Chapter The difficulty of writing

Overview & Synopsis

Li and his contributors explore how Taiwanese poets conceptualize their identities, employing multiple voices to challenge political hegemony and re-evaluate Taiwan’s colonial legacy and nationalism. Poetry in Taiwan exists at the intersection of Taiwanese, Mandarin, and Japanese languages and traditions. The rise of China has contributed to the shrinking of Taiwan’s international space, leading to Taiwanese cultures often being viewed as tributaries or by-products of China on the global stage. They focus on Taiwanese poetry to highlight a history of local resistance in gender, identity, cultural, and linguistic contexts. They deconstruct the hegemony and homogeneity of “Chineseness,” exploring multiple ways to reposition Taiwan on the map of world literature. Essential reading for scholars of Sinophone literature, as well as those interested in the history and culture of Taiwan.