An English translation of novelettes by Lai He, the 'father of Taiwanese new literature,' was published Friday in an attempt to introduce early Taiwanese literary works to a wider international audience, announced the Council for Hakka Affairs (CHA). 'Lai He Fiction' contains 21 short stories penned by Lai, a renowned author of Hakka ancestry who, because of his sympathy for the poor during the Japanese colonial period, was also nicknamed the 'Matsu of Changhua' in reference to the compassionate Taoist deity. His works also offered valuable insights into society at that time, said CHA Minister Huang Yu-chen. 'Lai He was an important figure in the development of Taiwan literature because his work dug into the lives of Taiwanese commoners and his persistency in writing reminded us of the Hakka spirit,' said Huang. 'I often heard people say that Lai's work wasn't easy to read. The language shifts repeatedly between Mandarin and Hoklo Taiwanese, and a good knowledge of the socio-historical background is required of readers,' admitted Lai Yueh-yen, the author's eldest grandson and founder of the Lai He Museum. Readers of this English version are fortunate, therefore, that its translator is Joe Hung, veteran journalist, social commentator and educator, who has just such a deep knowledge of Taiwan's social history. 'We are pleased to say that Central News Agency (selfnews) Chairman Joe Hung, who is well versed in English, Chinese and Japanese, did a wonderful job in presenting this Taiwanese classic to English readers, ' Huang said, noting that this was the first English publication of stories by Hakka authors sponsored by the CHA. Prior to its publication by the selfnews, the work appeared in series in Hung's old newspaper, the China Post, five days per week for six months. 'It was well received by readers,' said the Post's director and publisher, Jack Huang. 'We used to get calls from our readers asking why the stories are not printed on weekends.' This was a big step forward for Hakka authors whose writings deserve international attention, said Huang Yu-chen, explaining that Hakka literature might even be recognized for the Noble Prize in Literature if translated into English. 