This lecture featured Zhang Zheng, founder of Sifang Bao and Brilliant Times Bookstore. He began by discussing the social value of literary work, helping us understand that words still hold value even amid the seemingly inevitable decline of literature. Through casual conversations with foreign migrant workers and his own experiences in Southeast Asia, he discovered that local writing and literature are incredibly precious in the eyes of those living in a foreign land. Inspired by this insight, he founded Sifang News to give a voice to Southeast Asians in Taiwan, allowing their longing for home and their perspectives on Taiwan to be heard. He also established Brilliant Times Bookstore, which operates on a deposit-based lending system, enabling Southeast Asians in Taiwan to find rare solace and comfort in literature written in their own languages. Perhaps from a worldly perspective, literature may not offer high value for money, but perhaps among marginalized communities, we can become a beacon of light for them. Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

Implemented by Department of Chinese Language & Literature Studies
Date: 2026/03/24