Chinese Name: 王文興
Born: September 24, 1939
Died: September 27, 2023
Place of Birth: Fujian Province, China
Did You Know That…?
Wang Wen-hsing, although a professor of American literature, always maintained a close relationship with French culture. Part of the reason for this connection can be traced back to his grandfather and father, both of whom pursued education in France. To honor this family tradition, Wang dedicated himself to bridging the cultural gap between France and Taiwan. He even translated the works of Charles Pierre Baudelaire. In recognition of his significant contributions to the exchange between Taiwanese and French literature and art, the French government conferred upon him the Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters in April 2011.
Wang Wen-hsing was born in Fujian, China, in 1939, and his family moved to Taiwan in 1946. They initially settled in Pingtung, in southern Taiwan, and later moved to Kishu-an (紀州庵) in Taipei. The Kishu-an residence where he spent his childhood has now become an important landmark in Taiwanese literature, hosting various literary events regularly.
During his time at the Affiliated Senior High School of National Taiwan Normal University (國立臺灣師範大學附屬高級中學), Wang Wen-hsing developed a deep interest in literature and began writing novels. After graduating from high school, he enrolled in the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures at National Taiwan University. In 1960, he co-founded the literary magazine “Modern Literature (現代文學)” with his classmates Pai Hsien-yung (白先勇), Ouyang Tzu (歐陽子), and Lucy Chen (陳若曦). In the early days, he was responsible for most of the editorial work. “Modern Literature” later became the most representative literary magazine introducing Western modernism to Taiwan in the 1960s, significantly influencing contemporary literary trends.
After graduating from National Taiwan University, Wang went to the United States in 1963 to pursue a master’s degree in arts at the University of Iowa’s English department’s creative writing program. He returned to Taiwan in 1965, served as the chief editor of “Modern Literature” for nearly three years, and began teaching at his alma mater, National Taiwan University’s Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures. He continued to teach there until his retirement in 2005, primarily offering courses on English and American novels and creative writing.
In 1966, Wang Wen-hsing started writing his first full-length novel, “Family Catastrophe (家變),” which was published in 1973. This work delved into the disintegration of traditional Chinese father-son ethics, depicting the spiritual conflicts faced by a modern intellectual during his formative years, while also addressing family and societal issues. The novel sparked considerable controversy within Taiwan’s literary circles due to its unprecedented content, form, plot, structure, language, and text, with some even regarding it as a “heretical” departure from traditional norms. In response to the novel, the Taiwanese literary community held multiple roundtable discussions and published numerous articles. It was later selected as one of the “Top 100 Chinese Novels of the Twentieth Century” by Asia Weekly (亞洲周刊).
In 1993, Wang Wen-hsing published his second full-length novel, “Backed Against the Sea (背海的人).” Using modern allegorical form, this novel explored the fundamental questions of human nature and society through a narrative that involved an individual’s struggles and breakthroughs in the face of adversity. “Backed Against the Sea” delved deeper into the degradation and rebellion of human nature in adverse circumstances, exploring themes of “existence” and “absurdity.” The novel allowed Wang to pursue greater artistic freedom, resulting in more avant-garde language skills compared to his previous work, “Family Catastrophe.” Most literary critics recognized the experimental nature and personal originality of Wang Wen-hsing’s works.
Wang Wen-hsing is known for his deliberate and slow writing style, even in the age of widespread computer use. He insisted on handwriting his manuscripts and restricted himself to writing no more than 50 characters per day. “Family Catastrophe” took seven years to complete, while “Backed Against the Sea” took remarkable 25 years. Wang Wen-hsing stated that understanding slowness is the key to experiencing the deepest joy. He believed that achieving excellence in literature requires “slow reading” and “slow writing,” and that true mastery can only be attained by dedicating one’s time and focus to the craft of writing and life itself.