In a bid to introduce Taiwanese literature to international readers, award-winning novelist Nina Chung plans to have her latest work translated into English and Japanese to be published abroad. And her cause has attracted an unlikely benefactor. An elderly farmer, who is the writer's fellow native of Yunlin, has donated 120,000 NT dollars' worth of rice to help fund her project.

To author Nina Chung's right is farmer Chung Chuan-shang.

This is the first time that the two have met, and Nina Chung presents the farmer with a copy of her newest book.

Mr. Chung shyly accepts the gift, and says that he will read it when he gets home.

Mr. Chung had previously never heard of Nina Chung or read any of her books, but felt a kinship to her after discovering that she was also from Yunlin.

When he heard that she wanted to promote Taiwanese literature abroad by publishing her latest book in Chinese, Japanese, and English, he was more than happy to support her endeavor and donated 1,200 kilograms of rice to pay for Nina Chung's translation expenses.

Nina Chung is extremely grateful to Mr. Chung for his support of the arts, and says that he may appear as a main character in her next venture.