Contrary to many assumptions, Liu, now hailed as a "soul ferryman" for mainland-born veterans, is not a descendant of them but a native Taiwanese. The settlements are home to those veterans who arrived in Taiwan with the defeated Kuomintang (Nationalist Party) regime in the Chinese civil war. This is how Liu ended up becoming the "soul ferryman" for mainland-born veterans in Taiwan -- a title he has held for 22 years. On every trip escorting a veteran's ashes home, he would wrap the urn in cloth of auspicious colors and carried it close to his chest. For Liu, whether it's in Harbin or Taiwan, the resolve of patriots to defend their country has never wavered.