Simultaneous Presentation of Three Books on Taiwan

by Marilou den Outer

Recently, no fewer than three books on Taiwan have been published in Dutch translation. They cover three distinct subjects – the economy, the people and the rich culinary culture – each bridging the past and the present. The paperbacks are part of a project initiated by the National Museum of Taiwanese Literature to raise awareness of the strengths of this island nation – a country that enjoys almost no official recognition in the world.

Translations of this series have appeared in various countries. In the Netherlands, they were produced under the editorship of three well-known sinologist-translators, Annelous Stiggelbout, Silvia Marijnissen, and Mathilda Banfield. They, in turn, enlisted (young) sinologists to provide partial translations. These translators, along with Willem Desmense of publishing house IJzer and an audience of interested attendees, gathered in the Leiden University Library in late April. There, the first copies were presented to the high-rankingf representatives of the Taipei Representative Office in The Hague.

The three editors and translators looked back on a rewarding project. While translating, they discovered new facts about Taiwan. While the 38-year presence of the Dutch East India Company (VOC) in the 17th century is well-known, details such as the name ‘t Walvis Been’ (The Whale Bone) came as a genuine surprise. The Chinese name for the sandbank turned out to be a literal translation of the name given to it by the Dutch at the time.

Another interesting find was the investigation into the origin of the land area measurement ‘kah’ (甲), which is used exclusively in Taiwan. It likely traces back to the Dutch word ‘akker’ (field).

Translating indigenous texts – from the Austronesian population of Taiwan – proved challenging. Should they be transcribed in Latin script or phonetically from Chinese characters? The translators resolved these choices with creative solutions.

The Austronesian population is just one of the many cultures highlighted in the series. Throughout all volmes, Taiwan emerges as a vast melting pot. There are Han Chinese influences, but also Hakka, Japanese, Korean, as well as more recent immigration from the Filipines and Malaysia. “These are well-embraced in Taiwan. It is an inclusive society,” noted editor Silvia Marijnissen.

A unique Taiwanese literary form – what is it actually called?

The process of discovery continued even during the book presentation. The editors and the publisher noted it was remarkable that the three books were not written as straightforward non-fiction, but consist of a mix of fiction, poetry and non-fiction. This literary form currently attracts a large readership in Taiwan. However, Jeroen Wiedenhof, a Chinese language specialist and senior lecturer in Chinese studies, wondered what specific term is used in Taiwan for this blend.
A spontaneous brainstorm among the audience followed. Lily Wang, a well-known promoter of Taiwanese culture in the Netherlands, suggested: wénxuǎn (文選). “Wén means text or writing, and xuǎn: selection,” clarified the moderator, sinologist and lecturer at the Institute for Regional Studies Anne Sytske Keijser, with enthusiasm. “Another thing learned about Taiwan!”