The Golden Tripod Awards were founded in 1976, with the aim of promoting a culture of reading, improving the quality of publications in Taiwan, and recognizing outstanding Taiwanese publications and excellent publishers.

The first 35 Golden Tripod Award ceremonies were organized by the Government Information Office (GIO), while the 36th Golden Tripod Awards ceremony was organized by the Ministry of Culture following the merging of the GIO with the Ministry in 2012.

The annual awards for publications cover three major categories — special contribution, magazine, and book — which are divided into awards for literature, non-fiction, and books for children and young adults. The ceremony is usually held in July or August.