Culture, kinship ease passage across Strait

On tombstones in Taiwan, many of the deceased have their family's hometowns in Fujian inscribed to make clear their origins.

Zhu is an expert in genealogy research who frequently travels to villages in Taiwan to help people trace their roots to the mainland.

"Almost every family has a blood tie with a mainland family. They are brothers and sisters. When asked where their ancestors are from, they will tell you excitedly — Quanzhou, Zhangzhou and other Fujian places," he said.

Zhu said ancestral worship and tracing family roots are traditional customs on both sides. He hopes more Taiwan compatriots can visit their ancestral homes and meet their mainland relatives, to promote family interaction and ultimately advance the integration of Fujian and Taiwan.