Fan You Jun
Unforgettable shouts when the relatives on both sides of the Taiwan Strait met
This year, the 30th anniversary of the broadcast of the Voice of Jinling is.
As an editor who came to Taiwan to engage in journalism when Jinling Voice was founded, I have witnessed her effect of water droplets passing through stones and moistening things silently in the development of cross-strait relations.
1986, in order to open up the deadlock that had been isolated from the two sides of the Taiwan Strait for decades, Jinling Voice Radio officially broadcasted to the Taiwan Strait. This year, I was fortunate to serve as the editor of the program "Hometown and Relatives". This program is mainly for decades of audio barriers, the changes in the hometowns of fellow villagers in Taiwan, and the real-time development of dynamic information. It also arranges several "Letters and Family Search" units every week to help fellow villagers on both sides of the Taiwan Strait who have been separated for decades to find their lost relatives.
"Hometown and Relatives" program host
At that time, the two sides of the Taiwan Strait had not yet achieved mail, electricity and navigation. Listeners in Taiwan who were eager to explore the recent situation of their hometown and relatives regarded the "Hometown and Relatives" program as hope to find their family, and sent the program team to find relatives through Hong Kong. Of course, it is more about the letters sent by villagers from all over the mainland to the program team to find relatives.
For letters from Taiwanese audiences, I will sort out and sort out them one by one, and then send the clues to Taiwan Affairs Offices in various places to request assistance in finding people. After receiving the feedback, it will be compiled into a manuscript and feedback it to the Taiwanese audience who are looking forward to the other end of the radio wave through the program.
Although I was young, I have never experienced the pain and longing of my relatives for a long time and missing, I empathized with such an experience. I understand that this show is a bond and a bridge. Every effort we make can bring the audience one step closer to our relatives.
1987, cross-strait relations further eased, and Taiwan’s opening-up veterans returned to their hometowns to visit relatives. On the eve of the Mid-Autumn Festival in 1988, an audience member who contacted his relatives through the program "Hometown and Relatives" told me that his family's relatives and a group of Taiwanese veterans would fly back to Nanjing.
In that era, due to the double backwardness of communication technology and flight technology , people could not know the exact date of the aircraft arrival. The first day, I rode a bicycle for 50 minutes to pick it up at the university airport at that time. After waiting for a few hours, I returned disappointed. The next day, I lost again during the day. Finally, at night, when I went there for the third time, I waited for the plane full of veterans.
The scene has been almost 30 years since now, but I still remember clearly: at that time, the pick-up area and the apron were very close. As soon as the plane opened, the gray-haired veterans had not yet appeared, and the shouts of the pick-up area rang one after another. Hearing the voices of relatives, the veterans also accelerated their pace, and while walking down the gangway, they excitedly called their relatives. For a moment, the airport pick-up area was filled with crying, shouting, laughter... "Grandpa", "Dad", "Uncle" and "Brother", shouting one after another. An old man in his 80s was staggering and shouting his relatives' nicknames in a trembling voice at the dark crowd. After a few sounds, an old man in his sixties squeezed out of the crowd. The cryer "Dad" rushed forward and hugged him and cried bitterly... Such a shocking scene made all the onlookers breathe rapidly. I, who had always believed in "a man's tears will not be easily flicked", also turned red.
Among these veterans, the one who impressed me the most was an old man named Yang Fengwu who was blind. Earlier, he contacted his elder brother’s family in Zhenjiang through "Hometown and Relatives". When he picked up the plane, when his relatives told him that the editor of the Jinling Voice Radio's "Hometown and Relatives" program team also came, he said to me: "Thanks Hai Qi, I often listen to the programs she hosted. Without you, I might not be able to find my elder brother's family."
The next day, with the help of his relatives, this Taiwanese veteran made a special trip to the Jinling Voice Editorial Office to send banners one by one.
The first one on the right of the picture is Fan Youjun
Unexpectedly, a few months later, Yang Fengwu's niece told me that my uncle died of illness shortly after returning to Taiwan. After hearing this news, I couldn't come back to my senses for a long time.It turned out that he was diagnosed with lung cancer before returning home, but he insisted on coming to the mainland to meet his relatives. After getting what he wanted, he passed away without regrets. I stared at the two lines of big words on the banner given by Mr. Yang Fengwu to Jinling, "The Strait was isolated for forty years, and the radio waves were filled with joy." What appeared in my mind was Yang Fengwu's satisfied and happy smile before returning to the stage. At that moment, I was extremely aware of the weight of responsibility in myself. Using radio waves to build a bridge to happiness for listeners may be the treasure that radio and radio people strive to pursue throughout their lives.
Although it has been almost thirty years, the shouts of Taiwanese villagers returning home for the first time at the airport will always echo in my ears: she is like a volcano erupting, she is like spring thunder roaring! After the wave of visiting relatives on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, the wave of cross-strait economic, trade and cultural exchanges has ushered in.
Characters in this issue: Fan Youjun
Editor of the News and Broadcasting Department
