Lin with zanhua, floral accessory headdress, in Quanzhou. [Photo provided to gofujian.com]

"The Luoyang Bridge not only connects the two sides of Quanzhou, but also connects me to my hometown," wrote Lin Huiyan at the end of her travel essay Encounter with Luoyang Bridge. The Fujian-born girl studying in the Philippines, pours her love of her homeland into every word she writes.

Lin spent her childhood in Fujian before moving to the Philippines with her parents due to their work. Despite the distance, Fujian has remained close to her heart, the place she instinctively calls "home". She often reminisces about its red-brick houses, vibrant local customs, and traditional food in her childhood. Though she can find similar food in the Philippines, something is always missing, that elusive, authentic taste of home. This, perhaps, was the first time the 17-year-old truly felt the pull of homesickness.

Her bond with Fujian was deepened through the Root-seeking Journey, which allowed her to explore China more deeply. She walked through Quanzhou's alleys, explored ancient residences in Fuzhou, capital of Fujian province, and stood in awe before the Laojun Rock on Mount Qingyuan. For young overseas Chinese, experiences like these are invaluable. "They awaken our love for Chinese culture and reignite the pride and national identity in our blood," Lin says.

Chinese culture also inspires much of Lin's writing. She describes what she saw and felt on the historic bridge in her essay Encounter with Luoyang Bridge. To her, the bridge is more than an architecture, it symbolises connection: Between people, nature, past and present. Every stone is a silent witness to history. Her words are not only a tribute to the bridge itself, but also a heartfelt dialogue with her homeland. 

"Writing in Chinese is inherently part of Chinese culture," Lin believes. Chinese characters lie at the very heart of Chinese civilisation, carrying 5,000 years of history, culture and wisdom.

"They are our medium for dialogue across time and a spiritual bond between overseas Chinese with their homeland," she says. Lin's life is shaped by both Fujian's rich heritage and the vibrant culture of the Philippines. Yet her connection to her ancestral roots, held by language and memory, remains one of the warmest parts in her life.

Just as the Luoyang Bridge links Lin to her childhood in Fujian, Chinese characters serve as a bridge that calls overseas Chinese's love of their roots. Lin has found a sense of belonging in Chinese characters. And the cultural roots continue to grow, thrive and pass on to the future generations.

Lin participates in the China Root-Seeking Journey Summer Camp (Quanzhou Camp). [Photo provided to gofujian.com]