The National Museum of Taiwan Literature (NMTL) and publishing house Monomyth (英雄旅程股份有限公司) jointly held a book launch on Feb. 1 to present Time: A Journey Towards the Light (時：旅程未竟，光景猶存), a collection featuring winning works from the 10th Taiwan Literature Award for Migrants (移民工文學獎).
NMTL Director Chen Ying-fang (陳瑩芳) said that the award, now in its tenth year, has contributed to the development of migrant literature in Taiwan. Under the theme “Time,” the collection reflects how the authors depict their interactions with Taiwanese society through personal experiences and reflection.
The event included readings and sharing by award recipients Chen Ming-he (陳明合, Trần Minh Hợp) and Liu Chuan (劉川, เขมณัช สีหวัลลภ). Chen’s work, Silt (淤泥), portrays a second-generation Taiwanese-Vietnamese individual whose relationship with his mother and hometown becomes distant due to language barriers. The story follows his efforts to reconnect with his mother tongue, family and cultural roots.
Liu’s Showered already? (洗澡了嗎) is based on his experiences working in Taiwan and describes challenges related to workplace pressure and discrimination. The narrative focuses on his decision to leave his work environment and return to his hometown to seek a different future. Liu said he plans to continue writing in the hope of making Taiwan a more inslusive society.