Taiwan’s literary map is a vibrant tapestry of creativity, diversity, and excellence. The country’s rich cultural heritage and innovative spirit are celebrated through a variety of distinguished literary awards that honour outstanding contributions to literature. Let’s explore some of the most notable literary awards in Taiwan that recognise and promote the talents of writers, illustrators, and publishers.

Golden Tripod Awards (金鼎獎)

Established in 1976, the Golden Tripod Awards are Taiwan’s most prestigious and comprehensive publishing awards. They honour excellence in three major categories: publishing, editing, and design. The awards aim to encourage high standards in the publishing industry and to foster a culture of quality and innovation. Each year, these awards highlight the best books, magazines, and digital publications, serving as a benchmark for the industry.

• Website (in Chinese): gta.moc.gov.tw/home/zh-tw 

Golden Comic Awards (金漫獎)

The Golden Comic Awards celebrate the creativity and artistry of comic book creators in Taiwan. Launched in 2010, these awards recognize outstanding works in various categories, including Best Comic, Best New Talent, and Special Contribution Award. The Golden Comic Awards not only honour the best in Taiwanese comics but also promote the development and global recognition of Taiwan’s comic industry.

• Website: gca.moc.gov.tw/home/en-us 

Taiwan Literature Awards (臺灣文學獎)

The Taiwan Literature Awards, established by the Ministry of Culture, aim to honour outstanding literary works in multiple genres, including fiction, poetry, and essays. These awards highlight the richness and diversity of Taiwanese literature and encourage writers to pursue literary excellence. By recognizing and promoting exceptional literary works, the Taiwan Literature Awards contribute to the cultural and intellectual life of the nation.

• Website (in Chinese): award.nmtl.gov.tw 

Golden Butterfly Awards (金蝶獎)

The Golden Butterfly Awards focus on excellence in book design, celebrating the visual and aesthetic aspects of publishing. These awards highlight the importance of design in enhancing the reader’s experience and promoting the book’s message. The Golden Butterfly Awards recognize outstanding achievements in cover design, layout, and overall book presentation.

• Website (Chinese): www.tibe.org.tw/tw/awards_detail/17/117 

Hsin-Yi Children’s Literature Award

The Hsin-Yi Children’s Literature Award is one of Taiwan’s most esteemed awards for children’s literature. It honours exceptional works that inspire and engage young readers. This award aims to promote the development of high-quality children’s literature in Taiwan and to encourage writers and illustrators to create imaginative and meaningful stories for children.

• Website (in Chinese): childrenliteratureaward.hsin-yi.org.tw 

Taipei Book Fair Award

Also known as the Taipei International Book Exhibition Prize, the Taipei Book Fair Award is presented during the annual Taipei International Book Exhibition. It honours three fiction titles and three non-fiction titles, with winners selected from shortlists revealed a month before the exhibition. Each first prize winner receives a purse of approximately US$3,000, making this award a significant recognition for authors in the literary community.

• Website: taipeibookfair.org/en

Feng Zikai Chinese Children’s Picture Book Award

Started in 2008, the Feng Zikai Chinese Children’s Picture Book Award is the most generous award in the Sinophone publishing world. Held biennially in different parts of the Sinophone community, it celebrates excellence in children’s picture books. A dedicated Executive Committee of publishing professionals selects one primary awardee and four honourable mentions. The primary awardee receives US$20,000, while each honourable mention receives US$5,000. The awards ceremony is paired with a children’s publishing symposium, further promoting the importance of children’s literature.

• Website: fengzikaibookaward.org/en

Conclusion

Taiwan’s literary awards play a crucial role in fostering a vibrant and dynamic literary culture. By recognizing and celebrating the talents of writers, illustrators, and publishers, these awards help to elevate the standards of literary production and to promote Taiwan’s literary works to a global audience. Whether you are a seasoned writer or an emerging talent, Taiwan’s literary awards offer a platform to showcase your creativity and to gain recognition for your contributions to the world of literature. For more information about these awards and to discover more about Taiwan’s literary scene, visit Books from Taiwan. Celebrate the excellence of Taiwanese literature and be inspired by the incredible stories and talents that these awards honour.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

‘2023第19屆「金蝶獎」台灣出版設計大獎 徵件辦法’. TiBE 台北國際書展, https://www.tibe.org.tw//tw/awards_detail/17/117. Accessed 11 June 2024.

Books From Taiwan | Translators. https://booksfromtaiwan.tw/awards.php. Accessed 10 June 2024.

‘GOLDEN COMIC AWARDS&CONNECTION’. GOLDEN COMIC (En-Us), https://gca.moc.gov.tw/home/en-us. Accessed 11 June 2024.

‘Home’. Feng Zikai, https://fengzikaibookaward.org/en/. Accessed 11 June 2024.

Taipei Book Fair Foundation. https://taipeibookfair.org/en/. Accessed 11 June 2024.

信誼幼兒文學獎. https://childrenliteratureaward.hsin-yi.org.tw/. Accessed 11 June 2024.

台灣文學獎. https://award.nmtl.gov.tw/. Accessed 11 June 2024.

得獎書籍 – 2024台北國際書展online. https://tibeonline.tw/exhibition/butterfly_award2024/winning_books2024/. Accessed 11 June 2024.

‘金鼎獎’. 金鼎獎(zh-tw), https://gta.moc.gov.tw/home/zh-tw. Accessed 11 June 2024.

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Eleanor Duggan is a passionate children’s book reader, a storytelling enchantress, an aspiring globetrotter, a part-time book crafter, and an impassioned foodie who is a cooking disaster. She is more known as an international school teacher-librarian and the International Association of School Librarianship (IASL) Regional Director for East Asia. She is a Taiwanese with a Belgian soul and is currently enjoying her life as a citizen of the world with her daughter and their 2 one-of-a kind cats. You may find her via The Third Culture Librarian 

GLLI Disclaimer: Opinions expressed in posts on this site are the individual author’s and are not indicative of the views of Global Literature in Libraries Initiative.