Welcome Mainland Visitors, Establish a Cross-Strait Spiritual Platform

Welcome Mainland Visitors, Establish a Cross-Strait Spiritual Platform
United Daily News editorial (Taipei, Taiwan, ROC)
A Translation
July 4, 2008

The first batch of mainland tourists to fly directly from the mainland will arrive on Taiwan today. As they would say on the mainland: “Welcome, welcome, we extend you a warm welcome!”

For tourists from the mainland, this is not merely tourism. What they want is bilateral, grass roots, cross-strait dialogue. For Taiwan, the host, this is not merely "the stimulation of domestic demand," this is not merely a practical matter. This includes the hope that their guests will take back memories of a Taiwan Experience.

The reactions of the mainland authorities and the ruling and opposition parties on Taiwan to this major event is amusing. The mainland authorities specially selected the first group of visitors to Taiwan. They were afraid they might spit on the sidewalk and embarrass their fellow mainlanders. The Taiwan authorities, meanwhile, busied themselves tidying up everything in sight. They were afraid their guests might see something they weren't supposed to. The reminds one of parents of a prospective bride and groom meeting for the first time. Each sides has its expectations. Neither side wants the other to see one's faults. Therefore this is not merely tourism. Ordinary people on both sides of the strait are clearly establishing a common "spiritual platform." They are checking each other out. They are checking themselves in the mirror. They are contemplating a common future.

Each year four million people from Taiwan visit the mainland, on business. The main attraction today is mainland tourists flying directly to Taiwan. The target is said to be 3,000 tourists arriving on Taiwan every day, nearly 1.1 million a year. News reports focus on the business opportunities and 40,000 jobs 60 billion yuan every year will bring. As a result, all eyes are on the "stimulation of domestic demand," and the economic benefits. We believe however that the real significance of direct flights of mainland tourists to Taiwan is the building of a "platform for spiritual exchange" between ordinary people on both sides of the strait. This will allow the true feelings of ordinary people to come to the fore. The initial exchange on Taiwan will become the subject of future cross-strait reflection. The two sides can then accumulate the private resources necessary to build a common future.

Some people see mainland tourists arriving on Taiwan purely as "economic resources." But we hope people from all walks of life will see their arrival as a cultural and social issue, and consider human feelings. In other words, people on Taiwan should see the arrival of mainland tourists on Taiwan from an elevated perspective, as a cross-strait spiritual exchange. People and money are both important. But people are more important than money. The arrival of mainland tourists should not be seen exclusively as a commercial opportunity. Treating mainland tourists merely as milque cows could kill the goose that lays the golden egg. One could end up winning another's wealth but losing his good will. One could even ened up losing both.

Some people say Taiwan's attractions won't stand up to comparison with Shanghai and Beijing. Taiwan's natural attractions won't stand up to comparision with Huangshan and Jiuzhaigou. Many people have concluded that Taiwan's most powerful attraction for mainland visitors is its "culture." But what is this "culture?" It is the sum total of 400 years of the Taiwan Experience. It has everything to do with the mainland and nothing to do with the mainland. It is the Presidential Palace, which was once the Provincial Governor's Palace. It is Ketegalan Boulevard, in front of the Presidential Palace, where the Red Shirt Army gathered. It is the KMT Headquarters Building, which faces the Presidential Palace, and which has since been sold. It is the 228 Memorial Park and the White Terror Monument adjacent the Presidential Palace. It is Chiang Kai-shek and his son Chiang Ching-kuo, Lee Teng-hui, Chen Shui-bian, and Ma Ying-jeou. It is oyster omlets at the night market and fried rice noodles. It is how to cast your ballots at the polls, how to get into colllege, how to play the stock market. It is Betelnut beauties lining the roadside. It is the five or six evening television talk shows arguing about everything under the sun. All this is part of Taiwan's culture. To mainland visitors, this is the "Taiwan Experience." We do not believe our highest goal should be to herd mainland tourists through gift shops. If we take them on a deeper spiritual journey, sharing with them the "Taiwan Experience," we may provide visitors with an experience they will not soon forget. We are not talking about "brainwashing." Attempting to do so can only lead to a nasty backlash. We need only be honest and objective. We need only be ourselves. Taiwan's culture and Taiwan's attractions are different from the skyline of Shanghai or the Pearl Sea of Jiuzhaigou.

Actually, when it comes to mainland tourists to Taiwan, it would seem that the two sides are not yet ready. Otherwise there would be no panic to meet President Ma Ying-jeou's July 4 deadline for the first batch of tourists. The guests are already at the door, but the host is still cleaning house. From this day forth, cross-strait relations will be different. Taiwan's reception of mainland guests, and mainland guests' behavior as guests, will impact the "cross-strait platform for exchanges of the soul." Each side will be checking out the other. Each side will check himself in the mirror. Together they will contemplate a common cross-strait future.

Even tour bus drivers have been instructed to smile like fashion model Lin Chi-ling. Taiwanese enthusiasm at the prospect of mainland visitors is evident. We hope that Taiwan merchants along the mainland tourists' route will be eager not merely to profit financially from mainland vistors, but also to reach out to them. Only then will they and Taiwan will profit both financially and spiritually. Mainland visitors are willing to spend money to experience Taiwan. We only hope the "Taiwan Experience" they take back with them will be worth remembering.

迎陸客，搭起兩岸心靈平台！
【聯合報╱社論】
2008.07.04 03:02 am

大陸觀光客「首發團」今日直飛來台，借用大陸的迎賓語，我們要向來客們說：歡迎，歡迎，熱烈歡迎！

對於大陸來客而言，這不只是「觀光活動」，他們所嚮往的應是兩岸雙邊的「民間對話」；對於台灣東道主來說，也絕不可將此視為只有「擴大內需」的工具價值，而是希望來客皆能帶回一個值得存憶的「台灣經驗」。

兩岸朝野對這場盛會的反應令人莞爾。大陸方面，對首發團的「素質」精挑細選，生怕到了台灣隨地吐痰，丟了大陸人的臉；台灣更是到處都在塗漆粉刷，要對來客遮醜。這個景象，儼然有些像是相親的場合，兩方對於對方皆有期待，且不想讓自己的醜處被對方一眼瞧見。因而，這不只是「觀光」而已，而儼然是在兩岸人民之間搭起了一座「心靈平台」；彼此看看對方，再回頭看看自己，再共同想一想兩岸的未來。

台灣每年有四百萬人次的商旅訪遊大陸，所以，「陸客直飛來台」才是今天的主戲。據稱，未來將以每日三千陸客來台為目標，一年就近一百一十萬人；新聞焦點皆強調將帶來每年六百億元商機及四萬名就業機會，因而使大家都將眼睛盯在「擴大內需」的「經濟效益」。但是，我們仍認為，如前所述，陸客來台最重要的意義，是在兩岸人民之間搭起「心靈交流平台」，使真正的民間情懷交互激盪，在台灣第一現場交匯成對於兩岸未來的共同省思，進而累積解決兩岸問題的民間資源，並為兩岸共同的未來尋找方向。

有人將陸客來台視為一個「經濟議題」，視其為「財源」；但我們期望各界更能視之為「文化議題」、「社會議題」，珍惜「人心」在其中的角色。也就是說，台灣各界看陸客來台，應當站在「兩岸心靈交流平台」的高度，若能有「人比財重要」的想法，就可能「人財兩得」；切莫將此視為殺雞取卵的「經濟議題」、「商業議題」，那就可能「得財失人」，甚至「人財兩失」。

許多人說：台灣的都會不如上海、北京，山水不如黃山、九寨溝；更多人的共同結論是：台灣對大陸來客的最佳賣點只有「人文」。這「人文」是什麼？其實就是台灣「與大陸有關，又與大陸無關」的「四百年台灣經驗」的總稱。例如，總統府曾是總督府，總統府前面有個紅衫軍聚會的凱達格蘭大道，總統府前面有個被賣掉的國民黨中央黨部，總統府旁邊有個二二八公園及白色恐怖紀念碑，蔣氏父子、李登輝、陳水扁、馬英九，夜市的蚵仔煎、炒米粉，如何投票、如何升學、如何炒股票，檳榔西施，晚間五六個電視叩應節目在吵什麼……。這些皆是「台灣人文」的項目，在陸客眼中皆是「台灣經驗」的點滴。我們不認為把陸客推進禮品店是最高目標，若能陪他們在現場實地走過一趟「台灣經驗」的心靈「深度之旅」，也許始能教來客不虛此行。必須特別強調的是：我們絕對不贊成「洗腦」，那必招致惡評與反彈，只須忠實、客觀地自然流露，皆是台灣的人文，皆是台灣的賣點，皆是與上海的群樓或九寨溝的珍珠海迥異的另一種風景，另一番意境。

其實，關於陸客來台，兩岸似乎尚未「準備好了」；否則就不必以「首發團」為馬英九總統的「七月四日之約」應急。訪客已經登門，主人仍在手忙腳亂。但從今天以後的兩岸民間關係，已較此前換了人間。台灣接待陸客之道，與陸客作客之道，皆將對「兩岸心靈交流平台」的內涵發生作用；如前所述，彼此看看對方，再回頭看看自己，再共同想一想兩岸的未來……。

連遊覽車司機都被要求「笑得像林志玲一樣」，台灣人迎陸客的熱情可見一斑。我們期望：陸客旅途沿線的台灣商家「人財兩得」，整個台灣也是「人財兩得」；大陸來客則花錢換得開心，更能在行篋內帶回一個值得存憶回味的「台灣經驗」。