Japanese Edition of Chu He-Chih's Aura of the South Shortlisted for the 11th Best Japanese Translation Award
Following in the footsteps of Yang Shuang Zi's (楊双子) Taiwan Travelogue, another work of Taiwan literature has become a finalist in this year's Best Translation Award in Japan: Aura of the South, written by Chu He-Chih (朱和之) and translated into Japanese by Kayoko Nakamura (中村加代子). Based on the life of photographer Teng Nan-Kuang (鄧南光), the novel records the political and social transformations witnessed by Teng. The results of the translation award are to be announced in the coming days. | | More information |
| English Edition of Lee Wang-Tai's Banana King Ngôo Tsín-suī Longlisted for the 2025 PEN Translation Prize 
The English translation of Lee Wang-Tai's (李旺台) Banana King Ngôo Tsín-suī by has been longlisted for the 2025 PEN Translation Prize. Translated by Timothy Smith, the work is based on the story of Ngôo Tsín-suī (吳振瑞), known as "The Banana King" in 1960s Taiwan. The novel recounts Ngôo's rise to fame, his downfall, and his passing in a foreign land. The finalists and results of the translation prize will be announced in the coming days.
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| English Edition of Chan Wai's Little Brother Shortlisted for the PEN Presents x International Booker Prize 
The English edition of Chan Wai's (陳慧) Little Brother, translated by Catherine Xinxin Yu (余欣欣), was recently announced by English PEN as one of 12 finalists for the PEN Presents x International Booker Prize. Little Brother received the Taiwan Literature Awards' Golden Book Award in 2023, and in 2024, with the support of the Ministry of Culture's "1 plus 4 — T-content plan," it was selected by NMTL and its translation program to be translated into English. The novel has also received support from the English PEN's Translation Grants Programme, demonstrating the diverse values represented by Taiwanese writers, their growing recognition, and their important place among writers from the Global Majority.
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| Taiwan Pavilion to Hold Events with Authors and Translators at the SIBF 
The 2025 Seoul International Book Fair (SIBF) will be held from June 18-22, with Taiwan being the Guest of Honor. To showcase the unique geography, Indigenous culture, and important literary awards of Taiwan, NMTL is partnering with the Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA) to curate the Taiwan Pavilion into three sections: Taiwan Indigenous Literature, Nature Writing, and the Taiwan Literature Awards for Books. To complement these themes, authors Syaman Rapongan, Wu Ming-yi (吳明益), and Ping Lu (平路) will be invited to serve as literary representatives and deliver lectures at the book fair. Panel discussions between the authors and Korean translators will also be held to promote the publication of Taiwan literature in translation.
SIBF Dates: June 18-22, 2025 | | SIBF Website |
| Taiwan Literature Hub Will Be Opening Soon 
NMTL is proud to announce the upcoming opening of its second branch in Taipei — the Taiwan Literature Hub (臺灣文學糧倉). It will serve as not just a new space for the exhibition of Taiwan literature, but also as a hub where inspiration and creation converge. Special events will be held in celebration of the opening, including the special exhibitions Exchanged Glances: Literature, Taiwan, and the World (provisional translation) and Borderless: The Most Beautiful Books, the latter being a collaborative exhibition spanning the worlds of both literature and book design. A project, "Literature x Innovation Lab" (provisional translation), will encourage the public to view literature from a wholly new perspective. Additional events featuring transnational and cross-disciplinary discussions, performances, exchange, and more will be held at TLB and Huashan 1914 Creative Park. We eagerly await the opening of a new chapter in the promotion of Taiwan literature!
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| Special Exhibition "Based on a True Story" — The Silencing and Uprising of Contemporary Gender Now on Display 
The special exhibition "Based on a True Story" — The Silencing and Uprising of Contemporary Gender will be on display at TLB's Exhibition Hall until Oct. 12. When events are reconstructed or interpreted through literature, hidden histories and details of individual memories often come to light. As they surface, they create opportunities for public discourse and foster a spirit of resistance against fading of memory. The exhibition features Qiu Miao-jin's (邱妙津) job resume and weekly entries written during her high school days, shown publicly for the first time. Excerpts from works including Lâu Tsí-Û's (劉芷妤) The Goddess Buffet and Lin Yi-han's (林奕含) Fang Si-Chi's First Love Paradise are also presented in audiobook format. Visitors are invited to walk the unfinished paths paved by writing and inquiry, to draw strength from literature, and to move forward in solidarity toward a brighter future.
Exhibition Dates: April 8-October 12, 2025
Location: Taiwan Literature Base Exhibition Hall | | More information |
| Special Exhibition Rewriting the Script: Unexpected Twists in Taiwan Literature and Screen Media Now Open to Visitors 
With the global rise of streaming platforms, contemporary literature has entered a new era of visual adaptation for screens and stages. This special exhibition takes visitors through classic movie sets, writing dialogue scripts, and even having a go at voice acting. Main theme songs from movies through the generations are paired with literary works adapted into scripts, drafts, photos, and other items. Together, they create images with sounds that weave together the stories of life in Taiwan.
Exhibition Dates: April 1-November 23, 2025
Location: NMTL Exhibition Room D | | More information |
| Writers-in-Residence (WiR) Program Now Accepting Applications 
The Writers-in-Residence (WiR) Program at TLB is currently accepting applications through May 9. Published writers of all nationalities and genres may apply. We look forward to receiving applications from lovers of literature and creative literary works around the world! Selection results are expected to be announced in early June. To apply, please click the link to the official online registration platform below to download the guidelines for the open call and complete the online application before the deadline.
Application Dates: April 7-May 9, 2025
Selection Announcement: Early June | | Register Here |
| 2025 United Nations of Stories: Explore the World through Storytelling 
NMTL will once again partner with various foreign-affiliated offices in Taiwan to coordinate events for the United Nations of Stories program, with this year's theme being "Adventure Time with Magical Creatures." This will mark the fifth year the program has been held in Taiwan. Teachers of varying nationalities will be invited to read picture books from around the world to children. This year's program consists of the themes "Friendly Monsters," "Fantastical Travels," "Adventure Quests," "Spirit Pals," and "How to be Brave." Each picture book will be a magical portal, allowing children to transcend international borders and embark on imaginary journeys full of fantasy and adventure!
Event Times: Designated Saturdays from April 26-Sept. 27, 2025
Location: NMTL B1 Literary Wonderland | | Register Here |
| Sign Language Storytelling Events for Families 
To promote Taiwan Sign Language among parents and children, NMTL will hold a series of events on designated Sundays through October entitled "Dancing Hands, Shared Stories: Sign Language Storytime for Parents and Kids." Deaf teachers will be invited to interpret picture books from Taiwan in Sign Language. Speaking interpreters will also be on site, creating a friendly, inclusive environment for both hearing and hard-of-hearing individuals. Families are welcome to sign up in the link below.
Event Dates: April 3, May 18, July 27, September 21, October 5, 2025
Location: NMTL B1 Literary Wonderland | | Register Here |
| "Little Guardians of Literary Artifacts" Classes Launching Soon 
The "Little Guardians of Literary Artifacts" Classes will soon begin its tour of Tainan elementary schools in May. These specially-designed classes will feature hands-on activities and readings of Taiwan literature to teach students about museum artifact preservation and its important role. This initiative aims to build closer ties between literature and daily life and pass on local cultural and literary memories to the next generation of little guardians!
Class Dates: May-Sept. 2025 |
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| Rybí snění Fish Dream, A Liao's Story (Czech edition of 《魚夢魚》)
Author: Liao Hung-chi (廖鴻基)
Translator: Petr Janda |
Rybí snění is a collection of 52 short stories by Liao Hung-chi. A Liao, the protagonist and a "lover of fish, for watching, catching, and eating," speaks for the author in these fish-centered stories. Blurring the line between reality and fantasy, ocean and land, these stories record a chapter of life inseparable from the sea with strokes of humor and irony, while also creating an oceanic story completely unique to Taiwan.
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| | Città fantasma / Geisterdämmerung Ghost Town (Italian / German editions of 《鬼地方》)
Author: Kevin Chen (陳思宏)
Translators: Silvia Pozzi (Italian edition), Monika Li (German edition) | In Ghost Town, author Kevin Chen delves into his childhood experiences. Through the eyes of a child on a quest to find himself while growing up in the emotionally repressive environment of a large, rural household, readers can see the scars and memories left behind by recent shifts in Taiwan's familial, social, and political structure. The Italian and German editions were both released this year.
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| | Tâigael: Stories from Taiwanese and Gaelic English, Mandarin, Taiwanese, and Gaelic
Editors: Hannah Stevens (溫婷誼), Will Buckingham (白忠修)
Authors: Elissa Hunter-Dorans, Lisa MacDonald, Kiú-kiong (玖芎), Naomi Sím | Tâigael: Stories from Taiwanese and Gaelic is the result of a project by Scottish social enterprise Wind&Bones. British authors Elissa Hunter-Dorans and Lisa MacDonald and Taiwan authors Kiú-kiong and Naomi Sím were invited to write four short stories in Gaelic and Tâi-gí (Taiwanese), respectively, exploring the similar histories of language repression and restoration that the two countries have experienced. The stories were then translated into the other language, as well as Mandarin and English, showing off the interplay between literature and language.
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| | 静かな基隆港 埠頭労働者たちの昼と夜 The Silent Workers: The Hidden Stories about Keelung Harbor (Japanese edition of 《靜寂工人：碼頭的日與夜》)
Author: Wei Ming-I (魏明毅)
Translator: Natsuhiko Kuroha (黒羽夏彦) | In this ethnography, author and therapist Wei Ming-I records her visits to what was once the seventh largest port in the world — Keelung. With the transformation of the global shipping industry and developments in mechanization, the harbor of Keelung was hard-pressed to adapt, leading to many workers being laid off and creating rifts within families and society at large. The author sheds light on the deep psychological effects that structural problems in society have on individuals, while also examining mental health issues from a sociological perspective.
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| | DV8 DV8 (Japanese edition)
Author: Chi Wei-jan (紀蔚然)
Translator: Mutsumi Funayama (舩山むつみ) | DV8 is the second entry in Chi Wei-jan's "Private Eyes" series. The story narrates the experience of drama professor and script writer-turned-detective Wu Cheng, who hears the call of the "river" and begins visiting a bar called DV8 every night. After he and a few drinking buddies form a detective team and take on a missing person case, they are swept into the maelstrom surrounding a string of 20-year-old serial killings.
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| | 마천대루 The Skyscraper (Korean edition of 《摩天大樓》)
Author: Chen Xue (陳雪)
Translator: Yu Yeong Heo (허유영) | Chen Xue's The Skyscraper revolves around the design of a 45-story building. The investigation of the death of a coffee shop manager puts the residents of the building in a position where everyone is under suspicion and yet no one is the killer. This book is based on Chen Xue's personal experiences, illustrating the loneliness and alienation of modern city-dwellers, and the ambiguities and complexities of interpersonal relationships.
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| | 먹방과 추억 사이 타이베이 소녀의 푸드 스토리 A Girl Can Cook: Street Foods, Traditional Markets, and Home Cooking From Taiwan and Beyond (Korean edition of 《老派少女購物路線》)
Author: Hung Ai-chu (洪愛珠)
Translator: Rak-Geun Im (임락근) | A Girl Can Cook is a family saga marked by the breadcrumb trail of cuisine. Hung Ai-chu guides readers through places like Dihua Street, Dadaocheng, and Luzhou. Through the specialty foods of each area, she connects life, feeling, and memory across three generations, from that of her maternal grandmother to her own, recording family stories and the changing times over the years.
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