Taiwanese Novel 'The Taiwan Travelogue' Wins International Booker Prize; DPP Lawmakers Say It Helps World Know Taiwan

(CNA reporter Wang Yang-yu, Taipei, 20th) The Taiwanese feature novel "The Taiwan Travelogue" has won the prestigious international literary award, the International Booker Prize, in London. Legislators from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) today posted messages of congratulations, stating that this is a key step for the international community to get to know Taiwanese literature and further understand Taiwan, allowing Taiwanese literature to shine at the pinnacle of the world. The major event in the English literary world, the annual International Booker Prize, was awarded this year to the feature novel "The Taiwan Travelogue," created by Taiwanese author Yang Shuang-tzu and translated into English by Christina Lin, sparking discussion. In response, Lin I-chin, a DPP legislator and member of the Legislative Yuan's Education and Culture Committee, wrote on Facebook to congratulate them, pointing out that this is a first for Taiwanese literature, turning a new page for world literature. It is a significantly key step for the international community to get to know Taiwanese literature and further understand Taiwan. Lin I-chin said that cultivating an author and a translator is no easy task. To compete on the international stage with countries like Europe, America, Japan, and Korea, which have long traditions of cultural export and hold sway in world literature and audiovisual discourse, Taiwan must build a strong 'cultural national team' to support the Taiwanese cultural industry from all angles. Lin I-chin stated that the committee will next review the Ministry of Culture's budget, hoping that both the ruling and opposition parties can unite for Taiwan. This is because Taiwan's culture is awaiting further growth and development, and the rich nutrients cultivated over many years should not be squandered in political infighting. DPP legislators Wu Szu-yao, Chen Pei-yu, Lin Yueh-chin, Kuo Yu-ching, and others also posted congratulations on Facebook. Wu Szu-yao said, 'Thank you, Yang Shuang-tzu, for writing Taiwan's story, so sincerely and so powerfully.' Kuo Yu-ching said that although she was in Geneva, seeing this news in the early morning was incredibly moving. 'Our culture, our history, our subjectivity' are being seen by the world in the gentlest yet most stunning way. 'Thank you, Yang Shuang-tzu. This is the most glorious day in the history of Taiwanese literature, a source of pride.' (Editor: Zhai Si-jia)