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Czechia and Taiwan: A Literary Dialogue
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Typeset Hopes and Dreams: Exhibition on Contemporary Czech Literature
Czechia and Taiwan: A Literary Dialogue
Czechia and Taiwan: A Literary Dialogue
Taiwan, with its similarly checkered history of political oppression and subjugation, has embraced works of Czech literature and art, especially classic modernist efforts, through the years. Although their autocratic pasts differ in many important respects, Taiwan and Czechia have both lived through the “undergrounding” of literary and other creative works censored or banned by their governments. The works of banned and dissident authors like Franz Kafka, Milan Kundera, Bohumil Hrabal, and others have not only inspired and influenced generations of Taiwanese readers; they have created the solid foundation upon which Czech literature is continuing to engage with Taiwan.
The pace of bilateral literary sharing and exchange has picked up significantly in the 21st century, with a rising number of Taiwan and Czech literary works in translation now being published in both countries. This exhibition spotlights the current state and standout accomplishments of contemporary cultural exchange between Taiwan and Czechia.
Čapek's Pictures from the Insects' Life (Czech: Ze života hmyzu), translated by Gu Hun (Huang Tian-hai). Published in Min-Ri (Tomorrow) Literary in 1930. Preserved in the National Central Library of Taiwan.
Xiandai Wenxue, founded by Pai Hsien-yung and others, was an essential modernist publication in the 1960s. Its inaugural issue was a unique feature on Franz Kafka, collecting critical essays and Chinese translations of Kafka's short stories.
Collected by the National Museum of Taiwan Literature.
In 1984, Czech poet, journalist, and writer Jaroslav Seifert was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, with translations by the poet Lee Kuei-hsien.
Collected by the National Museum of Taiwan Literature.
The translation of Czech literature into Taiwanese began in 1930 with Huang Tian-hai's translation of Čapek's Pictures from the Insects' Life (Czech: Ze života hmyzu). In the 1960s, with the introduction of American modernism, Kafka's works also reached the Taiwanese literary scene. However, the truly significant wave of translation occurred in the late 1980s, when Czech writers such as Milan Kundera and Hašek were translated into Chinese, creating a trend. Numerous publishers, including Crown Culture Corporation, China Times Publishing, Locus publishing, and Rye Field Publishing, played a crucial role in popularizing Czech literature in Taiwan.
The translation of Taiwanese literature into Czech is a more recent development. RANNÍ JASMÍN, published by DharmaGaia in 2001, translated several novels by Wang, Wen-hsing, Qi Deng Sheng, Lai, Hsiang-yin, and others, marking a pioneering effort. Over the past two decades, publishers such as Mi:Lù Publishing and IFP Publishing have been dedicated to bringing Taiwanese literature to Czech readers. To date, more than 20 titles have been published. Taiwanese literature is gradually taking root and flourishing in the Czech Republic.
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