The publication of Notes of a Crocodile in 1994 transformed the linguistic landscape of Taiwan, introducing the term Lazi into the lexicon as a descriptor for lesbian identity. This novel, along with Qiu Miaojin’s posthumous epistolary work Last Words from Montmartre, established her as a pivotal figure in contemporary literature and the development of queer discourse within the Chinese-speaking world.
Early Life and Education
Born in 1969 in Changhua County, Taiwan, Qiu attended the Taipei First Girls' High School before enrolling at the National Taiwan University. She pursued a major in psychology, a field that informed her subsequent professional path as a counselor. Her formal academic training continued in Paris, where she attended the University of Paris VIII, studying clinical psychology and feminism under the direction of philosopher Hélène Cixous.
Twenty questions, eight minutes on the clock, and a percentile measured against everyone who has taken it. No sign-up.
Take the IQ test →Professional Trajectory
Qiu maintained a multifaceted career, working as a reporter for the weekly magazine The Journalist alongside her creative literary output. Her creative portfolio included directing a short film titled Ghost Carnival, which remained in archives until its digitization in 2021. Her cinematic interests were not confined to production; her prose frequently integrated technical elements of experimental film, such as specific camera angles and ekphrasis, referencing the work of directors like Andrei Tarkovsky and Jean-Luc Godard.
Literary Significance
Qiu's 1994 novel, Notes of a Crocodile, gained recognition as a cult classic, earning a posthumous China Times Literature Award in 1995. Her final manuscript, Last Words from Montmartre, consisted of twenty interconnected letters written shortly before her death in June 1995. This epistolary structure utilized principles of musical indeterminacy, allowing the narrative to be navigated in any order. The text intentionally blurred boundaries between personal confession and lyric aphorism, requiring a direct address to the reader as an active participant in the work.
Cultural Legacy
Qiu’s influence persists in academic and countercultural spheres, with her works included in curricula across Taiwanese high schools and universities. Scholars have grouped her writing with that of contemporaries such as Chen Xue, Lucifer Hung, and Chi Ta-wei as a defining voice of a new generation of queer authors. Her life and death were further examined in the 2017 RTHK-commissioned short film Death in Montmartre, which expanded into the full-length documentary Love and Death in Montmartre, directed by Evans Chan.
Fast facts
- Born: 1969, Changhua County, Taiwan
- Died: 25 June 1995, Paris, France
- Education: National Taiwan University, University of Paris VIII
- Key Novel: Notes of a Crocodile (1994)
- Posthumous Novel: Last Words from Montmartre (1996)
- Film work: Ghost Carnival (1994)
- Notable Award: China Times Literature Award (1995)
Questions readers ask
What is the origin of the term Lazi?
The term originated from the nickname of the protagonist in Qiu Miaojin’s novel Notes of a Crocodile and was subsequently adopted as a slang term for lesbian in Chinese.
Where are Qiu Miaojin’s films currently held?
Her works as a filmmaker are currently included in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
Achievements
- Notable work: Notes of a Crocodile
.jpg)
