Key facts
- Yang Shuang-zi's novel 'Taiwan Travelogue' won the 2026 International Booker Prize.
- The novel is set in Japanese-ruled Taiwan in 1938 and explores themes of identity, colonialism, and cultural exchange.
- It is the first novel originally written in Mandarin to win the prize.
- The book follows a Japanese novelist and her Taiwanese interpreter on a culinary journey across the island.
- The novel's win comes amid heightened tensions across the Taiwan Strait and contested interpretations of Taiwan's history.
Taiwan's first International Booker Prize-winning novel, 'Taiwan Travelogue' by Yang Shuang-zi, has ignited debate over the island's identity and history, challenging narratives promoted by Beijing. The novel, set in Japanese-ruled Taiwan in 1938, explores themes of power, memory, and identity through the journey of a Japanese novelist and her Taiwanese interpreter.
Yang Shuang-zi, who accepted the prize alongside translator Lin King, emphasized that literature cannot be separated from its origins, stating that Taiwanese people are experiencing an identity crisis and questioning their relationship with China. The novel, presented as a rediscovered travel memoir, uses food, language, and relationships to delve into the complexities of colonialism and national identity.
This literary success arrives at a politically sensitive time, with increasing cross-strait tensions and contested interpretations of Taiwan's history. Beijing views Taiwan as a part of China, with the potential for military reunification. The novel's win marks a significant achievement, being the first work originally written in Mandarin to secure the International Booker Prize, following its earlier success at the US National Book Award for Translated Literature.