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PODCAST

The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa Files

John Ross and Eryk Michael Smith

Formosa Files is the world"s biggest and highest-rated Taiwan history podcast. We use an engaging storytelling format and are non-chronological, meaning every week is a new adventure - and, you can just find a topic that interests you and check out that episode...skip stuff that isn"t your thing. The hosts are John Ross, an author and publisher of works on Taiwan and China, and Eryk Michael Smith, a journalist for local and global media outlets. Both Ross and Smith have lived in Taiwan for over two

history

All Episodes

00:26:18

S3-E6 - Gladys Aylward, Ingrid Bergman, and the Inn...

The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa Files ·

2023/03/23

Eight happinesses? If you’ve heard of or seen the famous movie about the remarkable British missionary Gladys Aylward, you’ll know that the film (which was originally set to be shot in Taiwan) was called “The Inn of the Sixth Happiness.” Well, like many parts of her story, things were changed for the big-screen adaptation with Swedish megastar Ingrid Bergman. And Aylward – who founded an orphanage in Taipei in the late 1950s, and died in Taiwan in 1970 – didn't like the movie version one bit

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00:26:04

S3-E5 - Local Language Loanwords: A Lovely Hot Pot of...

The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa Files ·

2023/03/16

All languages borrow words from other languages. These “loanwords” often come with fascinating historical backstories, their adoption the result of encounters by traders, scholars, and adventurers; and the result of colonialization, as was the case with Taiwan, 1895 to 1945, when many Japanese words came into the Taiwanese language. And because the Japanese are themselves such prodigious borrowers, many of these words were originally from other languages. Find out why English owes such a debt to

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00:26:54

S3-E4 - Madou, Tainan 麻豆: Pomelos and Priestesses

The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa Files ·

2023/03/09

Today, the district of Madou (麻豆區)in Tainan City is home to about 43,000 people. It has a pleasant small-town feel, an economy mainly based on agriculture, in particular, a citrus fruit called the pomelo(柚子). Back in the 1620s, when the Dutch arrived, Madou -- then called Mattau -- was inhabited by the Siraya (西拉雅族), a Taiwanese Indigenous group. Siraya resistance to Dutch expansion would lead to bloodshed and bring about a major turning point in early Taiwan history. Join Formosa Files as we visit

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00:27:07

S3-E3 - Chen Shui-bian 陳水扁: The Early Years

The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa Files ·

2023/03/02

Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁)was a highly controversial two-term ROC president (2000–2008). How “A-Bian” studied and fought his way out of rural poverty to the highest office, thus bringing 55 years of continuous KMT rule to an end, is the single greatest personal political story in modern Taiwanese history. Sadly, though, this fairytale would have a tragic ending, with a troubled second term and Chen later doing prison time for corruption. But in today’s episode, we look at the early years: his stoic

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00:24:50

S3-E2 - Mel Gibson Makes a Movie in Taiwan (1979)

The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa Files ·

2023/02/23

Ever heardof the film "Attack Force Z"? No? Don't worry... almost no one has. Filmed in Taiwan, this WWII story featured both Mel Gibson and SamNeill, long before theybecamemajor Hollywood stars.Gibson later called the film“pretty woeful... it's so bad, it's funny.” That's an unfairly harsh assessment, likely coming fromthe difficulties encountered making the movie on location in Taiwan back in the winter of 1979-80.

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00:27:49

S3-E1 - Storm Stories: Tales of Typhoons in Taiwan

The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa Files ·

2023/02/16

With their fearsomewinds and dramaticdownpours, typhoons have long been a part of Taiwan's history. Join Formosa Files for a look at a few notable typhoons that have hit Taiwan in more recent times, as well as some interesting asides, such as: When did typhoonsget names? Why did they once only use female names? And, do typhoonsdo anything good for Taiwan?

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00:29:21

Rage Against the Machine – Formosa Files VS. ChatGPT

The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa Files ·

2023/02/09

In this fun Season Two finale, John Ross and Eryk Michael Smith battle with theAI phenomenon ChatGPT. Who knows more about Taiwanese history, John or the scarily omnipotent AI chatbot which may soon render humans obsolete? Does Eryk know more about Kaohsiung’s Nanzih District than the smartest machine-learning programs on earth? It’s time to pick a side – a couple of nerdy amateur historians or the finest in 21st-century computing power? It’s Man vs. Machine! This somewhat silly and hopefully

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00:25:43

S2-E40 - The Two Generalissimos - Francisco Franco...

The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa Files ·

2023/02/02

Relations between the R.O.C. (Taiwan) and Spain have never been as close as Taiwan's ties to, for example, the United States. But back in the days when Taiwan was ruled as a one-party state, there were more connections than one might think between the R.O.C. and Spain, whichwasalso a one-party state under the rule of a "generalissimo." Visitwww.formosafiles.comfor photos, images, maps, links, and more!

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00:27:24

[Encore] Japan Puts Paiwan Indigenous Taiwanese on...

The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa Files ·

2023/01/26

At the turn of the 20th century, Japan was on a roll. After taking Formosa and Penghu from Qing China in 1895, Japan beat mighty Russia in 1905. Eager to show the world its newfound economic strength – and to highlight the successful development of its new colony – the Japanese parliamentvoted vast sums of moneyto sponsor theJapan-British Exhibition. It was held in London fromMay to October 1910. Among the most “wild” displays the Japanese brought to London was a recreated Paiwan village, with live

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00:25:02

S2-E39 - Kaohsiung to Kenting Road Trip (1875)

The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa Files ·

2023/01/19

The southern peninsula of Taiwan was a "ship graveyard" for a very long time as unseen rocks and reefs gashed holes in the sides of vessels and left them stranded, or on the seafloor. The Western powers and Qing authorities both agreed that a lighthouse at the far southern end of Taiwan would be a good idea, and so it fell upon English engineer Michael Beazeley and fellow employees of the Chinese Imperial MaritimeCustoms Service to set off from Takao (Kaohsiung) overland into "savage" territory to

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00:24:38

[Encore] Taiwan's Orangutan Craze and the Terrors of...

The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa Files ·

2023/01/12

You're hikingin the hills of Taichung in the early 1990s and suddenly comeacross ... an orangutan?What's more, this massive great ape is um ... inneed of some,um ... "affection," and gets handsy. Anunlikely scenario, right? But, that story is true! There was a time when Taiwan was gripped by a craze for baby orangutans. These apes, however, grow rather fast, and some of them were subsequently"set free." Here's that wild story, plus some others related to the "bad old days"when Taiwan was not a safe

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00:15:34

Bonus Episode: Among the Headhunters of Formosa -...

The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa Files ·

2023/01/05

This week we have another snippet from the audiobook of John's 2020 book, Taiwan in 100 Books. This extract tells the tale of Janet Montgomery McGovern, a feistyanthropologist who managed tocut through the red tape and official disapproval from Japanese colonial authorities in Formosa during her residence from 1916 to 1918, andheaded up into the hills to learn about Taiwan's Indigenous Peoples -- most of whom had already given up headhunting by then. We'll also hear a "rose-colored glasses" 1921

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00:24:11

S2-E38 - Dating in Taiwan

The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa Files ·

2022/12/29

No, we're not talking about romantic adventures; in this episode, the "dating" we're discussing is the days, months, and years kind. Why is it about to become the year 112 in Taiwan? Why is 2023 not just the year of the rabbit, but the year of the water rabbit? Why do some people in Taiwan have three birthdays? Enjoy the last Formosa Files podcast in Min Guo 111. And Happy New Year!

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00:22:19

Bonus Episode: The Forgotten President 嚴家淦

The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa Files ·

2022/12/22

Eryk calls John for a chat about Yen Chia-kan(嚴家淦, Yan Jiagan) the president of the Republic of China (Taiwan) for three years following the death of Chiang Kai-shek in 1975. Who was C.K. Yen, and why isn’t he better known? Here’s the story.

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00:21:44

A Formosa Files INTERVIEW: Dr. Dafydd Fell from SOAS...

The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa Files ·

2022/12/20

We generally don'tdiscuss politics very much on this podcast, but, when one of the world's most well-established international experts on politics in Taiwan is gracious enough to be willing to chat – we're gonna talk politics. While this might be perhaps too 'deep' for some, if you've spent some time in Taiwan and are interested in the political scene here, this short chat provides an interesting look at groups beyond the big party players. For more info on SOAS University of London, and Dr. Dafydd

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00:25:31

S2-E37 - A Cunning Count Contemplates Colonizing Formosa

The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa Files ·

2022/12/15

Ever heard of CountMaurice Benyovszky? He's not well known in Taiwan, but after this Polish-Slovakian-Hungarian semi-nobleman had a chance encounter with this island in 1771, he wrote a travel account that remained influentialinto the twentieth century. And the best part? Most of what he wrote is almost certainly fiction! His fanciful stories, however, included a call for Europeans to colonize Formosa. Finally, a century after his death, Benyovszky's tall tales would be part of the inspiration and

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00:25:52

S2-E36 - Annette Lu – from Prison to the Presidential...

The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa Files ·

2022/12/08

A fighter for women's rights, human rights, freedom of speech, and democracy, you can disagree with Annette Lu's politics (or with some of her very controversial comments) ...but you can't deny the impact this outspoken woman has had on Taiwanese society and history. Here's the story of how the daughter of a poor shopkeeper went from legislator, to Magistrate of Taoyuan, and finally, Vice-President of the Republic of China (Taiwan).

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00:27:02

S2-E35 - Colonial Tourism: Japanese Visit their Model...

The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa Files ·

2022/12/01

We travel back to 1920s Taiwan, first in the company of Terry’s Guide to the Japanese Empire and then follow a Tokyo travel bureau itinerary for Japanese tourists to the island. Ride the rails with us as we visit Shinto shrines, sugar factories, former “savages,” and scenic spots (not just any scenic spots but the official “Eight Views of Taiwan”). And we look at perhaps the most interesting aspect of colonial sightseeing: free guided trips to Japan for Indigenous Taiwanese leaders. These propaganda

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00:26:24

S2-E34 - "Galloping Oxen" - Emperor Kangxi’s Jesuit...

The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa Files ·

2022/11/24

Between the late 1600s and mid-1800s, there was no Western presence on Taiwan. There were, however, a couple of special Western visitors of whom the wonderfully-named Joseph-Anne-Marie de Moyriac de Mailla was the most notable. This Jesuit priest was a hardcore scholar who spent 45 years in China. Emperor Kangxi gave de Mailla and fellow Jesuits a mission: "Go map my empire... including Taiwan!" This is the story of what the esteemed Jesuit priest saw when he visited Formosa in 1714.

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00:24:09

A Formosa Files INTERVIEW: Tobie Openshaw on the...

The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa Files ·

2022/11/17

The Saisiyat Indigenous people in Hsinchu and Miaoli counties have a famous story about magical “little people” or “dwarfs” called the Koko’ ta’ay. The legend goes that tensions between the tribe and the “dwarfs” led to an incident that killed off the little people, and which called down a curse on the Saisiyat. While most dismissed these stories as a myth, new research seems to indicate that that there were, in fact, “Negrito” people, such as can still be found in small bands in the Philippines and

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326 results

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