Transgressing hegemonic discourses : Yang Mu, the poet-historian, and his minor narratives

Abstract EN

This article draws on historical and postmodern concepts by Hayden White, Jean-François Lyotard, and Prasenjit Duara in its analysis of two poems by Taiwanese author Yang Mu: the historical drama The Story of Five Concubines and “The Lost Ring.” Providing a version of history that is differentiated, decentralized, and localized, the article illustrates how the poems can be read as a revolt against the discourses of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), respectively, and how both raise awareness of a Taiwanese national identity.

By investigating these poems as minor narratives, the article sheds light on Yang Mu’s role as a poet-historian whose work reflects his contemporaneous Taiwan