NMTL revitalizes interest in Taiwan literature

2020/02/15

National Museum of Taiwan Literature is playing a pivotal role in attracting legions of new followers to the works of homegrown authors.
 
 Founded in 2003, the Tainan City based-NMTL in southern Taiwan dedicates itself not only to collecting, exhibiting, restoring, preserving and studying the country’s literary heritage but also to ensuring local works reach a wider audience. To this end, one of NTML’s latest aims is to overcome language barriers the country’s literature faces when entering new markets.

 “Our core mission is to promote local authors on the global stage,” NMTL Director Su Shuo-bin said. “Translations of native authors’ works not only expand the reach of Taiwan literature but also offer teaching resources for those who are passionate about the subject,” he added.
 
 To date, the museum has produced more than 110 high-quality translations in languages including Czech, English, French, German, Japanese, Korean and Spanish. Among the prominent authors whose works have been translated are Badai, Chi Pang-yuan, Li Ang and Pai Hsien-yung.

Last year, the New Talent Award was added to the annual Taiwan Literature Award ceremony to encourage young and emerging local writers, with prize money for the event totalling NT$3.4 million (US$111,475). The winning entries were later featured at book fairs in Taipei, Taichung and Tainan.
 
“The works submitted reflect the growing diversity in style and subject matter in Taiwan literature, be it fantasy, feminism, mystery, romance, sci-fi or thriller,” Su said, adding that he is glad to see that more and more people are writing in their mother tongues.

According to Su, another of NMTL’s missions is to connect the literary world with the film, TV show and video game industries. The literature award ceremony, for instance, is hosted by the museum alongside a networking event that provides an opportunity for winners to mingle with executives and industry insiders, increasing the odds of their works becoming the next crossover page-to-screen hit.
 
 Revenue brought in through funding drives and silver screen adaptations is ensuring a healthy future for the country’s writers, Su said. “This legacy will only continue to grow as more and more works are translated into other languages and Taiwan literature earns its rightful place in the world’s imagination,” he added.

Source: Taiwan Today (https://taiwantoday.tw/index.php)