Hanfu-clad participants from both sides of the Strait recite the Analects together in Jinan. [Photo/WeChat account: zaixianmfc]

On March 30, Jinan's Lixia district hosted the Harmonious China: Cross-Strait Analects Classic Recitation and Cultural Exchange event. The festivities included a tea-themed series, fostering cultural unity between mainland China and Taiwanese communities.

The morning opening ceremony at Jinan Fuxue Confucian Temple, a key Shandong-Taiwan exchange base, drew nearly 300 participants from both sides. Attendees in traditional hanfu recited Confucian classics in unison, and watched performances that blended tea art, calligraphy, and regional folklore. Taiwanese tea masters brewed signature teas using water from Jinan's famed springs, symbolizing shared heritage.

A significant highlight was the inauguration of the Shandong Cross-Strait Youth Spring Water Cultural Exchange Center in Baihuazhou Historical Block. This center, the province's first youth platform dedicated to spring water culture, aims to deepen mutual learning and preserve Chinese traditions through collaborative projects.

In the afternoon, Taiwanese guests explored Baihuazhou's ancient lanes, learned about the history of Qushuiting Street, and experienced folk customs at Dabindi Folk Culture Museum. Their tour concluded with a tea session by the spring waters, accompanied by guzheng music and wearing hanfu, offering an immersive journey into Jinan's cultural heritage.

The event, blending scholarly reverence with sensory experiences, emphasized cross-Strait kinship and left participants with memories of Jinan's historical charm.