In translating Taiwan Travelogue, I intentionally used many strategies that R considered unorthodox in the Eng publishing industry. alth thr were risks, I viewed this prjt as an experimental chllg to the conventions of the Eng bk market. Gnlly, the unspoken premise of translated literature in Eng is that translation, &the translator, R best kept 'invisible.' Bt in this bk , we hv translators' footnotes, an intro, an afterword, and the same Ch characters featuring three dfft pronunciation syss.

Compared to the original text, the English edition requires more effort from the reader, precisely because it refuses to simplify the multilingual, multi-ethnic, and multicultural reality of Taiwan.Because of this, I initially thought Taiwan Travelogue in English would only appeal to a small, niche audience. However, since its publication in the US in 2024, it has garnered immense attention that we never anticipated.

The international spotlight has also made this book a prominent and shining example in Taiwan, proving that we can tell Taiwanese stories abroad.But no single novel should have to bear the heavy burden of speaking for an entire nation. My hope for myself and my fellow translators is to bring a wide variety of voices from Taiwan into the English world, so that no one can ever reduce Taiwanese literature to a monolith.

We are not singing in unison, but rather creating a clamor of diverse voices—full of contradictions and an indomitable spirit, just like any robust democracy.Finally, I want to express my gratitude to the International Booker Prize for amplifying diverse voices and broadening our literary horizons. Happy 10th anniversary!"