Department of Cultural Affairs

The theme of the 2026 Taipei Literature Festival is “The Way of the Land.” Using soil as its central medium, from March to June the festival is presenting a wide range of literary talks, exhibitions, hands-on experiences, and creative workshops. The programs invite reflection on ecology and environmental writing, encourage exploration of the land, and delve into the layered textures of the city and emergent issues.

The festival’s key visual was created in collaboration with collage artist Raintree Chen, who also designed themed merchandise such as the “Grounding Mat” (親土地墊) and “Soft Soil Socks” (柔軟土襪). Other souvenirs have been produced in collaboration with local brand Pineapple Hill. 

This year also introduces the festival mascot, Tubi (土比), a Taipei-born marmot who loves burrowing, exploring, and playing. A fan of literature, Tubi (土比) will appear at events throughout the festival, and visitors are welcome to take photos together.

Soil may get you dirty, but it can free your mind. Come prepared to get messy, and join in—barefoot and hands on. For more details, visit the Taipei Literature Festival Facebook, Instagram, or the official website.

Festival Programs: The Way of the Land

Four themed programs connect discussions on ecological writing, local environment, bodily experience, and land-related issues. 

Earthy Matters uses literary works and field exploration to discover the ecological richness embedded in soil. 

In Born of the Land, step into traditional markets shaped by the land and experience human stories rooted in Taipei. 

Out of Place looks at how, as the body responds to unfamiliar environments, it comes to understand the tension between resistance and adaptation. Through the eyes of writers, the body learns to follow the land. 

Every Inch Counts explores how, with land in Taipei at a premium, underground spaces have become alternative sites of use, gradually evolving into independent and mainstream cultural symbols charged with subversive energy.

Special Exhibition: Walking the Soil

April 18–May 17 at Bopiliao Historical Block. To seek and understand soil, we enter the field. Creators Apyang Imiq, Liko, Li-ching Lin, Chen-fu Hsu, Hao-jen Chen, Joanne Deng, Yi-shan Lo, and Chung-hsien Yen engage deeply with the local community, drawing on soil science to bring together science, literature, and history. In the end, the phrase “Soil is ______” remains open. Not an answer, but the beginning of another inquiry.

City Library Book Fair: Reading on the Ground

March 17–April 19 at branches of Taipei Public Library. A series of reading sessions centered on land invites readers to reconnect with the soil that surrounds us. Through texts, participants encounter both humanistic and scientific perspectives, as well as many stories rooted in this land.

International Chinese Author: Ma Ka Fai

Born in Hong Kong in 1963, Ma Ka Fai graduated from the Department of Psychology at National Taiwan University. After working in advertising and media, he pursued his graduate studies in the United States, earning a master’s degree in social sciences from the University of Chicago and a PhD in sociology from the University of Wisconsin. Returning to Hong Kong in 1997, Ma served as deputy editor-in-chief of Ming Pao and later as assistant professor in the Department of Chinese and History at City University of Hong Kong. A prominent cultural figure, writer, media professional, and scholar, Ma is best known for his Hong Kong Trilogy, completed over a decade, which established his place in Chinese-language literature.

Taipei Literature Film Festival—The Power of Dissent

Featuring works by literary thinker Virginia Woolf and visual artist Derek Jarman. One awakened reflections on selfhood through feminist consciousness, while the other expanded visual expression through experimental approaches to identity and gender. Both challenged their times and opened up new ways of thinking.

This year’s festival opens with a lively outdoor event on March 7 at Taipei City Hakka Cultural Park that features five themed zones: Down-to-Earth Market (吃土市集), Reading Rest (土憩閱讀), Too Chill（土丘音樂）, One! Two! Play with Soil (One ！ Two ！玩土), and How To? Soil Experience (好土體驗). The Soil Market (好土市集) brings together creative stalls centered on “earth,” with 17 creators hosting booths and presenting their own “soil-inspired” creations, offering visitors a chance to meet them in person.

The Reading Rest (土憩閱讀) provides a comfortable corner for leisurely reading, while Too Chill features collaborative performances by bands, singers, and writers. In the playful One! Two! Play with Soil, visitors are invited to dig into the soil with their hands and uncover hidden lines of text. The How To? Soil Experience (好土體驗) zone offers yoga sessions and hands-on activities where participants create their own soil-based artworks. Stamps are available for collection across all the zones, and anyone who collects four can claim an exclusive festival souvenir at the service desk.