Matsu today is both an accident of history and a place apart from the Republic of China and Taiwan.
It took this archipelago over a half century to share its stories, speak its language, listen to its people, and embrace its unique identity.
The writers of the “Taiwan Archipelago” who emerged in the mid and late 20th century saw Matsu through various lenses. Some saw these islands in a Cold War context, while others, many born in Matsu, were trapped by the isolation that had long defined their home. Their works bear witness to how Matsu has endured its historical wounds and awaited the dawn in the deep waters of literature. These narratives and perspectives from Matsu exist separately from and lie outside of the mainstream narratives of contemporary Taiwan, suggesting a broader and more diverse array of possibilities for the “”New Taiwanese”” of the 21st century.