Tsao Wei-han, who was born and grew up in Matsu, Taiwan, enjoys living and running his own business in Fuzhou, Fujian province.

"When I was young, my father always told me that our roots reached the other shore, and that's where my hometown is," Tsao said.

In 1987, when cross-Strait exchanges resumed, Tsao's father, Tsao Chang-bin, seized the opportunity to reunite with his ancestral village in Fuzhou's Changle district, where many Matsu people originated.

After updating the family genealogy, Tsao Chang-bin fulfilled his dream of tracing his roots. Driven by nostalgia, he returned to Fuzhou. He invested in the seafood industry.

At the age of 17, Tsao Wei-han set foot in Fuzhou for the first time. The homeland he had measured with a ruler on the map became vivid and tangible before his eyes. He vividly remembered paying respect to his ancestors.

"It was the first time I realized the immense power of roots, which transcend the barriers of time and space," he said.