Lung Yingtai (龍應台), Taiwan’s Minister of Culture, is a celebrated writer, literary critic and public intellectual. She is one of the most read authors in the Chinese-speaking world, having written 30 books. Her critical essays are often published simultaneously in Taipei, Hong Kong, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Guangzhou and New York City. Lung’s 2009 nonfiction work Big River Big Sea – Untold Stories of 1949, about the Chinese Civil War, sold half a million copies in the Chinese world. Although banned in the mainland, pirated copies of the book were hugely popular in the black market.

Since May 2012, Lung has served as Taiwan’s first-ever Minister of Culture. Part of her mission is to promote sustainable peace across the Taiwan Strait through cultural exchanges. In this program, Lung shares her views on cross-strait bridge-building and how she crosses from writing to politics. The program also includes a conversation with Vishakha N. Desai, President of Asia Society.

Reception to follow.

Ticketing note: Registered tickets not picked up by 6:15 pm on the day of event will be forfeited.

Can't make it to this program? A free live video webcast will be presented on AsiaSociety.org/Live from 6:30 to 8:00 pm ET. Online viewers are encouraged to send questions to [email protected].