Drive to the Airport: Creative Writing by Caroline Chieh-Mei Pai

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When I was younger, he visited often; I saw him often. But now health conditions keep him on the other side of the world, where he needs to get dialysis three times a week. His dialysis keeps him alive, but it also keeps him from us. Now, I only see him once a year. A taxi inevitably draws nearer and nearer then slows to a stop. The taxi driver gets out and my dad helps him pile the luggage into the trunk while I stand there awkwardly, a stone stuck in my throat. The last suitcase is hauled…

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Ghost Month in Taiwan: When the Gates of the Underworld Open

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It is currently Ghost Month in Taiwan, also known as 中元節 (Zhōngyuán Jié / Ghost Festival), a traditional holiday observed on the 15th day of the 7th lunar month, usually in August. It is believed that during this time, the gates of the underworld open, allowing spirits to roam the human world. The festival has roots in Taoism, Buddhism, and folk beliefs. In Taoism, it is tied to the birthday of the deity Dì Guān (地官大帝), who pardons sins. In Buddhism, it corresponds to Ullambana,…

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“To write is to share; to share is to be seen”: Jane Kuo, in conversation with Rebecca Yang

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As a daughter of Taiwanese immigrants growing up in suburban Los Angeles County, I didn't expect to find any literature that reflected my niche in life. That is, until I found Anna Zhang in Jane Kuo's books In the Beautiful Country and Land of Broken Promises. Anna is a middle schooler who immigrates to the United States (which she calls "The Beautiful Country") for the prospect of a better life. Instead, what she finds is a vastly different community---one with unfamiliar faces, discrimination,…

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Claiming Taiwanese American Identity: A Third-Generation Perspective

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Being a fresh-out-of-undergraduate 22-year old is not fun in the current U.S. job market. Luckily, I've decided to leave the country for a year, delaying the mundane process of the job search—or as I like to call it, “delaying adulthood”—to spend a year in Taiwan as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant. It sounds like a laissez-faire dream, but I didn’t stumble upon this opportunity by happenstance. Bicultural Upbringing I come from a family that takes immense pride in their Taiwanese…

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Who Gets to be Taiwanese?

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Contrary to many of my compatriots, I find Taiwan’s noisy democracy charming. After living in China for nearly a decade, where the apparatus for silencing is robust and ever-present, I revel in the cacophony of campaign trucks blaring pleads for votes and thousand-strong rallies with hawkers selling unlicensed campaign merch. I’m not even embarrassed by the lawmakers fist-fighting in parliament (legislative yuan) anymore.  I have been watching the recall votes in Taiwan with pride. The recall…

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The Inevitable Goodbye: Fiction by Charis Chu

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2025 Betty L. Yu and Jin C. Yu Creative Writing Prize - Finalist, High School Category Remember when you traced your fingers down my spine? The touch was feather-light and I was embarrassed by the rotten violence of my craving, you cradled me that night like I was a baby. We’d kicked the blankets to the floor—Taipei is too humid and the fan wasn’t working—but you refused me their luxury even as I sweltered. I would say that you preferred me vulnerable, but that would be petulant and untrue:…

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Wǒ De: Fiction by Alice Kuok

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2025 Betty L. Yu and Jin C. Yu Creative Writing Prize – Grand Prize Winner, Middle Grade Category From the judges: “‘Wo de’ is a story about two school boys in Taiwan and their growing friendship. It is observant, subtle and evocative, full of sensory detail that make the world feel rich and alive. For a young writer, this story is remarkable for its tone and sense of longing and nostalgia. We look forward to hearing more from this impressive young voice.” There was nothing left to…

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Jaded Girls: Fiction by Davina Jou

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2025 Betty L. Yu and Jin C. Yu Creative Writing Prize – Grand Prize Winner, High School Category From the judges: "‘Jaded Girls’ is a ghost story which deftly weaves past and present together to tell a compact, complete narrative that also hints at more. There is much to admire in its originality and moments of humor and surprise. A polished piece of writing.” Vivian’s wedding ring was featherlight against her wet skin—the cheapest thing at the market near where a ghost clawed her…

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Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken: Creative Nonfiction by Kelly Chu

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2025 Betty L. Yu and Jin C. Yu Creative Writing Prize – Grand Prize Winner, College Category From the judges: “Playful and poignant, this submission infuses simple family recipes with deep emotional resonance. A bold and original take on themes of food, family, and inheritance.” Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken  Ingredients:  2 lbs of boneless childhood (preferably thigh meat, for tenderness)  1 cup of cultural ambiguity (1 part Taiwanese brown sugar, 1 part American corn syrup)…

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How Far We Stray: Fiction by Angelica Lai

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2025 Betty L. Yu and Jin C. Yu Creative Writing Prize - Grand Prize Winner, Adult Category From the judges: “Combining vivid physical descriptions with nostalgic reflections, this tale of an adult daughter returning to her deceased mother’s homeland is simultaneously tender and unsentimental. Intelligent and polished… a clear standout.” I sit by my mother’s death bed and read about caecilians, worm-like creatures that survive by tearing off their mothers’ milky blue skin. The mother…

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