Sharing New Taipei's Stories with the World! Su Chiao-hui and Yang Shuangzi Discuss Culture — From Local Cuisine to Literary Visions, Co-creating New Taipei's Soft Power

New Taipei mayoral candidate and legislator Su Chiao-hui recently held a cultural exchange gathering at 'Ji Wenshe' in Yonghe with International Booker Prize winner Yang Shuangzi, cultural critic Chu Yu-hsun, urban legend researcher Hsieh Yi-an, writer Chen Yi-ching, and bookstore operators Hung Pei-tse, Lin Chieh-shan, and Chen Po-ming. The group discussed everything from local cuisine and literary creation to urban development and international cultural exchange, co-creating a vision for New Taipei’s cultural future.

International Booker Prize winner and cultural figures gathered to envision a culturally inclusive city

The event featured a variety of Yonghe’s local specialties, including Haiyun Tea House and K Coffee Shop recommended by Yang Shuangzi, as well as Burmese drinks, pepper cakes, and egg cakes recommended by Su Chiao-hui’s team. As participants enjoyed the food, they shared their observations of life in Yonghe. Su Chiao-hui joked that when Taiwanese people host, they must be 'ū-tshun' (meaning 'abundant'), and the table full of delicious dishes perfectly reflected the warmth of human connection.

Yang Shuangzi, a long-time Yonghe resident, noted that Yonghe’s compact streets and diverse cuisines—from Dachen rice cakes and Korean Shandong roasted chicken to Vietnamese and Burmese dishes—naturally blend in daily life, creating a unique urban character. Chu Yu-hsun also shared an amusing observation of seeing Taiwanese bianrouqie served alongside Fuzhou chili paste at a Yonghe noodle shop, suggesting that such everyday cultural blending is Yonghe’s most charming trait.

Su Chiao-hui emphasized that Yonghe, like the table before them, is a place where people of diverse cultural backgrounds coexist, complement each other, and collectively shape the city’s future. She stated that this spirit of cross-ethnic and cross-cultural inclusivity is not only Yonghe’s hallmark but also Taiwan’s most treasured value.

When discussing Yonghe’s cultural depth, participating writers pointed out that within a three-kilometer radius of Si Hao Park, over twenty active writers reside, making it one of the highest-density literary communities in Taiwan. Su Chiao-hui humorously remarked that Yonghe has long been a favored place for cultural creators—from Yang San-lang to Yang Shuangzi—highlighting its strong artistic energy.

Su Chiao-hui stressed that in an era where both hard and soft power matter, literature and language remain vital forces for introducing Taiwan to the world. If given the opportunity in the future, she hopes to continue supporting creators, building more cultural platforms, and guiding children to explore the history, culture, and local stories of New Taipei’s 29 districts through literature, reading, and fieldwork.

The conversation extended to international cultural exchange. Yang Shuangzi shared her experience attending the International Booker Prize ceremony and being interviewed by international media alongside the English translator of 'Taiwan Travelogue,' candidly noting that making 'Taiwan' visible on the global stage requires nuanced linguistic and cultural communication. Su Chiao-hui added that Taiwan faces many challenges on the international stage, making it even more essential to enhance global visibility through soft power—literature, culture, and sports—so more friends around the world can get to know Taiwan.

At the end of the event, Su Chiao-hui pulled out her treasured copy of 'Taiwan Travelogue' and asked Yang Shuangzi to sign it. She shared that her daughter had loved the book long before it won international acclaim, and this gathering—connecting local cuisine, multiculturalism, and literary exchange—reinforced her determination to advance New Taipei’s cultural development and share Taiwan’s stories with the world.