Due to his remarkable achievements in the Hakka literary field, writer
Li Qiao (李喬, also published as “Li Chiao”) received Taiwan’s
National Cultural Award, which is the highest honor for an individual who makes
a great contribution to the cultural community, on May 9.
Born in Miaoli in 1934, Li, whose birth name is Li Neng-chi (李能棋), writes novels about the stories of ordinary
people with the aim of representing their realities. He received the Wu
San-lien Literary Prize in 1981 and the National Award for Arts in 2006 on
account of his “Cold Night Trilogy (寒夜三部曲).” Set
during Taiwan’s history of Japanese rule and the turbulence of war, Li depicts
human misery and dignity with his writing. The first part of the trilogy, “Cold
Night,” was even adapted for a Hakka television series.
At the May 9 ceremony, Premier Su Tseng-chang expressed his admiration for Li because he was deeply touched by Li’s trilogy after reading it. Premier Su also commended Li for his active involvement in social and political movements.
Peng Jui-chin (彭瑞金), a noted literary critic and scholar, offered
introductory remarks on Li. He stated that in recent years, Li has been
concerned that all his lifelong efforts to preserve Taiwanese Hakka culture will
vanish after his passing. However, this award recognizes Li’s hard work and will
hopefully ease his worries, Peng added.
Li thanked his family and friends at the ceremony. In his speech, he
further suggested that, in addition to creators of literary and artistic works,
scholars of literature- or art-related studies should be regarded as potential
nominees of the National Cultural Award.
Li explained that culture has two categories: the form and the norm. For
instance, literature, art, drama, and music are different presentations of
culture while religions, morality, ethics, and customs belong to the category
of cultural norms. He proposed that the award organizers ought to take into
consideration those who study social norms and make them eligible to receive
the award as well.
Li stated that he already wrote down all the thoughts he wanted to convey in his latest book, “Thoughts, Ideas, and Messages (思想、想法、留言).” He ended his speech by reiterating his willingness to help younger generations that are committed to the cultural community in Taiwan.