About US-Taiwan Literature Foundation 

In order to promote international understanding of Taiwan literature and culture so as to enhance the appreciation and study of Taiwan among foreign scholars, translation of the excellent works of Taiwan literature into English and other foreign languages is the most important first step for Taiwan literature to be in the international arena. With this view in mind, the biannual journal, Taiwan Literature: English Translation Series, was launched at UC Santa Barbara in 1996, and has continued in publication until today.

The task of English translation of Taiwan literature is arduous and the road ahead is long; to achieve the task requires a long-term plan with determination to continue and with sustained support to display its prospective benefits. Therefore, on the foundation of practical experience in translation established through the efforts accumulated in more than a decade, including the human resources of translators and editors, and in collaboration with several friends of like mind, in 2010 we established a nonprofit organization in the United States, the US-Taiwan Literature Foundation. We hope this important undertaking can be carried on along with the continuous development of Taiwan literature itself from one generation to another.     

The US-Taiwan Literature Foundation has registered itself with the State of California and has been granted tax-exempt status by the Internal Revenue Service of the Department of the Treasury as a nonprofit public benefit corporation. The specific purposes of this corporation are to develop an institution to carry out the research, translation and publication of Taiwan literature in the English language and to promote a better understanding and effective knowledge of Taiwan literature by providing reading and teaching material to public libraries and schools and by encouraging cultural and educational activities. 

Taiwan Literature: English Translation Series has established itself in U.S. academia as a cornerstone for promoting one step further Taiwan literature in English translation, including the necessary human resources in terms of translators and editors, and will continue to publish as an academic journal by the Foundation, both bound together in future development. As a professional publisher of Taiwan literature in English translation, the Foundation has the important task of making a sustained effort to publish English works of Taiwan literature, including the following three series:

a) Anthologies as textbooks much-needed for teaching in the field;

b) Taiwan Literature Readers: Chinese-English Bilingual Series; and

c) Taiwan Writers Translation Series, which will focus on representative writers to indicate the lineage of the new literary tradition developed in Taiwan since the 1920s. The first book planed for publication will be the long-awaited An Outline History of Taiwan Literature by Yeh Shih-t’ao.

At the beginning of this new adventure, the top priority task for the US-Taiwan Literature Foundation is to raise annual operating funds for maintaining the office and implementing scholarly activities, including inviting Taiwan writers to the United States to visit major universities and the Chinese communities to give lectures and participate in seminars, symposia, or conferences. In addition to the publication of Taiwan Literature: English Translation Series, we hope to gradually carry out the other three publication series.

For the effective operation of the Foundation, and to implement projects for achieving the purposes of the Foundation, we need and will greatly appreciate donations and moral support from those who have an interest in the development of Taiwan literature, its teaching and study through English translation, and its internationalization. If further information is needed, please do not hesitate to contact us by e-mail. 

關於「美國台灣文學基金會」

為了促進國際間對台灣及其文學和文化的了解，進而增進外國學者對台灣的認識和研究，將台灣文學的優越作品翻譯成英文，是台灣文學走向世界的第一步，其重要性不言而喻。有鑒於此，我從一九九六年開始，在我校聖塔芭芭拉加州大學（University of California Santa Barbara）創刊《台灣文學英譯叢刊》（Taiwan Literature: English Translation Series），一年出版兩集，持續出版至今。

台灣文學的外譯工作，是一項任重道遠的工程，必須有長遠的計畫和永續經營的決心，才能發揮應有的效益。因此，在這十多年建立起來的翻譯人脈和實際經驗的基礎上，2010年我們在美國成立了一個非營利的台灣文學基金會（US-Taiwan Literature Foundation），希望這項工程能夠隨著台灣文學的永續發展，世世代代，永遠持續下去。

「美國台灣文學基金會」是正式向加州政府注冊立案、並獲美國國稅局認可具有接受捐款免稅資格（tax-exempt status）、列為公益事業的非營利法人（nonprofit public benefit corporation）。基金會的宗旨，以推動台灣文學的研究、英文翻譯和出版，以及透過文化和教育活動，向公立圖書館和學校提供閱讀作品和教材，以增進對台灣文學的了解和知識為目的。

《台灣文學英譯叢刊》持續出版至今，在美國學術界已奠立進一步推動台灣文學英譯出版的基石，包括翻譯者和英文編輯等必要的人力資源，今後將成為基金會的學術刊物。作為台灣文學英譯出版的專門機構，基金會的首要任務是有計畫地出版台灣文學英譯作品。目前計劃出版以下三個系列﹕

A）作為教材的台灣文學選集；

B）漢英對照台灣文學讀本；

C）台灣作家英譯叢書，選譯具有代表性的作家及其作品， 以展示1920年代以來台灣新文學發展德系譜。我們計畫首先推出學術界期待已久的英譯葉石濤的《台灣文學史綱》。

「美國台灣文學基金會」創立伊始，當務之急是籌備每年運作經費，包括繼續出版《臺灣文學英譯叢刊》、舉辦學術活動、邀請台灣作家到美國大學和華人社區短期訪問、演講、座談等。為使基金會有效運作而達到成立的宗旨，盼請關心台灣文學的發展、英譯教學研究、及其國際化的有力人士，鼎力相助，共襄盛舉。

美國臺灣文學基金會 執行董事

Description of the logo

The US-Taiwan Literature Foundation logo is composed of an archaic form  of the Chinese character 文 meaning “script” or “literature,” which looks like a temple lamp that burns day and night. The shape of Taiwan in the center resembles an everlasting lamplight, suggesting that Taiwan literature is seen as a literature having Taiwan at heart. The lamp symbolizes enlightenment in terms of “Let There Be Light” as it stands firm and majestic in the wave-tossed sphere signifying ever-changing tides of the world.    

美國台灣文學基金會的標誌是由漢字「文」的金石體「」 所構成的，形象如寺廟中日夜不息的長明燈。當中的台灣地形，有如不滅的燈光，表示台灣文學就是心懷台灣的文學。一盞明燈，象徵「啟明」的慧光，屹立在波瀾動蕩旋轉不息的世界中。