Growing together: Yang Shuangzi’s Queer adaptation of Taiwan’s colonial fiction

Abstract

Readings of Taiwan’s Japanophone colonial-era fiction are typically influenced by politicised interpretations of Japanese rule (1895–1945) on the island and its significance to contemporary Taiwanese identity. Till recently, these discussions often marginalised colonial-era texts by Taiwanese women, initially due to limited translation during Taiwan’s period of martial law (1945–1987), and later due to the fragmentary nature of these short stories. This article explores how millennial author Yang Shuangzi (1984-) overcomes the anticipatory politics of reception surrounding colonial-era fiction by adapting a short story by Yang Qianhe (1921–2011) through the lens of ‘Girls’ Love’ (GL), a predominantly online subculture made up of media (fanfiction, manga, fanart) portraying queer relationships between women and girls. By understanding the text as an adaptation, it is possible to explore how contemporary Taiwanese authors read and relate to colonial fiction, breathing new life into such texts through interpretations grounded in contemporary culture. In Yang Shuangzi’s case, I argue that she not only emphasises Yang Qianhe’s importance to Taiwanese women’s fiction through adaptation, but that she also creates space for literary play and creativity. The article focuses on the process of adaptation to develop an argument about literary connection between generations of Taiwanese women, whilst also outlining how online subcultures can revitalise literatures caught in the backand-forth of nation-state politics by establishing their own practices of language and form.