The "slow life" of internet celebrity Taiwanese businessman Uncle Mark in Xiamen

Overseas Chinese News Special Correspondent Wan Shuyan reported from Xiamen, Fujian Province. At the entrance of Xiamen Zengcuo'an Cultural and Creative Village, the first thing that catches the eye is "Mark Inn - a B&B from Taiwan" and "Siming "Taiwan Compatriot Station" sign.

Walking inside is a cozy courtyard: a circle of red lanterns hangs high on the eaves. The "Alishan Ginger House" sells brown sugar ginger tea, beef noodles and other Taiwanese drinks and snacks. There are three White umbrellas held up the rest area, and green plants covered the porch. In the drizzle, there was a unique mood. The door of the station for Taiwan compatriots reads: "We are waiting for you to stop at the warm station."

These are all projects operated by Taiwanese businessman Chen Qinglong in Xiamen. The warm atmosphere made the inn very popular and it became an Internet celebrity inn, so he was also affectionately called "Uncle Mark". Chen Qinglong has lived in Xiamen for 16 years. In 2017, his son Chen Wei also came to Xiamen and was in charge of the "Alishan Ginger House" in the inn.

On June 25, Chen Qinglong was interviewed in Xiamen. (Photo by Overseas Chinese News reporter Jin Jingshi)

Finding “the life you want” in Xiamen

Since his early years as a soldier in Kinmen, Chen Qinglong had the idea of ??“going to Xiamen to see The thought of "seeing". In 2003, he was stationed in Shenzhen by a Taiwanese company and encountered SARS. The epidemic was very serious. Unable to return to Taiwan, he resigned and "escaped" to Xiamen.

Chen Qinglong’s first impression of Xiamen was like a garden city, where people live at a slow pace, leisurely and comfortable. So, he stayed and started a "slow life": taking care of his body, driving a car, surfing, and walking around.

He told reporters that in the first half of his life, he lived a step-by-step life: going to school, working, getting married, and having children. In the second half of his life, he hoped to live a willful life, surf in the sea, own his own manor, and have time. Just do social service.

So, in 2009, he rented a house at the entrance of Zengcuo'an Village and used it to transform it into an inn. This place was originally the Xiamen Water Sports Center. When it was first rented, there were less than ten folk houses in Zengcuo'an, and it did not yet have the title of "China's Most Literary Fishing Village". He started decorating brick by brick, and a year later it turned into a "home". His starting point was simple: a place to receive friends when they came.

Mark Inn is a 4-story building with an area of ??400 square meters and 14 guest rooms, each with its own characteristics. There is also a restaurant and bar here, where everyone can gather together to enjoy the sea breeze, eat barbecue, watch movies, drink tea and chat in the evening.

In the first two years, there were rumors that Zengcuo'an might be demolished, which worried Chen Qinglong. It was not until 2012 that Zengcuo'an Village was determined not to be demolished. Later, it gradually developed into "the most artistic fishing village in China", attracting a large number of Taiwanese to start businesses here.

After the inn opened in 2010, it attracted more and more tourists to stay. The leisurely days made Chen Qinglong feel that "this is the life I want."

Since then, Chen Qinglong has organized Taiwanese students from Xiamen University to come to the inn to celebrate the New Year every year, with a limit of twenty or thirty people at a time. He also recruits students to work as volunteers in the inn during summer and winter vacations, providing free accommodation and meals, allowing them to work, play and experience the fun of life in Xiamen.

A post station for Taiwanese compatriots supports entrepreneurial Taiwanese youth

In May 2015, Mark Inn established the first post station for Taiwanese compatriots in Siming District to serve self-employed Taiwanese compatriots, including young entrepreneurs. Policy interpretation, mediation of Taiwan-related disputes, etc. "I want newcomers from Taiwan who come to the mainland to develop not to take so many detours." He said.

Chen Qinglong remembers that on the day the Taiwan Compatriot Station was unveiled, the "Meeting Zeng Cuo'an - Taiwan Compatriot Youth Entrepreneurship Story Sharing Session" was held. Many Taiwanese youth who started their own businesses in Xiamen told their original intention to start their own businesses in the mainland. and problems encountered, the Taiwan Compatriot Station will try its best to help them solve the problems.

Chen Qinglong said that most of the entrepreneurs in Zengcuo'an are small merchants. Unlike traditional Taiwanese businessmen, they lack information sources and financial support, causing many Taiwanese youth to miss opportunities for development. Therefore, under his initiative, Siming District established the first post station for Taiwanese compatriots in Xiamen to provide entrepreneurship consulting, life care, policy consultation, legal consultation, rights protection and other services to Taiwanese compatriots in Xiamen. He saw that Xiamen has many policies to benefit Taiwan, and Siming District has tried them first, but many Taiwanese compatriots do not understand the policies. He hopes that the station for Taiwan compatriots will become a window for popularizing policies and help Taiwan compatriots live and work better in Xiamen.

The first post station for Taiwanese compatriots played a very good role in leading the way. Currently, 6 post stations for Taiwanese compatriots have been established in Siming District to meet the needs of Taiwan compatriots for communication and entrepreneurial assistance.

On June 25, Chen Qinglong’s son Chen Wei told reporters the reason why he came to Xiamen. (Photo by Overseas Chinese News reporter Jin Jingshi)

Father and son inherit the legacy of searching for the roots of Taiwanese compatriots

Having lived in Xiamen for many years, Chen Qinglong’s son Chen Wei would go to Xiamen with him every winter and summer vacation. Life, and gradually fell in love with it. In 2017, after graduating from high school, Chen Wei came to Xiamen and ran Mark Inn with his father. He was responsible for the "Alishan Ginger House" project, selling Taiwanese snacks such as brown sugar ginger tea, roasted grass jelly, and innocent heritage beef noodles.

Chen Wei said that many of his classmates are still confused after going to college and don’t know what they are studying. He wanted to live a different life from his classmates, and first work and experience society and the university.

As Xiamen introduces more and more policies to benefit Taiwan, more and more Taiwanese young people come to Xiamen to start businesses. How to retain their hearts and let them truly have a "sense of belonging" in Xiamen is Uncle Mark has been thinking about this question.

"Both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to the same family." In order to allow Taiwanese young people who came to Xiamen like their sons to truly understand and love the mainland, Chen Qinglong, whose ancestral home is in Zhangzhou, began to prepare for the "Taiwan compatriots' root search" project and established an archives. Let more Taiwanese youth know where their "roots" are and promote cross-strait integration and development. (End)