The cross-strait Banqiao Village “Village BA” tournament reached a national audience on Oct. 1 when players from Xiamen and New Taipei appeared in a China Media Group National Day special, highlighting ancestral family ties through sport, according to local reporting from Xiamen.
National Broadcast Highlights Cross-Strait Ties
The China Media Group broadcast its National Day special featuring the “Same Name, Same Heart” micro-story segment. Actors Li Naiwen and Zhang Chenguang narrated the piece, which starred basketball players from the New Taipei Banqiao team in Taiwan and the Jimei Banqiao team in Xiamen. The segment showcased Xiamen's scenery and the grassroots basketball tournament to tell the story of shared roots and community bonds across the Taiwan Strait.
Tournament Victory Sparks Cultural Exchange
Jimei Banqiao team captain Zhang Lu explained that the television appearance stemmed from the third cross-strait tournament held in August. The competition took place across Xiamen and Jinjiang, concluding with the Jimei squad winning the championship and reconnecting with the visiting New Taipei squad. During the event, players visited the Banqiao ancestral home in the Qiaoying Subdistrict of Jimei District and toured the newly opened Banqiao Cross-Strait Same-Name Village Exchange Center.
Zhang Family Migration Links Jimei Banqiao to Taiwan
Historical records show that during the Kangxi reign of the Qing dynasty, Zhang family members from Jimei Banqiao migrated to Taiwan to settle and expand, eventually forming the Zhang, Liao, and Jian lineage groups. While Banqiao District remains a prominent area in New Taipei City, the village name in Jimei has since dissolved into multiple communities including Dong’an, Hujing, Yetuo, Cijiao, and Xiawu. Local Zhang descendants still identify as Banqiao people, preserving historical markers like Banqiao Road and Banqiao Square.
Generations Continue Ancestral Visits
Family ties between the two regions have persisted since Taiwan Banqiao relatives organized their first ancestral homecoming trip in 1989. The Zhang family ancestral hall in Yetuo Community and the exchange center established late last year now serve as gathering spaces for visiting relatives. The ancient banyan tree park basketball court adjacent to the ancestral hall has functioned as a regular meeting place for young athletes from both sides of the strait.
Intensive Filming Schedule Captures Local Landmark
Zhang noted that the production crew filmed extensively at the banyan tree park court in late September. The crew spent three to four days shooting daily until roughly 2 a.m., capturing scenes at locations including the Xinglinwan water cycling lane, the park court, and the coastal metro line. “Very welcome Taiwan compatriots, especially the younger generation, to come back home more often, everyone gathers frequently, and communicates more, to become closer,” Zhang said.
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