Indie Publishers Association of Taiwan

To explore how the role of the “eldest daughter” is shaped and what challenges they face, the author conducted interviews and observations, documenting the life stories of more than a dozen eldest daughters from different generations and social classes.

These stories reveal the roles that “daughters” and “women” play in contemporary Taiwanese families. They expose the seemingly natural expectations that give rise to the “eldest daughter syndrome,” where these women consistently become the ones who overextend themselves—both at home and at work.

Chang Hui-Tzu 

Chang Hui-Tzu earned her bachelor’s from National Tsing Hua University’s Interdisciplinary Program of Humanities and Social Sciences and graduate degree from National Taiwan University’s College of Social Sciences. Her work experience includes a stint on the Presidential Office’s speechwriting team and work in Taiwan’s traditional industries sector and arts community. Chang’s breadth of experiences facilitates her empathetic yet sharp perspective on society and societal norms. Her published literary works include Taking a Bite from Marx’s Steamed Bun and We Shall Overcome!?