Taiwan Literature and Questions of National Identity

1
Taiwan Literature and Questions of National
Identity
February 28 Memorial, Peace Park, Taipei
2
History of Occupation

• aboriginal peoples
• Dutch colony (1624-62)
• Ming control under Zheng Chenggong (Koxinga)
  (1662-83)
• Qing (Manchu) control (1683-1895)
• Japanese colony (1895-1945)

Anping Fort, Tainan, built by the Dutch, then
occupied by Zheng Chenggong, a Ming loyalist
3
Nationalist Occupation

• Nationalist (KMT) control (1947-1987)
• February 28th Incident (1947) and the imposition
  of martial law
• Lifting of martial law and democratization
  (1987-present)
• Emergence of the DPP (Democratic Progressive
  Party), under Chen Shui-bian

Woodcut print of the massacre of the Feb. 28
Incident in the Feb. 28 Incident Museum (Taipei)
4
Historical Background

• Taiwans uneasy history with the mainland
• Things became more difficult for Taiwan after
  1971, when the PRC was granted UN membership and
  Taiwan was essentially stateless

5
Taiwan Today

• Global city of Taipei
• Competition between KMT (sinocentric) and DPP
  views of Taiwan identity (desinicization)

Left, the Sun Yatsen Memorial Hall upper right
Chiang Kai-shek Memorial lower right 2-28 Peace
Park
6
History and Identity

• Dispersion (1) immigration from the mainland in
  the Ming and Qing dynasties, especially from
  Fujian (2) aboriginals are dispersed to the
  interior (3) second wave of mainland immigration
  in the late 40s
• Ambivalence product of Taiwans political
  insecurity in the global arena tension between
  mainlanders, Taiwanese, and aboriginals tension
  between Chinese and Taiwanese identities
• Hybridity multiplicity of cultural influences
  (e.g., Fujian and other parts of mainland China,
  aboriginal, Japanese, American)
• These characteristics combine to make a unique
  national experience for Taiwan but one that is
  not easily essentialized

7
Literary History of Taiwan

• Japanese Occupation (1895-1945)
• May Fourth Period Taiwan intellectuals were
  aware of literary trends on the mainland, but the
  Japanese presence stifled radicalism
• intellectuals educated in Japanese in Taiwan
  universities
• much writing done in Japanese which prevented
  the emergence of a real Chinese literature
• After 1949 (general)
• cut off from May Fourth literary tradition
  realist and leftist writers banned in Taiwan
• hence, strong Western and traditional influences
• 1950s and 1960s
• dominated by anti-communist propaganda and
  escapist romance novels
• Nationalists exerted strict control over culture,
  especially after 1955
• Some intellectuals promoted a more serious
  realism (e.g., T.A. Hsia, editor of Literary
  Review Wenxue zazhi ???? 1956-60)

8
Literary History of Taiwan

• Modernism (1960s and 70s)
• highly influenced by Anglo-American modernist
  traditions of T. S. Eliot, Ezra Pound, etc.
• apolitical and aesthetic
• poetry particularly strong
• Modern Literature (Xiandai wenxue 1960-73),
  founded by students of T. A. Hsia, including Bai
  Xianyong ???, promoted modernism in fiction
• Nativism (1970s and 80s)
• reaction against modernism, perceived as empty
  formalism
• promoted a return to realism, with a focus on
  Taiwan life and society, particularly rural
  society
• expresses Taiwan consciousness

9
Literary History of Taiwan

• Current trends
• pluralism and coexistence of all sorts of styles
  of writing
• feminist writing of Li Ang ?? (e.g., The
  Butchers Wife)
• Satirical and humorous style of Zhang Dachun,
  etc.
• postmodern avant-garde (e.g., Li Yongping ???,
  At Fortunes Way 1978)
• Zhang Ailing imitators (e.g., Zhu Tianwen ???)

10
Literary History of Taiwan

• Zhu Dachun ???, Lucky Worries About His Country
  ???? (1987)

11
Literary History of Taiwan

• Zhu Tianwen ???, Fin de siecle Splendor ??????
  (1990)