Youth across the Strait keep history alive

Spread a map of China on the table and one detail stands out: Shanxi and Taiwan share a striking resemblance in shape — long, slightly curved, tapering at one end, as if leaning toward each other.

That quiet likeness feels like a reminder that the two are connected beyond geography.

Shanxi, with its rugged mountains and rivers, has long borne witness to the shared history during the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45). Stories of sacrifice and resilience echo across the Taiwan Strait, linking the mainland and the island in memory.

Li Min, a 104-year-old veteran in Shanxi, carries those memories in his voice. We met with him on our trip to Shanxi while filming a recent episode of Youth Power.

When he heard that I was from Taiwan and Yip Suet-ying, another student in our group, was from Hong Kong, his face lit up with pride. "Taiwan and Hong Kong are both good places in China," he said with a smile.

For us, born long after the war, that era feels distant and almost unimaginable. But Li's stories brought it vividly to life. He described treating the wounded at the front, where every move had to be swift — because even a moment's hesitation could draw enemy fire. It was a race against bullets and against time.

Wang Licheng, a student from Shanghai, told Li he would soon begin two years of military service. The old soldier clasped the young man's hand and spoke firmly: "Serving in the army is good."

In that moment, I felt I was witnessing a quiet but powerful continuity — a torch being passed from one generation to the next. Here, across decades, stood two university-aged men: one who had once faced the enemy under fire, and the other preparing to serve in our time of peace. Different eras, the same commitment.

Before leaving, I gave Li a peace talisman from Longshan Temple in Taipei, still carrying the faint scent of incense. It was a small token, and a quiet promise that shared history can bridge any distance.