Executive Yuan honors ‘Taiwan Travelogue’ writer

Executive Yuan honors ‘Taiwan Travelogue’ writer

2024-12-16

Taiwanese author Yang Shuang-zi on Monday was presented a medal by Premier Cho Jung-tai, for her contributions to Taiwan’s culture. Last month, an English-language translation of her novel “Taiwan Travelogue” was awarded the prestigious US National Book Award for Translated Literature. Yang is the first Taiwanese to win the honor. Let’s hear from the author and her translator.

Yang Shuang-zi
Author
I would like to thank Taiwan, which allowed me to write such a work. I would also like to thank my wife, Lai Ting-ho. And I would also like to show my deepest appreciation to Cheng Li-chun, who was Minister of Culture from 2016 to 2020 and who is currently serving as vice premier. You saw me before anyone else did.

Lin King
Translator
I feel so lucky to see “Taiwan Travelogue” receive so much attention, seeing the word Taiwan all over the press in mainstream media outlets in the US and the UK. I am very thankful, it’s great.

“Taiwan Travelogue” is set in the Japanese colonial period and tells the story of a young novelist who travels Taiwan by rail and learning about the local food and history. In her acceptance speech, Yang stated that Taiwan belonged to the people of Taiwan, a message that Japan heard 100 years ago, and China should hear 100 years later.

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台灣文學首位! 作家楊双子獲美國圖書獎卓揆贈三等獎章

2024-12-16

由台灣作家楊双子創作、金翎翻譯的"台灣漫遊錄"，打敗上千本的翻譯書，獲得有文學界奧斯卡之稱的美國國家圖書獎，成為台灣第一人，行政院長卓榮泰今天親自頒贈文化獎章，感謝她們以文學力量凝聚台灣人心。

[[台灣作家楊双子]]
“謝謝台灣，是台灣讓我寫出這樣的作品，我感謝我的妻子賴庭荷小姐，與此同時，我要特別向2016年到2020年的文化部長，也就是如今的行政院副院長鄭麗君女士表達感謝，在眾人看見我之前，是你先看見我的”

[[譯者金翎]]
“能夠看到台灣漫遊錄，受到這樣的注目，看到台灣這個英文字，不斷地出現在英美主流媒體，我真的覺得很慶幸，很感激，很爽”

這本"台灣漫遊錄"，透過縱貫鐵道的美食之旅，帶出台灣歷史文化。楊双子當時的得獎致詞，提到台灣是台灣人的台灣，100年前我們對日本這麼說，100年後我們對中國說，她書寫是為了回答「台灣人究竟是什麼人」。

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Juna Ferrett, Queensland Trade and Investment Commissioner has Indigenous Taiwanese and Australian heritage. She lived in Taiwan until sixth grade and still has fond memories of Taitung.

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