As the Year of the Snake slithers in, the festive spirit is alive from the Chinese mainland to the Taiwan region. Both sides of the Taiwan Strait are celebrating the most important festival on the Chinese calendar—the Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival—with traditional feasts, decorations, and cherished family reunions.
Cross-strait Fireworks Light Up the Sky
One of the most anticipated celebrations across the Taiwan Strait is the annual joint fireworks display by Xiamen and Kinmen on the first day of the Chinese New Year, a tradition that began in 1987.
At 8 p.m. on January 29, nearly 50,000 fireworks illuminated the night sky, launched simultaneously from the beaches of Xiamen, a coastal city in Fujian Province, and Kinmen, a small island just off the mainland. The 30-minute display featured themed sections highlighting the Spring Festival and cross-strait ties.
“The sight of fireworks from both sides lighting up the night sky in perfect sync is breathtaking and deeply moving,” said Hung Tzu-i, a native of Taiwan’s Chiayi County now living in Xiamen. She arrived hours early with her daughter to secure a prime viewing spot.
A Taiwan resident who watched the display in Kinmen shared, “The emotions brought by the joint fireworks display across the strait are hard to put into words. I hope this tradition continues every year. People on both sides of the strait are, after all, one family, and we should cooperate and develop together for a better future.”
A commentary from Taiwan’s United Daily News highlighted that the dazzling fireworks embody the blessings and expectations of people on both sides, symbolizing the deep kinship that unites compatriots across the strait.
Food and Family Reunions
The Chinese New Year is a time for family reunions, and nothing embodies this tradition more than the reunion dinner on Chinese New Year’s Eve. On both sides of the Taiwan Strait, the meal symbolizes the unbreakable cultural and emotional bond that has persisted through the ages.
In Taiwan, the gathering is often referred to as wei lu, where families huddle around a warm brazier or hot pot, representing the warmth of home and the cherished tradition of togetherness.
“Buddha Jumps Over the Wall” stands out among beloved Chinese New Year dishes in Taiwan. Originating in Fuzhou of Fujian Province and brought to the island during the late Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), the dish includes rich ingredients like chicken, duck, pork knuckles, abalone, and scallops. Local twists have introduced dried bamboo shoots and taro.
A recent survey by Taiwan media found that the top three favorite Chinese New Year dishes are hot pot, symbolizing reunion; “Buddha Jumps Over the Wall,” representing prosperity and longevity; and mullet roe, signifying a wish for abundant offspring.
These dishes carry the flavor of home, embodying hopes for reunion and joy. They highlight the deep-rooted food culture shared by both sides of the strait and convey a taste of nostalgia, family, and love.
Honoring Ancestors
Honoring ancestors is a significant part of Chinese New Year celebrations on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, reflecting deep respect for family heritage and bonds between generations.
Chuang Ling, a Taiwan-based photographer born on the Chinese mainland, shared that his family has continued Spring Festival traditions after moving to the island. Writing Spring Festival couplets, making dumplings, smoking meat to preserve and flavor it, and drinking baijiu are among these customs. The family also lights incense in front of their ancestral altar during the festival.
Reflecting on his childhood, Chuang recalled how his mother took the children on a long journey to a rural market in Baxian County of Sichuan Province to buy meat for New Year’s Eve dinner over 70 years ago, despite their frugal lifestyle. They would smoke the meat with pine branches for flavor, and his father would write Spring Festival couplets on plum branches.
“People around the world celebrate the New Year, but the Chinese New Year is different. It is a time for family reunions. The Spring Festival is the most representative traditional culture and folk custom of China,” said Chuang.
