Guardian Interviews 'Taiwan Travelogue' Author: Refusing to be a Second-Class Citizen on My Own Land

Central News Agency (London) May 21. After winning the International Booker Prize for 'Taiwan Travelogue,' author Yang Shuang-zi stated that literature cannot be separated from the land where it grows. In an interview with The Guardian today, she discussed the identity crisis facing Taiwanese people, saying, "I refuse to be a second-class citizen on my own land." The 41-year-old Yang and 32-year-old translator Lin King won the prestigious International Booker Prize on the evening of the 19th in London, marking the first time a Taiwanese author has received this honor. Yang stated, "Some people think art and literature should stay away from politics, but I believe literature cannot be separated from the land it grows on; in that sense, literature has never been detached from politics." Although 'Taiwan Travelogue' is set in the 1930s, its exploration of national identity and colonial issues remains relevant to modern Taiwan. Yang said, "As Taiwanese, we must ask ourselves: do we want to return to the colonial era? Do we want to live that life again, being second-class citizens on our own land? I refuse." Translator Lin King noted that the book not only introduces Taiwan's history to foreign readers but also resonates with young Taiwanese and the diaspora.