NCHU Alumna Yang Shuang-Zi Awarded Taichung City Government Honorary Medal
2025-04-28
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Yang Shuang-Zi, an alumna of National Chung Hsing University (NCHU), received the Honorary Medal from the Taichung City Government in a ceremony held on April 25 at her alma mater. Last year, Yang made history as the first Taiwanese author to win the Translation Literature Award at the 75th National Book Awards in the United States for her work Taiwan Travelogue. In addition to a NT$300,000 monetary prize awarded last year, the Taichung City Government specially organized the medal presentation ceremony at NCHU to formally recognize her outstanding achievements in literary creation. The medal was presented by Director-General Chia-Chun Chen of the Taichung City Cultural Affairs Bureau, on behalf of Mayor Shiow-Yen Lu.
Yang Shuang-Zi spent nearly a decade studying and working at NCHU. She earned her bachelor's degree in Chinese Literature and her master's degree from the Graduate Institute of Taiwan Literature and Transnational Cultural Studies at NCHU. She also previously served on the university’s staff. At her own request, the award ceremony was relocated to the College of Liberal Arts at NCHU, making the event even more meaningful. Several of Yang’s former professors attended the ceremony to offer their congratulations.
In her remarks, Yang reflected, "The eight years I spent studying at NCHU were pivotal in shaping me into a Taiwanese novelist. It was during these years—through reading, research, discourse, and creative writing—that I came to understand both the limits and the resilience of literature, ultimately establishing the direction of my writing."
At the U.S. award ceremony, Yang had shared, "I write to answer the question: Who are the Taiwanese? By writing about the past, I aim to move toward a better future." She believes that Taiwan is a land that embraces all who come to it. Through her continued exploration of the past, she hopes to build a future where Taiwanese people recognize and cherish their shared land and identity as members of a common nation. "Taiwan may be small in size, but it is rich in spirit. As the saying goes, 'The usefulness of what is useless is the greatest of all.' I believe this is the true meaning of literature," she said. She concluded by thanking everyone for their support, affirming, "I will continue to write for my small, mountainous homeland."
NCHU Vice President Ching-Piao Tsai praised Yang’s achievement, stating that the National Book Award is often regarded as the "Oscars of the literary world." In addition to this honor, Yang also received the prestigious Japan Translation Award for the same work. Her international accolades represent not only a personal triumph but also a significant milestone for Taiwanese literature and culture on the global stage, bringing immense pride to the university’s faculty and students.
Yang Shuang-Zi spent nearly a decade studying and working at NCHU. She earned her bachelor's degree in Chinese Literature and her master's degree from the Graduate Institute of Taiwan Literature and Transnational Cultural Studies at NCHU. She also previously served on the university’s staff. At her own request, the award ceremony was relocated to the College of Liberal Arts at NCHU, making the event even more meaningful. Several of Yang’s former professors attended the ceremony to offer their congratulations.
In her remarks, Yang reflected, "The eight years I spent studying at NCHU were pivotal in shaping me into a Taiwanese novelist. It was during these years—through reading, research, discourse, and creative writing—that I came to understand both the limits and the resilience of literature, ultimately establishing the direction of my writing."
At the U.S. award ceremony, Yang had shared, "I write to answer the question: Who are the Taiwanese? By writing about the past, I aim to move toward a better future." She believes that Taiwan is a land that embraces all who come to it. Through her continued exploration of the past, she hopes to build a future where Taiwanese people recognize and cherish their shared land and identity as members of a common nation. "Taiwan may be small in size, but it is rich in spirit. As the saying goes, 'The usefulness of what is useless is the greatest of all.' I believe this is the true meaning of literature," she said. She concluded by thanking everyone for their support, affirming, "I will continue to write for my small, mountainous homeland."
NCHU Vice President Ching-Piao Tsai praised Yang’s achievement, stating that the National Book Award is often regarded as the "Oscars of the literary world." In addition to this honor, Yang also received the prestigious Japan Translation Award for the same work. Her international accolades represent not only a personal triumph but also a significant milestone for Taiwanese literature and culture on the global stage, bringing immense pride to the university’s faculty and students.
NCHU Alumna Yang Shuang-Zi Awarded Taichung City Government Honorary Medal
NCHU Alumna Yang Shuang-Zi Awarded Taichung City Government Honorary Medal
