“Taiwan Travelogue (臺灣漫遊錄),” a novel by Yang Shuang-zi (楊双子), translated into English by Lin King (金翎), was awarded the U.S. National Book Award for Translated Literature on Nov. 20. This marks the first time a Taiwanese literary work has received this prestigious honor.

In her acceptance speech, Yang noted that Taiwan has faced external threats for over a century, as well as internal conflicts over national and ethnic identities. She explained that her novel seeks to answer the question—“What is a Taiwanese person?”— and examines the nation’s past as a step into its future.

Lin, the novel’s translator who was born in the U.S. and raised in Taiwan, remarked that “Taiwan Travelogue” explores the essence of translated literature. She emphasized that the English version aims to convey the spirit of the original story rather than offering a Westernized adaptation.

“Taiwan Travelogue” was originally published by SpringHill Publishing (春山出版社) in 2020 and won the Golden Tripod Award for Publications in 2021. Supported by Ministry of Culture, its English edition was released by Graywolf Press this November.

The novel tells the story of two women, one Japanese and one Taiwanese, who grew up in different cultural backgrounds during the Japanese colonial period. Through a coincidental opportunity, they embark on a gourmet journey along the railway, exchanging culture and ideas. The author uses food and drink as metaphors, allowing readers to glimpse the contradictions between mainland Japanese people and Taiwanese locals, as well as the differences in fate between men and women at that time.