Membrane is regarded by literary critics as the founding text of “queer literature” in Taiwan and of the “queer science fiction” mainstream in Asia. However, Membrane cannot be limited to a canon of homosexual literature. Indeed, the richness of the themes addressed by Membrane is considerable: in this science fiction novel published in 1996 and which is very topical today, Chi Ta-wei questions the very definition of the human in a world devastated by ecological crisis. By addressing the question of gender, the body, the relationship between human and android, Chi Ta-wei offers a broad and unprecedented reflection on identity, not only sexual, but in its biological sense: what makes a "Human subject": a brain, a body, a memory, a free will? Therein lies the value of Chi Ta-wei's contribution: so-called queer literature does not, as is too often believed, open up to an apology for homosexuality or transsexuality, but rather relies on the postulate according to which the biological definition of bodies, genders, sexes does not always correspond to their social definition. In addition to its captivating history and its almost cinematic writing, Membrane stands out as a science fiction story of which there are ultimately few examples in the West: it shows that in Asia too science fiction should not be considered only as popular and formatted literature, but as literature that can take up social themes. This novel won in 1996 the most prestigious literary award in Taiwan, the United Daily award for best short novel. Membrane is being translated for the first time into a Western language, although several of Chi Ta-wei's short stories have already been translated into English and German.