Written by Ssu-Chieh Jessica Fan and Cheng-Ting Wu.
Image credit: North American Taiwan Studies Association.
This article was a summary of the plenary session of the same name at the 2023 North American Studies Association Conference.
In recent years, Taiwan literature has experienced a surge in visibility and recognition within the global cultural community. Wu Ming-yi’s novel, The Stolen Bicycle, was longlisted for the Man Booker International Prize in 2018, whereas Kevin Chen’s novel, Ghost Town, found its place on the longlist of the 2023 Pen America Literary Award. Beyond the realm of literature, Taiwanese illustrators such as Lin Lian-en and Animo Chen have achieved acclaim, with their picture books garnering the prestigious BolognaRagazzi Award at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair. Undoubtedly, Taiwan’s vibrant and multicultural society has provided a fertile ground for creative expressions in different artistic fields to flourish.
To explore the border-crossing potential of Taiwanese stories, the planning team of the NATSA 2023 conference organized a special event titled “Beyond Books: Taiwanese Stories in the World,” creating a lively platform for discussing the circulation and reception of Taiwanese fiction and non-fiction works in the international book market and academia. The growing international presence of Taiwanese publishing titles is the result of the collaborative efforts of multiple stakeholders, such as translators, literary agents, academics, critics, and authors. Our goal was not only to gain a more comprehensive view of how Taiwan literature had gradually become a part of world literature but also to understand how Taiwanese stories possess the inherent potential to captivate a broad readership.
Co-moderated by Ssu-Chieh Jessica Fan (Department of Asian Studies, University of Texas at Austin) and Cheng-Ting Wu (Regional Studies-East Asia, Harvard University), the special event featured a lineup of distinguished speakers, including Dr Kyle Shernuk (Department of East Asian Languages & Cultures, Georgetown University), Dr Bert Scruggs (Department of East Asian Studies, University of California, Irvine, Ms Meng-Ying Catrina Liu (The Grayhawk Agency & Rights Director, Books from Taiwan), and Ms Eugene Yuchin Chen (Department of Asian Studies, University of Texas at Austin).
On Translation
Literary scholar David Damrosch underscores that a literary work transcends its original cultural boundaries and becomes world literature when it actively engages with literary systems beyond its origins. Translation is arguably one of the most important processes that facilitates Taiwan literature’s access to a broader audience. It comes as no surprise that the translation of Taiwan literature constitutes an integral part of the cultural policy of the Taiwanese government. Rather than a one-man effort, the translational and transnational journeys of Taiwan literature result from the collective endeavours of writers, translators, literary agents, scholars, and critics.
Using Books from Taiwan (BFT) as an example, Ms Catrina Meng-Ying Liu discussed the collaborative efforts between the Taiwanese government and the Grayhawk Agency to promote Taiwanese publications abroad via translation, international book fairs, publication rights deals, and publishing fellowships. BFT is an initiative funded by TAICCA that introduces a curated selection of Taiwanese titles, ranging from fiction and non-fiction to children’s books and comic books, to foreign publishers and readers. Ms Liu explained the selection process, which entails an open call for Taiwanese titles with international potential. It is noteworthy that the recipients of the BFT grants include translation projects in French, German, Polish, Japanese, Korean, Arabic, etc., demonstrating the ambition of Taiwanese stories to reach readers far and wide.
Coming from a writer’s perspective, Ms Eugene Yuchin Chen introduced the translation trajectory of her award-winning 2018 novel Message from Another World (跨界通訊), discussing its selection by BFT. Using the 2015 Exchange Forum between Taiwanese and Japanese Writers as an example, Ms Chen noted that the dynamic interaction between Taiwan literature and other literary systems extends beyond textual translation, encompassing diverse cross-cultural spaces such as literary forums and writers’ residency programs. To elaborate further, she shared her experience as an artist-in-residence at the Vermont Studio Centre, characterized by various instances of “cross-border communication” she had with fellow artists.
Translation plays a pivotal role not only in promoting Taiwan literature to a wider audience but also in enriching educational environments and advancing scholarly research. By making translations accessible, Taiwan literature is more likely to be read, studied, and become subjects of further academic exploration. Assuming the versatile roles of translator, researcher, and educator, Dr Kyle Shernuk provided multidimensional insights on the topic of translation, addressing questions regarding its purpose and target audiences. Moreover, Dr Shernuk tackled procedural and financial considerations that can influence translation decisions. To illustrate, he drew comparisons between distinct norms and expectations in academic and commercial publishing, drawing from his personal experiences in navigating these two spheres. Furthermore, Dr Shernuk introduced the newly launched Cambria Sinophone Translation Series, for which he serves as the Series Editor. As an academic committed to teaching and researching Taiwan and Sinophone literature in North America, Dr Shernuk also shared firsthand observations regarding incorporating Taiwan literature into North American academic settings.
Additionally, the selection of authors whose works are chosen for translation significantly shapes how Taiwan is portrayed and perceived abroad. During the roundtable, Cheng-Ting Wu delivered a brief presentation on behalf of Dr Bert Scruggs, who was originally scheduled as one of the roundtable speakers but could not attend the event in person due to unforeseen circumstances. Wu cited data from the article “Visualizing Bentuhua: The Recreation of Taiwanese Literature through Translation by Taiwan Literature: English Translation Series,” co-written by Dr Scruggs and Dr Táňa Dluhošová. Wu outlined some trends in translated literature from Taiwan over the past two decades and emphasized the need for translations of younger female authors and the continued involvement of other presses in introducing Taiwan literature to Anglo-American and European readers.
(Un)translatability, Adaptability and Relatability
While textual elements like plotlines are generally translatable across languages, certain cultural aspects, especially culture-specific concepts or terms, can prove resistant to translation. The dynamics between translatability and untranslatability hinge on the relationship between language, thought, and reality, often presenting challenges in introducing Taiwan literature to a global readership. Delving into the theme of (un)translatability, Ssu-Chieh Jessica Fan invited the panellists to contemplate and address questions regarding the specific and universal aspects of Taiwan literature. Specifically, Fan inquired about how Taiwanese narratives engage and captivate international audiences, encompassing general readers, scholars, and students, by navigating the delicate balance between local specificity and universality. She then posed additional inquiries: Which facets of Taiwan literature lend themselves readily to translation? Conversely, what elements or aspects might present challenges for translation?
All three panellists delved into the intricacies of (un)translatability, encapsulating not only linguistic but also sociocultural dimensions, as the offshore journeys of Taiwan literature in translation necessarily entail certain projections of what Taiwanese culture is like for foreign readers. Ms Chen provided an illustrative example from her latest work Marriage-holic: Short Stories (我有結婚病), to highlight the case of untranslatability—the musical garbage trucks in Taiwan, which evokes associations with gendered domestic labour. Drawing from her extensive experience in book publications, Ms Liu remarked that despite the market preferences varying, English continues to be a relatively cost-effective linguistic choice for promoting Taiwan literature due to its widespread accessibility. Centring on the pedagogical dimension of Taiwan literature, Dr Shernuk emphasized the importance of providing more context as a supportive measure for international readers, as well as the potentially mutually enriching relationship between literature and language education, specifically the education of traditional Mandarin characters. Noting how Taiwan literature tends to be taught within the framework of area studies in North America, Dr Shernuk also cautioned against an excessive focus on geopolitics at the expense of other equally stimulating topics.
In addition to (un)translatability, adaptability emerged as another notable theme during the roundtable discussion. After presenting the translational journey of Message from Another World, Ms Chen delivered a performative reading of the novel in both Mandarin and English, foregrounding the interconnections between writing, sound effects, and performance. Centring on commercial publishing, Ms Liu noted that the boundaries of literature seem to become increasingly fluid in today’s multimedia cultural landscape. Taiwanese narratives are not only presented in diverse formats like comics and picture books, but there is also a regular occurrence of transmedia adaptations based on Taiwan literature, spanning mediums such as film and theatre.
On Terminology
During the roundtable discussion, many noticed that the panellists used different terms to refer to “Taiwanese stories,” as indicated in the event title. This observation sparked a critical dialogue about the complexities surrounding reception, the politics of translation, and the varying degrees of inclusivity associated with different terminologies. An audience member asked the panellists to clarify the nuances of the various terminologies used throughout the roundtable discussion, which were at times used interchangeably, including “literature from Taiwan,” “books from Taiwan,” “Taiwanese literature,” and “Taiwan literature.”
The panellists commented that their use of these terminologies is often contingent upon the contexts in which they engage with the texts. Ms Liu clarified that she tends to use the more generic term “books from Taiwan,” given the broad range of genres and materials encompassed by BFT, including literature, non-literature, children’s books, picture books, etc. Dr Shernuk pointed out that “Taiwanese literature” does not include all the literary works that come from Taiwan. For example, Syaman Rapongan is not a Taiwanese writer but a Tao literary figure who also happens to be an R.O.C. citizen residing on Orchid Island. Recognizing the different ideological implications associated with these terminologies, Dr Shernuk opted for “Taiwan literature” and “literature from Taiwan” over “Taiwanese literature” when introducing Syaman Rapongan to his students so as not to efface the history of Han settler colonialism within Taiwan.
Moreover, Dr Shernuk emphasized the pivotal role played by academics in mediating Taiwan literature within the world literary space. In educational settings, the literary texts taught in classrooms significantly shape students’ understanding of Taiwan’s history, culture, and society. Additionally, academics can leverage their influence in raising the visibility of Taiwan literature through compiling anthologies and authoring book reviews.
In summary, all three panellists provided insightful perspectives and engaged in fruitful discussions on the intricate journeys undertaken by Taiwan literature, transcending boundaries of language, culture, geography, genre, and beyond. Together with the complementary book exhibition, the special event explored the multifarious connections between Taiwan literature, Taiwanese narratives, and the world at large, exemplifying how authors and stories from Taiwan have acquired an increasing presence in the international literary landscape and engaged in dynamic conversations of important global issues.
Ssu-chieh Jessica Fan is a PhD student in Asian Studies at the University of Texas at Austin. Her research interests include Sinophone literatures and cinemas, translation and transculturation, East Asian modernity, and comparative cultural studies. Her dissertation project will focus on the literary culture and cultural production of post-martial law Taiwan.
Cheng-Ting Wu recently graduated from the Regional Studies East Asia program at Harvard University. He also has both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Chinese Literature from National Taiwan University. His research interests include language reform, modern Chinese history, Sinophone studies, and Chinese linguistics.
This article was published as part of a special issue on ‘NATSA: Repositioning Taiwan‘.
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