted in the same origin and inherited through generations. During this ancestral worship activity, Lai Yueqian and his wife not only paid homage at the Lai Clan Ancestral Hall in Laifang Village, Shanghang County, swept the graves, and had meals with relatives, but also visited and experienced Hakka culture at the Hakka Genealogy Museum, the Hakka Ancestral Home Museum, and the Yongding Tulou.

"This is your home. Welcome back!" On the morning of October 21 at 9:00, Lai Yueqian and his wife braved the rain to visit the Lai Clan Ancestral Hall in Laifang Village, Shanghang County, for ancestral worship, where local clan members warmly welcomed them.

In Laifang Village, Lai Yueqian and his wife gathered with clan members who had been waiting. Amid the sound of firecrackers, Lai Yueqian and his wife felt the warmth of "returning home."

In 1947, Lai Yueqian's father moved from the mainland to Taiwan and later settled in Nantou County, Taiwan. Although his father returned to the hometown four times, Lai Yueqian, who knew he was from Shanghang, never returned to his ancestral home, which became a matter that remained on his mind.

"This is my first time returning to the place where my father was born. I have always been familiar with the name 'Shanghang, Fujian' because my hometown is listed as 'Fujian Shanghang.' " Lai Yueqian smiled, saying that Shanghang was very familiar yet very unfamiliar to him.

During the exchange, Lai Yueqian carefully flipped through each photo and listened attentively to every story about his father's ancestral search.

After the ancestral worship, Lai Yueqian and his wife braved the rain to climb the mountain, paying respects at the tombs of his great-grandfather, grandfather, and grandmother, and then visited the mausoleum of the ancestor of the Lai family in Fujian, Biao Gong. Afterwards, they had a meal at the home of the clan members, where Lai Yueqian interacted warmly with the relatives, and the relatives hoped that Lai Yueqian would return to his hometown more often.

Hakka genealogies are the solidified bloodline code. Since 1993, when the Hakka Genealogy Museum in Shanghang County began to provide special collections for the Hakka people in Taiwan, it has become an important bridge and bond for cultural exchanges between the two sides of the strait.

Lai Yueqian, born in 1958, has frequently stated in Taiwanese TV programs that he is a Hakka person. On the afternoon of October 20, Lai Yueqian and his wife specially visited the Hakka Genealogy Museum. In the museum, Lai Yueqian and his wife carefully examined the Lai family genealogy.

Lai Yueqian and his wife said that seeing such precious family records and cultural relics in the museum made them feel the unique charm of Hakka culture, and also allowed them to gain a deeper understanding of the history and inheritance of the Lai family.

"The two sides of the strait are originally rooted in the same origin, and the people of Taiwan are Chinese, which is undeniable." When talking about why he returned to his hometown to search for his roots, Lai Yueqian frankly said, "As Chinese people, we naturally need to search for our roots and trace our origins, and we should all know where our roots are."

During the three-day itinerary, Lai Yueqian and his wife not only fulfilled their wish to search for their roots and pay homage to ancestors, but also gained a new understanding of Hakka culture.

"We sincerely hope that more compatriots from Taiwan will return to the mainland to search for their roots; they will all come back with plenty of gains." Lai Yueqian said, upon returning, he would share the deepest feelings of this trip with his students and friends.

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7566071244760695350/

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