 Originally named Shi Shuduan,
Li was born on April 7, 1952 in Lugang, Taiwan province. In 1974,
she graduated from the University of Chinese Culture in Taiwan as
a student of philosophy, and the following year she left fot the
United States where she took a refresher course in dramatic studies
at the Univeristy of Oregon and received a master's degree in 1977.
After her return to Taiwan, she was asked to teach in the dramatic
arts department at her Alma Mater.
She had her fist short story published in 1968, when she was
a high school student The story, "The Season of Bloom,"
was chosen as one of the best stories of the year. Her first collection
of short stories appeared in 1975 under the title The Mixed Chorus
(later renamed The Season of Bloom with some rearrangements).
Most of the articles included in this book were written during
her adolescence and feature both the curiocity and fantasy with
which young people often look at the world. She has preserved
in her writings much of local flaor of her home, the old port
of Lugang. She was influenced by the modernist literature introduced
to Taiwasn in translation during the 1960's. In her impressive
fictional works, she has thematized sexuality, elaborating on
the clash of values between modern Western and traditional Confucian
ethics. Her openness brought her fame very early in Taiwan, and
she has continued to bring feminist thems to the fore in her maifold
journalistic activities.
She has tried her hand at a variety of fictional creations, including
those dealing with sexual love and concubinage, for which she
has been sometimes criticized. Her short novel,The Butcher's Wife
(shafu), appeared in the literary supplement to Union News in
1982. The story made a sensation, bringing at once both praise
(It won the first award from Union News), and accusation and blame,
some critics saying the piece's "immortality" caused
harmful effects. Refusing to cower to this accusation, Li Ang
is exploring new ways of writing on these themes. The work captured
an audience for her overseas, although mainland publishers had
problems with the openess whereare younger henerations on Taiwan
have already begun to look back on parts of her work as "nostalgia,"
given the rapid pace of change on the island.
Her main works include The Mixed Chorus (1975), "In the
Human World" (1976), The Butcher's Wife (1983), The Dark
Night (1985), and The Season of Bloom (1986).
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