Ya Hsien, Taiwanese Modernist Poetry Icon, Passes Away at 92

Taiwanese poet Ya Hsien, influential in modernist poetry and co-founder of the Epoch Poetry Society, has died at 92. He was pivotal in promoting surrealism and encouraging new literary talents. He passed in Vancouver and was recently honored with the Taipei Culture Award.

Renowned Taiwanese modernist poet Ya Hsien has passed away at the age of 92. His death occurred on Saturday, October 12, in Vancouver, according to a report by Taiwan News.

Born Wang Ching-lin in 1932 in Nanyang, Henan, China, Ya Hsien's life was marked by a backdrop of upheaval. His journey took him to Taiwan with the retreating Kuomintang forces. There, he furthered his education, graduating from the Film and Drama Department of Fu Hsing Kang College, eventually serving in the Navy and pursuing a master's degree in East Asian Studies from the University of Wisconsin.

In 1954, alongside poets Luo Fu and Chang Mo, Ya Hsien co-founded the Epoch Poetry Society in Kaohsiung. The society spearheaded the Epoch Poetry Quarterly, which ushered in a new era of poetry in the 1950s, advocating surrealism and educating young literary minds. Ya Hsien dedicated almost 40 years to editorial work, encouraging submissions from global Chinese-language writers and organizing literary awards. After retirement, he settled in Vancouver and was recognized with the Taipei Culture Award in 2023 for his literary contributions.

(With inputs from agencies.)