The film explores Lin Hai-yin’s unique perspective of having “two homelands,” narrated by her daughter Julie Chang. It highlights her life, work as an editor, and her role in overcoming censorship. Lin Hai-yin’s novels, known for their inclusiveness, remain a shared memory for cross-strait readers. She was a friend to writers and a courageous mother, nurturing Taiwanese literature post-war. As editor of the United Daily News, she supported writers like Lin Hwai-min and founded the Belles-Lettres Publishing House. Her living room was a literary hub, and she is fondly remembered as “Ms. Lin Hai-yin.” Her novel Memories of Peking: South Side Stories was published in 1960.
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Part of The Inspired Island (Series)
18 films
The Inspired Island: Home In Two Cities
Movie · 2011
The Inspired Island: Towards the Completion of a Poem
Movie · 2011
The Inspired Island: The Coming of Tulku
Movie · 2011
The Inspired Island: The Untrammeled Traveler
Movie · 2011
The Inspired Island: The Man behind the Book
Movie · 2011
The Inspired Island: Port of Mists
Movie · 2011
The Inspired Island: A Life That Sings
Movie · 2014
The Inspired Island: Boundary
Movie · 2014
The Inspired Island: River Without Banks
Movie · 2014
The Inspired Island: My City
Movie · 2015
The Inspired Island: 1918
Movie · 2015
The Inspired Island: Multiflorate Splendour
Movie · 2015
The Inspired Island: A Lifetime In Chinese Literature
Movie · 2015
The Inspired Island: Unfulfilled Dreams
Movie · 2020
The Inspired Island: A Lean Soul
Movie · 2021
The Inspired Island: I Remember
Movie · 2022
The Inspired Island: Still Young
Movie · 2022
The Inspired Island: The New Formosa Mambo
Movie · 2023
Cast
1 person
Yang Li-chou Director
First release April 9, 2011 · Produced in Taiwan · Original title 他們在島嶼寫作：兩地
Production
Taiwan
Produced in
Languages
Original title
他們在島嶼寫作：兩地
Original language
Chinese
Spoken on screen
Chinese
Release dates
Taiwan · April 9, 2011
Theatrical
No release date listed for United States.
China
May 25, 2013 · Theatrical
Hong Kong SAR China
November 6, 2011 · Premiere · Hong Kong Asian Film Festival
November 16, 2011 · Theatrical
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