On October 30, Pingtan Cross-Straits Center of Guoxue kicked off its 4th Cross-Straits Study Camp in Taiwan Entrepreneurial Park, where 20 students from both sides of the Taiwan Straits would experience traditional Chinese etiquette, Chinese operas and Chinese paintings. The group would also go on a study trip to the International Austronesian Archaeological Research Base, Haitan Museum of Coastal Defense, and Beigang Cultural Village.

At a traditional etiquette class

Lin Hongyu, a student from Taiwan, expressed: "Pingtan is the closest place on the mainland to Taiwan. It is Guoxue and nationalism that have gathered us here today. The camp has helped us realize that while we are inheriting our traditions and promoting the Chinese culture, we have also gradually grown up as individuals”.

“In the past, I only learnt about traditional Chinese etiquette from books. But today, I am actually putting it into practice. We should do our best to pass on the traditional etiquette as most people in today’s society have long forgotten about our heritage”, added Lin.

Youths from both sides of the Taiwan Straits learning Pingtan’s history and culture

Dozens of cross-Straits youth exchanges and activities have been carried out since the launch of the Cross Straits Center of Guoxue. These include Cross-Straits Guoxue Study Camp, Guoxue Reading Club and Guoxue Salon which have attracted more than 3,000 cross-Straits youths so far with over 1,000 people from Taiwan.

You Wenjuan, the project director, said that by expanding out to different experiences of Guoxue like Chinese paintings, and digital Chinese studies, she hopes youths from across the Straits can learn from one another and sow the seeds of love and friendship.