A special exhibition celebrating the heritage of Taiwan's ethnic groups opened on May 13 at the China Museum for Fujian-Taiwan Kinship. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

A special exhibition celebrating the heritage of Taiwan's ethnic minorities opened on May 13 at the China Museum for Fujian-Taiwan Kinship in Quanzhou, East China's Fujian province, highlighting the shared cultural roots and unbreakable historical bonds between compatriots across the Taiwan Strait.

The exhibition presents 243 curated artifacts, including 16 traditional garments, 40 exquisite ornaments made of coral and silver, 15 ceremonial headdresses, and dozens of rare historical postcards. Together, these pieces construct a comprehensive narrative detailing the migration, labor, and spiritual lives of Taiwan's 16 distinct ethnic groups.

A special exhibition celebrating the heritage of Taiwan's ethnic groups opened on May 13 at the China Museum for Fujian-Taiwan Kinship. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

A key feature of the exhibition is its comparative display method. It directly aligns cultural symbols from mainland ethnic groups with those of Taiwan to demonstrate a shared ancestral origin. For instance, the diamond patterns used by the Atayal people in Taiwan to symbolize ancestral eyes mirror the diamond totems found on the traditional attire of the Tujia people in Hunan province. Similarly, the hundred-pace snake motifs of the Paiwan tribe in Taiwan closely echo the snake patterns woven into the skirts of the Zhuang people in the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.

A special exhibition celebrating the heritage of Taiwan's ethnic groups opened on May 13 at the China Museum for Fujian-Taiwan Kinship. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Supported by the All-China Federation of Taiwan Compatriots, the exhibition includes numerous items donated by Taiwan compatriots. It provides vivid, tangible proof that cross-Strait cultures originate from the same root and illustrates how various ethnic groups have jointly built the nation, fostering deep cross-Strait emotional resonance, according to the museum.

A Taiwan compatriot surnamed Wang, who facilitated the donation of historical postcards capturing the early life of Taiwan's ethnic groups to the display, said she hope the rare images will allow more cross-Strait compatriots to discover their interconnected, shared cultural heritage.