Shows / The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa Files
The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa Files
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…
Episodes
The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa FilesFORMOSA FILES IN CHINESE! CH22-百家爭鳴的手搖飲—臺灣手搖茶飲文化
臺灣的珍珠奶茶國際知名，但臺灣的手搖飲文化其實起源意外的早。自日治時期、美援時期為臺灣引入調酒用的雪克杯之後，泡沫紅茶店開始興起，逐漸發展成專門外帶的茶飲店，如今臺灣的手搖茶飲店家數甚至比便利商店還多。臺灣的手搖飲文化以及茶飲文化，又有些什麼故事在裡面呢？就讓 Formosa Files…
- The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa Files
Lonely Planet Travel Guidebook: Taiwan (1997-1998) - S4-E22
Lonely Planet travel guidebooks provided some of best info on a new destination in the pre-internet era, and the late Robert Storey (1954-2017) wrote quite a…
The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa FilesFORMOSA FILES IN CHINESE! CH21-來臺一定要吃的臭豆腐？—臺灣夜市與特色食物
網路上討論最熱烈的臺灣夜市特色食物，大概莫過於「臭豆腐」。雖然贊否兩論，但外國人來臺灣時，只要問臺灣人「推薦吃什麼」，大概都會被推薦去夜市吃臭豆腐。這集Formosa Files 的中文版 podcast，就由兩位主持人來聊聊臭豆腐、夜市與一些特色食物。 主持人簡介： Eryk Michael…
- The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa Files
Beggar Boy - An Incredible Tale of Resilience - S4-E21
Lai Dongjin 賴東進 was born into a “beggar family.” His dad is blind, his mom has a mental illness. He has 11 siblings! Many born into such a disadvantaged…
The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa FilesFORMOSA FILES IN CHINESE! CH20-世界No.1的臺灣機車—臺灣人最愛的交通工具
臺灣雖然只是個小島，但是機車密度卻是世界第一，幾乎到了平均每個成年人都擁有一部機車的程度。對很多人來說，機車也似乎就像是從青少年「登大人」的象徵，有了第一部機車，就像是可以開始脫離家裡的掌控一樣。這個與臺灣人有許多因緣的交通工具，究竟有些什麼歷史故事呢？這集的 Formosa Files 中文版 podcast…
- The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa Files
Gerrit van der Wees: Democracy Fighter and Taiwan History Professor – S4-E20
Did you know that all the water buffalo in Taiwan are the descendants of a group of these bovines from Indonesia (formerly the Dutch East Indies)? These poor…
The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa FilesFORMOSA FILES IN CHINESE! CH19-不（？）野生的動物園—六福村與臺灣動物園
提到臺灣的野生動物園，大家都會想到六福村。一部分聽眾朋友可能還會有記憶，以前甚至可以直接開車入園，直接在車上看動物。雖然六福村在1990年代起就逐漸不再允許開車入園，但2024年又重新少量開放，蔚為一波話題。這集的 Formosa Files 中文版…
- The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa Files
Taiwan's Olympic GOAT? Mike Chinoy's New Documentary "Decathlon: The CK Yang & Rafer Johnson Story" – S4-E19
The incredible story of Amis Taiwanese Olympic decathlete Maysang Kalimud, better known as CK Yang (楊傳廣), was one of the first stories featured in the first…
The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa FilesFORMOSA FILES IN CHINESE! CH18-「好兄弟」們的放風假期—臺灣的「鬼月」
每年的農曆七月，就是臺灣民俗的「鬼月」。傳說在這個月裡，「好兄弟」們會回返陽間，人們也會準備各式供品讓祂們享用。而這個特別的月裡，也有非常多的禁忌；雖然現代人不一定願意再遵守這些禁忌，但一定都曾聽過身邊的人談論這些奇妙的規矩。不過「鬼月」真的是中華文化傳統當中的習俗嗎？這集podcast就讓兩位主持人來跟大家聊聊「鬼月…
- The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa Files
INTERVIEW – The Island: a personal account of Taiwan’s extraordinary transformation by Mark O’Neill – S4
John chats with veteran Hong Kong-based journalist and author of The Island (2024) Mark O'Neill, who tells us what Taiwan was like in the early 1980s, when he…
The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa FilesFORMOSA FILES IN CHINESE! CH17-改變臺灣社區的便利商店—另類的「臺灣奇蹟」
臺灣的便利商店密度，幾乎已經可說是舖天蓋地的程度。在城市中，幾乎每兩三個路口就有一間；城市以外的區域，便利商店也是上山下海無所不在。臺灣人個人乃至於整個社區的生活習慣，都因為便利商店而發生了翻天覆地的變化。至於便利商店在臺灣，又有些什麼有趣的故事呢？就讓Formosa Files中文版的兩位主持人來跟大家聊聊。
- The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa Files
TSMC - Taiwan's Greatest Modern Company (The Morris Chang story) - S4-E18
The person who did most of the work creating the company people around the world almost immediately associate with Taiwan has no ancestors from this island…
The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa FilesFORMOSA FILES IN CHINESE! CH16-改版再改版的車牌號碼—臺灣車牌的故事
臺灣的機車密度世界第一，若再加上其它大小車輛，大概也是世界數一數二的程度。而在臺灣，各種車輛都免不了要掛車牌，也讓車牌成為臺灣的日常街景。然而臺灣的車牌實際上經歷多次改版，街上也時常可以看到懸掛舊式車牌的車輛。而從開放車牌自選號甚至競標以來，也讓車牌有些不一樣的意義與「價值」。究竟這個最日常的風景，會有些什麼樣的故事？…
- The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa Files
Taiwan Goes to the Olympics as “Formosa” - and other Olympic stories - S4-E17
Did you know we once went to the Olympics under the name “Formosa”? At the upcoming 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, Taiwan will once again compete under the…
The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa FilesFORMOSA FILES IN CHINESE! CH15-歷史這個東西好無聊？！—那就來聊聊歷史吧！
一講到「歷史」，很多人就覺得是好無聊的東西。從小到大的都被老師吩咐要「背起來」，然後又都是跟自己八竿子打不著的「歷史事件」、「歷史人物」。你也覺得是這樣嗎？來聽聽兩位主持人聊聊「歷史」吧！ 主持人簡介： Eryk Michael…
- The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa Files
Political Assassination Attempts, 1928-1970 - S4-E16
Japanese princes, Taiwanese activists, a Korean martyr, American generals and presidents, Chiang Kai-shek and his son Chiang Ching-kuo. It’s an action-packed…
The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa FilesFORMOSA FILES IN CHINESE! CH14-數字居然也有故事？—日常生活裡的數字故事
細心一點的聽眾朋友可能會在日常當中發現，「4」這個數字在生活中很容易被「消失」，尤其在樓層數和車牌號碼裡，很多時候都看不見「4」；但在國外，不見的卻常常是「13」這個數字。除此之外，在我們的生活裡還有許多數字，當然就又有許許多多的疑問。例如說，大家有沒有想過，為什麼臺灣電話的區碼是從臺北的「02」開始，沒有「01」？在…
- The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa Files
S4 - Hear Ye, Hear Ye: Summer 2024 Musings and Announcements
In this short segment, John and Eryk first make the stunning observation that summer in subtropical Taiwan is hot. They then reflect on the "Pacific Story," an…
The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa FilesFORMOSA FILES IN CHINESE! CH13-引領風潮的速食餐廳—麥當勞與臺灣速食的故事
今年（2024）年是麥當勞來臺40週年（1984-2024）。當初麥當勞準備要進來臺灣時，並不如預想般順遂，甚至對臺灣的農業造成衝擊。然而繼麥當勞之後，臺灣的速食餐廳開始蔚為風潮，各家連鎖品牌開始湧現，甚至還出現了臺灣本土品牌的速食。究竟麥當勞與速食，在臺灣有些什麼故事呢？就讓Formosa…
- The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa Files
Murder of an American Teenager by TAS Students in 1985 Leads to the Creation of the Community Services Center: Eryk Chats With Director Adam McMillan - S4-E15
A horrific murder of an American teenager by two other American teenagers in 1985 led to some serious soul-searching: How could the international community in…
The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa FilesFORMOSA FILES IN CHINESE! CH12-有借有還（？）的外來語—貿易、殖民與語言「借用」
LISTEN TO THE STORY OF LOCAL LANGUAGE LOANWORDS IN CHINESE! 若要說到全世界最知名的外來語，那大概就是「茶」這個字，無論「Cha」或「Tea」，都是隨著陸海貿易流傳世界。而臺灣以及鄰近的中國東南沿海，也因為頻繁的與外國商人貿易或甚至被殖民，而借用、借出了…
- The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa Files
[ENCORE] The Qing Dynasty Doesn't Really Want Taiwan (1683)
The current Beijing authorities make bombastic claims as silly as “Taiwan has been part of China since the dawn of the universe!!” The reality, however, is…
The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa FilesFORMOSA FILES IN CHINESE! CH11-經濟起飛下的動物悲歌—臺灣野生動物保育的不光彩過去
LISTEN TO THE STORY OF THE ORANGUTAN CRAZE IN CHINESE! 你相信在1980年代，也就是民國70幾年，在臺灣居然還能看到公然展示殺虎販售嗎？經濟起飛之後，人民變得富裕了，但也開始追求各種稀奇的「補品」或玩賞的動物。雖然今日的臺灣已經不再有這麼誇張的狀況，但就讓我們來聊聊…
- The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa Files
PACIFIC STORY: NBC RADIO 1944–Formosa: Prize of the China Sea - S4-E14
It’s January 1944 and the tide of WWII has changed. Though it will be a long hard grind, victory is on the horizon. To “better inform the American public,”…
The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa FilesFORMOSA FILES IN CHINESE! CH10-CIA vs. 臺灣核彈—臺灣核武與張憲義事件
LISTEN TO THE STORY OF CIA VS. MADE IN TAIWAN NUKES IN CHINESE! 1945年，美國在日本廣島、長崎投下兩顆原子彈，雖然結束了戰爭，卻為全世界帶來核武的衝突與創傷。而在中華民國，蔣介石也迫不及待的想要加入核武俱樂部。尤其在國府於1949年撤退來臺、196…
- The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa Files
BONUS Episode: Martial Arts Legend Hong Yixiang 洪懿祥
John talks with Chris Bates about one of Taiwan’s greatest ever martial artists, Hong Yixiang 洪懿祥 (1925–1993). Hong was Taiwan’s foremost master of the Chinese…
The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa FilesFORMOSA FILES IN CHINESE! CH09-在臺灣成神的飛行員—臺南海尾寮飛虎將軍
LISTEN TO THE STORY OF GHOST PLANES AND THE JAPANESE FIGHTER PILOT WHO BECAME A GOD IN CHINESE!…
- The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa Files
China Airlines Survives Three Major Tragedies - S4-E13
Three devastating crashes over an eight-year span, 1994 to 2002, with a combined 685 fatalities; a record that could easily bankrupt an airline. However, China…
The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa FilesFORMOSA FILES IN CHINESE! CH08-中華民國海軍封鎖中國（？）—領海封閉政策與海盜傳奇
LISTEN TO THE STORY OF WHEN TAIWAN (ROC) BLOCKADED CHINA (PRC) IN CHINESE!…
- The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa Files
Gladys Aylward: The Inn of the EIGHT Happinesses [ENCORE]
Gladys Aylward and Ingrid Bergman: The former, a British-born Christian missionary to China and Taiwan, the latter a three-time Academy Award winner. However…
The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa FilesFORMOSA FILES IN CHINESE! CH07-被刻意遺忘的暴動事件—524美國大使館暴動
LISTEN TO THE STORY OF THE RIOTERS RANSACK THE TAIPEI US EMBASSY IN CHINESE!…
- The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa Files
The Adventures of Frank Bessac: BONUS episode
During the Mao Zedong years, China was off-limits to Western researchers. Some came to Taiwan as a substitute, among them American anthropologist Frank Bessac…
- The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa Files
The Dalai Lama Visits Taiwan (1997) - S4-E12
John chats with Michael Aldrich, author of “Old Lhasa: A Biography,” about relations between Taiwan and Tibet (specifically the Tibetan government-in-exile in…
The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa FilesFORMOSA FILES IN CHINESE! CH06-最低調沉默的第一夫人—前第一夫人蔣方良女士
LISTEN TO THE STORY OF FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE IN CHINESE! 臺灣，或說中華民國史上的第一夫人（以及想成為第一夫人的人），大多都是新聞報導關注的焦點，甚至如蔣宋美齡般成為世界知名的人物。然而在第一夫人的行列中，卻有一位稍顯黯淡無聲的夫人－蔣方良女士，即前總統蔣經國先生…
- The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa Files
South China Sea Island Squabbles - S4-E11
As anyone who reads the news knows, numerous islands, reefs, shoals, and even barely visible rocks scattered across the vast South China Sea are considered…
The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa FilesFORMOSA FILES IN CHINESE! CH05-經濟奇蹟背後的重大事故—高雄港高中六號事故
LISTEN TO THE STORY OF THE 1973 QIJIN FERRY TRAGEDY IN CHINESE! 1973年（民國62年）9月3日早上，在高雄港發生了一起嚴重的沉船事故。總共有25位乘客罹難，而且這25位乘客全部都是13至30歲的未婚女性。究竟為什麼會有這麼多的年輕女性罹難？事件的後…
- The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa Files
Radio Wars: Propaganda Broadcasts - S4-E10
John recently visited the National Radio Museum in Minxiong Township, Chiayi County. This led to some research on the use of radio for propaganda. Whether…
The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa FilesFORMOSA FILES IN CHINESE! CH04-芭比娃娃 M.I.T.—臺灣製造的世界傳奇
LISTEN TO THE STORY OF BARBIE: MADE IN TAIWAN IN CHINESE! 芭比娃娃是陪伴許多人童年的娃娃，2023年甚至還有一部以芭比娃娃為題材的電影發行，也再一次讓這個世界級的娃娃成為熱門話題。然而有許多人不知道，從1960年代起一直到1980年代，全世界有超過一半以上…
- The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa Files
Chen Shui-bian 陳水扁: The Middle Years – From Law School to First Prison Term – S4-E9
When Chen Shui-bian 陳水扁 began his university studies in 1969, gifted student though he was, few could have imagined he would become Taiwan’s first non-KMT…
The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa FilesFORMOSA FILES IN CHINESE! CH03-臺灣街頭巷口的洗腦名曲—臺灣垃圾車音樂文化
LISTEN TO THE STORY OF TAIWAN'S MUSICAL GARBAGE TRUCKS IN CHINESE! 說到臺灣日常中最特別的聲音，莫過於幾乎每天都在大街小巷裡響起的〈少女的祈禱〉與〈給愛麗絲〉。臺灣垃圾車播放音樂，其實遠自1968年（民國57年）就已經開始。一路發展到現在，垃圾車…
- The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa Files
The Formosan Association for Public Affairs (FAPA): talking to a member of a former “terrorist” pro-Taiwan-independence group - S4-E8
Not so long ago, talking about Taiwan independence could earn you a lengthy prison term. That changed in the late 1990s as Taiwan embraced democracy. Taiwan…
The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa FilesFORMOSA FILES IN CHINESE! CH02-臺灣養豬業的最慘一「疫」—1997年豬口蹄疫
LISTEN TO THE STORY OF TAIWAN'S GREAT PORK APOCALYPSE (1997) IN CHINESE! 你知道嗎？臺灣曾經是全球第二大的豬肉出口國，更是日本最重要的豬肉來源地。然而在1997年，豬口蹄疫情在新竹被發現，爆發性地席捲全臺，使得臺灣養豬產業蒙受極為重大的打擊。一直…
- The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa Files
The U.S. Breaks Up With Taipei for Beijing (Dec. 1978) - S4-E8
Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter only served one term, but those four years were rough: oil embargos, inflation, the Iran hostage crisis, and the decision to…
The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa FilesFORMOSA FILES IN CHINESE! CH01-史上「最好」的劫機事件？—華航334航班劫機事件
LISTEN TO THE STORY OF THE HIJACKING OF CHINA AIRLINES FLIGHT 334 IN CHINESE! 「僵局」一詞定義了 1970 年代和 1980…
- The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa Files
The 1906 Meishan Earthquake - S4-E7
Drawing on an account never before told in English, we visit Taiwan in the company of French war correspondent Reginald Kann. Upon his arrival in Taihoku…
- The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa Files
Remembering the 921 Earthquake - Special Episode - S4
Taiwan is in mourning for those lost or injured by the huge earthquake that happened on the morning of April 3rd, 2024. In this short special episode, we hear…
- The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa Files
CKS Memorial Hall Bears Witness to History: Taipei’s Architectural Trilogy Part Two - S4-E6
In the previous episode, we told you how these three rather stunning neo-classical Chinese buildings came to exist. This week, we’re looking at them through a…
- The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa Files
Taipei’s Architectural Trilogy: The CKS Memorial Hall, the National Theater and the National Concert Hall – S4-E6
China-born architect Yang Cho-cheng 楊卓成 (1914-2006) left his magnificent mark on Taiwan with the CKS Memorial Hall, and the National Theater and Concert Hall…
- The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa Files
Ghost Brides - S4-E5
People do indeed marry ghosts in Taiwan! Formosa Files does not mean to mock or in any way be disrespectful to local traditions. Instead, we hope this…
- The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa Files
INTERVIEW: CNN China Legend Mike Chinoy -S4
In the summer of 1973, a young Mike Chinoy finagled his way onto one of the earliest trips of civilian Americans to “Red China.” He would later become CNN’s…
- The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa Files
The Dalai Lama’s Brother Visits Taiwan - S4-E4
Gyalo Thondup རྒྱལ་ལོ་དོན་འགྲུབ has had a very interesting life. Born in 1927, he’s the second-eldest brother of the current (and 14th) Dalai Lama. Brother…
- The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa Files
The 1973 Qijin Ferry Tragedy - S4-E3
Twenty-five young women and girls drowned after a severely overloaded ferry capsized in 1973. The deaths spurred changes in public transport safety in…
- The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa Files
Taiwan (the ROC) and Israel - Surprising Shared Histories - S4-E2
Did you know: In 1920, ROC founder Sun Yat-sen wrote a letter in support of Israel’s nationhood aspirations? And, the ROC govt in Nanjing was the first Asian…
- The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa Files
Death, Misery, and Cannibalism... Happy Holidays? [ENCORE] - S4
Welcome in the Year of the Dragon with this encore of a classic episode from Season Two. Eryk claims all Taiwanese/Chinese holidays are based on sad stories…
- The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa Files
The Lugang Rebellion (1986) -S4-E1
In the left corner, mega-multinational corporation DuPont. In the right corner, farmers from central Taiwan’s Lugang 鹿港. Ready? Fight!! To open Season Four, we…
- The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa Files
Taiwan in 1958 - S3-E42
1958. Just 66 years ago, yet Taiwan back then was like a completely different country. There was no television, but there were Russian-language radio…
- The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa Files
BONUS Episode: Linda Gail Arrigo's Verdict on Shih Ming-teh 施明德
Linda Arrigo has been in Taiwan for many years, working as a human rights activist, as an important member of the early team of fighters who risked life and…
- The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa Files
Shih Ming-teh 施明德 – “TAIWAN’S MANDELA” – S3-E41
Shih Ming-teh 施明德 died on the morning of his 83rd birthday, January 15th, 2024. This Taiwan democracy champion spent a combined 25.5 years in Taiwanese prisons…
- The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa Files
Sold to a Bargirl at the Age of Five (1955) – The Nancy Chen Baldwin Story - S3-E40
Nancy Chen Baldwin's early life – when she was sold by her parents to a bargirl for US$100 – might sound like something out of a novel set in the Middle Ages…
- The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa Files
Taiwan’s Most Famous Red Light District: Taipei’s Combat Zone - S3-E39
“Blatant sex capital of Asia, where vice is legal and the price is right,” was how one book described Taipei in 1969. Listen as Taipei-based journalist David…