While the so-called “Taiwan Miracle” created a wealthy class of elite engineers, “Taiwanese culture” has struggled to establish a distinct and compelling presence in the fiercely competitive global market—one that fully expresses the island’s unique beauty and sorrow.
Here, “battle” extends far beyond war, encompassing the everyday struggles for survival.
The vivid stories of Pingpu youth in the book compel readers to confront the history of Taiwan’s Indigenous peoples and the cultural transformations embedded in that context.
Even though the plant world is vastly different from our world, upon closing the book I couldn’t help but make connections as a subjective reader—the people of Taiwan have the same story as the plants of Taiwan.
Are there any legends of giants in your culture? What do they look like? Do your people still know these legends well?
Panai came home, but the indigenous peoples of Taiwan are still telling their stories, on the journey of looking back, and on the journey of coming home.