In an exciting exchange of culture, the Gansu Tianshui City Dadiwan Museum’s creative products have captured the interest of Taiwanese students and teachers. Among the items, colorful ceramic tea sets and unique refrigerator magnets featuring the “Little Ancestor of Dadiwan” were hot commodities. “I bought three Dadiwan fridge magnets, and my teacher got a set of creative products showcasing Tianshui’s famous landmarks. It’s really interesting,” shared Taiwanese student Wang Jun during an interview with a reporter from China News.
On October 19, the research activity titled “Cross-Straits Shared Roots: Chinese Sentiments and Youth Journey in Longshan” took the group to the Dadiwan Museum as part of their exploration of Tianshui’s rich history, which includes Fuxi culture, Dadiwan culture, early Qin culture, the Maijishan Grottoes, and the ancient battlefields of the Three Kingdoms.
“I was particularly impressed by the colorful ceramics. The technology behind them was remarkable thousands of years ago. I took a lot of notes on history—I can’t wait to share everything with my family and friends back home,” said Taiwanese student He Bo after his visit, as he picked up a tea set adorned with colorful ceramic patterns. “It’s practical and beautiful, and I wanted to bring a piece of Dadiwan home.”
The Dadiwan site, located about 45 kilometers northeast of Tianshui City in Shaodian Village, is celebrated for its lengthy history, abundant relics, and significant contributions to the origins of Chinese civilization, recognized as one of the major archaeological finds of the 20th century.
Coincidentally, items like Five Elements storage bags, Four Spirits and Eight Trigrams pattern mirrors, and Dragon figurines from the creative shop in the nearby Fuxi Temple have also gained popularity among the Taiwanese visitors. Taiwanese student Su Shaoqi noted that his family has a tradition of visiting Fuxi Temple for festivals back home and expressed familiarity with Fuxi culture. “The Fuxi Temple in Tianshui is enormous, with a front courtyard, middle courtyard, back courtyard, and a garden. I hope to come back here with my family someday.”
Similarly, Chen Zhiqin, whose elders serve as ceremonial figures in Taiwanese temples, developed a strong interest in Fuxi culture. Before leaving the Fuxi Temple, he took a small amount of incense ash as a token of respect for the cultural ancestor.
Fuxi is recognized as a significant cultural figure, with Fuxi culture standing as a pivotal source of Chinese civilization that serves as a spiritual symbol and emotional bond for the Chinese nation. Previous cross-Straits ceremonies honoring Fuxi have been held simultaneously in both Tianshui and Taiwan.
Yongmei Yu, the executive vice president of the Gansu Provincial Overseas Friendship Association, expressed her hopes that through this research activity, Taiwanese youth will gain a multifaceted and authentic understanding of Gansu, promoting the inheritance and development of outstanding Chinese traditional culture, and enhancing communication and friendship among compatriots, fostering collaboration and shared progress between young individuals across the straits.
