POLISCOPE
Back to feed
NewsKPBS Public MediaJuly 29, 2026San Diego

How the novel 'Taiwan Travelogue' explores Taiwan's complex history and identity

The 2026 International Booker Prize-winning novel 'Taiwan Travelogue' examines Taiwan's colonial past under Japanese rule and its modern-day identity struggles. The author and translator discuss how the book addresses historical trauma, the influence of the Republic of China, and current geopolitical tensions with China.

literatureTaiwancolonialismgeopoliticshistoryidentity
Read the full story at KPBS Public Media

Why It Matters

The novel and the public discourse surrounding it highlight ongoing debates about Taiwan's national identity, its relationship with former colonizers, and the preservation of its democratic freedoms in the face of external political pressure.

Key Facts

  • The novel 'Taiwan Travelogue' won the 2026 International Booker Prize for fiction translated into English.
  • The story is set in the 1930s during the Japanese occupation of Taiwan.
  • The plot follows a Japanese writer and her Taiwanese translator traveling across the island.
  • The author argues the book criticizes colonialism as a fundamentally flawed system.
  • Some Chinese audiences have accused the book of romanticizing colonialism or engaging in colonial nostalgia.
  • The author identifies as Taiwanese based on shared identification with the land rather than ancestry.
  • Taiwan held its first direct presidential election in 1996.
  • The author expresses concern that Taiwanese citizens might voluntarily relinquish democratic freedoms.
  • The translator notes that Taiwan currently relies on former colonizers as geopolitical allies due to external threats.

Who's Mentioned

organizationInternational Booker Prize“Award won by the book in 2026.”personYáng Shuāng-zǐ“Author of the novel 'Taiwan Travelogue'.”locationChina“Country claiming sovereignty over Taiwan.”organizationRepublic of China“Government regime that took control of Taiwan after WWII.”locationJapan“Former colonial power in Taiwan.”personLin King“Translator of the novel into English.”personŌ Chizuru“Fictional character in the novel.”locationTaiwan“Primary setting and subject of the novel.”personAoyama Chizuko“Fictional character in the novel.”