'The Tainan Wanderer' Wins International Booker Prize; Author Yang Shuang-zi: 'We Made It'
Taiwanese author Yang Shuang-zi's novel 'The Tainan Wanderer' won the 2026 International Booker Prize in London on the 19th, a historic first for a Taiwanese work. The author and translator Lin King will share the £50,000 prize. Yang stated this proves Taiwanese literature can compete internationally. Chuang Jui-lin, editor-in-chief of Springhill Publishing, said the success shows that Taiwanese literature should engage with world literature through its unique characteristics rather than catering to specific markets.
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- 📰 Published: May 20, 2026 at 12:51
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The novel 'The Tainan Wanderer' from Taiwan won the prestigious International Booker Prize on the 19th. Before the award ceremony, author Yang Shuang-zi told the Central News Agency (CNA) that being a finalist had already opened up a new imagination: 'We can do this.'
The award ceremony for the 2026 International Booker Prize, a major event in the English-speaking literary world, was held on the evening of the 19th at London's Tate Modern. Yang Shuang-zi and the novel's English translator, Lin King, were interviewed by CNA during the 'red carpet' segment before the ceremony.
About three hours later, the result was announced: Yang Shuang-zi and Lin King won the 2026 International Booker Prize. This is the first time a Taiwanese literary work, author, and translator have won the award, setting multiple historic precedents for Taiwanese literature and the International Booker Prize.
The £50,000 prize (approximately NT$2.1 million) is shared equally between the author and translator to highlight the importance of translation.
When asked on the red carpet about her plans if she won, Yang Shuang-zi said she was maintaining a 'calm mind' and hadn't thought about how to use the prize money. However, she then humorously remarked, 'Or maybe I should go all in on TSMC stocks.'
Returning to a more serious note, Yang said she wants to tell those aspiring to create, publish, and translate Taiwanese literature that Taiwanese literature can stand on the world stage and compete internationally: 'We can do this.'
Regarding the reactions of readers from different countries to 'The Tainan Wanderer,' Yang said she was generally very happy that the issues she wanted to discuss and convey—such as feminism, colonialism, power inequality, and history—have been noticed.
Lin King mentioned that after winning, she might take a six-month break from work.
When asked for advice for aspiring literary translators, Lin candidly stated that it is work that requires 'love' and passion.
'Only those who truly love and enjoy this should pursue this work,' Lin said. The life of a translator isn't about walking red carpets and enjoying the limelight every day; most of the time is spent toiling in front of a computer.
Chuang Jui-lin, editor-in-chief of Springhill Publishing, who accompanied Yang and Lin to London, told CNA that she believes the greatest inspiration from the success of 'The Tainan Wanderer' is that it prompts everyone to think about 'how Taiwanese literature can engage in a dialogue with world literature.'
Chuang said that through translated works, Taiwan can have more exchanges with readers and publishers from various countries, allowing them to get to know Taiwan better.
However, in terms of literary translation, 'The Tainan Wanderer' was often considered unsuitable for translation into foreign languages. Chuang mentioned that the work carries a lot of historical context and different languages, making the translation barrier very high. Nevertheless, a special translator can present the complex history of Taiwan and its diverse languages in appropriate English, communicating with the English-speaking world through the translation.
Chuang pointed out that translation tasks considered 'impossible' a decade ago are not necessarily so today, with a new generation of translators joining the field.
As for the definition of 'Taiwanese literature,' what kind of work qualifies, and how to expand its international market, Chuang emphasized that the most important thing for literary creation is to 'write out one's own uniqueness.' There is no need to worry if the subject matter or language is too 'niche,' as the world of literature is 'the most inclusive.'
World literature competes on 'uniqueness,' not on how to cater to specific overseas markets. Chuang stressed that as long as a work expresses its own creativity and uniqueness, it is Taiwanese literature.
Deputy Representative of the Taipei Representative Office in the UK, Chiang Ya-chi, attended the ceremony on behalf of the office.
The award ceremony for the 2026 International Booker Prize, a major event in the English-speaking literary world, was held on the evening of the 19th at London's Tate Modern. Yang Shuang-zi and the novel's English translator, Lin King, were interviewed by CNA during the 'red carpet' segment before the ceremony.
About three hours later, the result was announced: Yang Shuang-zi and Lin King won the 2026 International Booker Prize. This is the first time a Taiwanese literary work, author, and translator have won the award, setting multiple historic precedents for Taiwanese literature and the International Booker Prize.
The £50,000 prize (approximately NT$2.1 million) is shared equally between the author and translator to highlight the importance of translation.
When asked on the red carpet about her plans if she won, Yang Shuang-zi said she was maintaining a 'calm mind' and hadn't thought about how to use the prize money. However, she then humorously remarked, 'Or maybe I should go all in on TSMC stocks.'
Returning to a more serious note, Yang said she wants to tell those aspiring to create, publish, and translate Taiwanese literature that Taiwanese literature can stand on the world stage and compete internationally: 'We can do this.'
Regarding the reactions of readers from different countries to 'The Tainan Wanderer,' Yang said she was generally very happy that the issues she wanted to discuss and convey—such as feminism, colonialism, power inequality, and history—have been noticed.
Lin King mentioned that after winning, she might take a six-month break from work.
When asked for advice for aspiring literary translators, Lin candidly stated that it is work that requires 'love' and passion.
'Only those who truly love and enjoy this should pursue this work,' Lin said. The life of a translator isn't about walking red carpets and enjoying the limelight every day; most of the time is spent toiling in front of a computer.
Chuang Jui-lin, editor-in-chief of Springhill Publishing, who accompanied Yang and Lin to London, told CNA that she believes the greatest inspiration from the success of 'The Tainan Wanderer' is that it prompts everyone to think about 'how Taiwanese literature can engage in a dialogue with world literature.'
Chuang said that through translated works, Taiwan can have more exchanges with readers and publishers from various countries, allowing them to get to know Taiwan better.
However, in terms of literary translation, 'The Tainan Wanderer' was often considered unsuitable for translation into foreign languages. Chuang mentioned that the work carries a lot of historical context and different languages, making the translation barrier very high. Nevertheless, a special translator can present the complex history of Taiwan and its diverse languages in appropriate English, communicating with the English-speaking world through the translation.
Chuang pointed out that translation tasks considered 'impossible' a decade ago are not necessarily so today, with a new generation of translators joining the field.
As for the definition of 'Taiwanese literature,' what kind of work qualifies, and how to expand its international market, Chuang emphasized that the most important thing for literary creation is to 'write out one's own uniqueness.' There is no need to worry if the subject matter or language is too 'niche,' as the world of literature is 'the most inclusive.'
World literature competes on 'uniqueness,' not on how to cater to specific overseas markets. Chuang stressed that as long as a work expresses its own creativity and uniqueness, it is Taiwanese literature.
Deputy Representative of the Taipei Representative Office in the UK, Chiang Ya-chi, attended the ceremony on behalf of the office.