Bo Yang 柏楊 (1920-2008) was a Chinese historian, author, dissident, provocateur, and one of Taiwan’s most controversial commentators. After arriving in Taiwan in 1949 with the fleeing KMT, he almost immediately got into trouble with the island’s new one-party regime for everything from listening to the wrong radio station to critiquing Chinese culture. His most famous work was the incendiary book, “ The Ugly Chinaman .” However, surprisingly, the crime for which he was sentenced to nine years in ...
Jun 26, 2025•28 min•Season 5Ep. 17
Fellow “Asian tigers” South Korea and Taiwan share strikingly similar modern histories: Chinese influence, Japanese colonization, Cold War struggles, rule by military strongmen, economic miracles, and transitions to democracy. But there are also plenty of differences, too, especially when it comes to the fate of ex-presidents! Chris Tharp, author of the newly-released Plum Rain Press novel, “ The Cuttlefish ,” has spent over 20 years in Korea. He and John have a fun and wide-ranging discussion a...
Jun 20, 2025•32 min
It has now been 30 years since the passing of Teresa Teng 鄧麗君, the legendary Taiwanese singer who transformed Asian pop music, and even influenced regional politics. But three decades have not dimmed her star. Teng remains beloved by millions across Asia and around the world. Now, to the delight of her fans, there is news of one final encore from the “Eternal Queen of Asian Pop”: a previously undiscovered Japanese-language recording has been found. The new song is reportedly set for release on J...
Jun 19, 2025•27 min
Some people bought Tamagotchis in the '90s. Others? They paid birds to predict their future. In this week’s episode, we take a glimpse into Taiwan’s wild obsession with fortune-telling — and what it reveals about culture, comfort, and even politics. From oracle bones to rose stones, the history of Taiwanese divination has been an unpredictable ride. Go check out our website . And follow us on social media ...LIKE, SUB, etc!...
Jun 12, 2025•29 min•Season 5Ep. 16
Some have called Taipei a “mini-Shanghai.” If true, the emphasis might need to be on the word “mini.” The population of the greater Shanghai area is nearly 30 million, some six million more than the number of people who live in Taiwan. Yet, there are some interesting similarities – which mostly aren’t accidental. When CKS and the Nationalists took control in 1945, and then made Taipei the "ROC Provisional Capital" on December 7th, 1949, the new rulers began to shape Taipei in an image modeled in...
Jun 08, 2025•25 min
You've read his work (or you should); this awesome guy has been pumping out informative weekly history columns (and now YouTube videos ) for close to a decade. His name is Han Cheung (learn how to pronounce that by listening to this interview), and he went from being one of the only Asian-Americans in a small town in Wyoming - where he wrote for a local newspaper about the history of that state's Wild West era - to returning to his parents' adopted home of Taiwan to write "Taiwan in Time." It's ...
Jun 07, 2025•20 min
In 1963, a 32-year-old American grad student in Taipei wrote a newspaper editorial complaining that Taiwanese people were great at treating friends kindly, but kind of awful in public. Within days, he had unintentionally launched a nationwide student movement for civility, morality, and self-awareness. But this student-led push for better manners would also lead to arrests, prison time, and even psychiatric detention. In this episode, we tell the strange true story of the “Self-Awareness Movemen...
May 29, 2025•30 min•Season 5Ep. 15
For those of you who want more specific info, here is the entire conversation John Ross enjoyed with Dr. Jimmy Lee on the remarkable life of Dr. Takagi Tomoe, one of colonial Taiwan’s most influential figures.
May 22, 2025•27 min
In 1902, Dr. Takagi Tomoe arrived in newly-colonized Japanese Formosa as a seasoned Japanese medical expert sent here to battle bubonic plague – one of the many tropical sicknesses that killed thousands of local people each year. Takagi had a rare sense of empathy. Unlike many of his peers, he encouraged local students to attend his medical school (even letting them speak Taiwanese). This brilliant Japanese and German-trained doctor helped create Taiwan’s medical system – and also, in an unexpec...
May 22, 2025•21 min•Season 5Ep. 14
PLEASE NOTE: Formosa Files 中文版 has a new, separate feed. Hear it HERE , or on our website . Thanks! This week, Formosa Files digs into two wild and almost totally forgotten killings from Taiwan’s Cold War years. First up: a soldier named Li Wei, a former POW, sets his army barracks on fire in the middle of the night and opens fire on his fellow soldiers. The whole thing gets swept under the rug. No local news coverage. It’s been basically erased from memory. Then there’s Taiwan’s deadliest schoo...
May 15, 2025•28 min•Season 5Ep. 13
Your name carries history, identity, and sometimes in Taiwan, salmon? In this episode, we explore Taiwanese/Chinese naming traditions: family names, generational names, courtesy names, and how colonization, politics, and even sushi promotions have shaped them. From the chaos of post-war name changes to the viral “Salmon Naming Incident” of 2021, join Formosa Files for a fascinating and funny audio journey into what our names say about us. It's worth checking out our WEBSITE as that's where you'l...
May 08, 2025•31 min•Season 5Ep. 12
The Chinese podcast hasn’t disappeared; it’s now got its own feed. FORMOSA FILES中文版的節目沒有消失！我們成立了新的頻道（ SPOTIFY 、 APPLE ），並將所有的中文版 podcast 章節移動過去。之後FORMOSA FILES中文版將以新的頻道繼續為各位聽眾朋友帶來有趣的臺灣歷史故事。 Those who wish to keep listening to Eryk speak bad Chinese to Eric… migrate over to the new feed HERE , or find it on all major podcast platforms. Thanks! 如果您喜歡我們的中文版節目，敬請繼續支持我們喔！ New feed: click HERE , or visit our website ....
May 08, 2025•2 min
Often called “China’s Titanic, ” the 1949 sinking of the Taiping claimed over 1,000 lives as desperate refugees fled Shanghai for Taiwan. Forty-five years later, another tragedy struck: 24 Taiwanese tourists were brutally murdered during a pleasure cruise on China’s Qiandao Lake. The deaths and the clumsy, heartless Chinese cover-up caused outrage in Taiwan. In this episode, Formosa Files is revisiting two haunting shipping disasters that reveal the human cost of war, exile, and political mistru...
May 01, 2025•27 min•Season 5Ep. 11
This early part of the twentieth century was filled with revolutions and wars (including the First World War). Formosa, however, was a relatively stable Japanese colony. But not entirely stable. We’ll tell you about Chinese revolutionary Luó Fúxīng (羅福星), who was executed in Taiwan for trying to rid this island of the Japanese. And we’ve got some good info on the often-overlooked Tapani Incident – the largest Han Chinese (with Indigenous allies) revolt against Japan… and it happened two decades ...
Apr 24, 2025•28 min•Season 5Ep. 10
1962年，在當時的臺北縣永和鎮發生了一件轟動全臺的連續殺人案。一位（被）退休的老師持槍進入勵行中學，造成七死三傷的慘案。然而這件案件最引人注目的，卻反而是兇手的身分以及他在案發後的詭異行徑。這集的 Formosa Files 中文版 Podcast，就讓兩位主持人來跟大家聊聊這起喧騰一時的殺人事件。 主持人簡介： Eryk Michael Smith－ICRT南臺灣特派員，長期從事記者採編工作、聲音編輯，也會客串DJ。現居高雄，在臺灣已經居住了接近30年，認為臺灣是自己的家。 Eric Hsu（徐葆權）－彰化北斗人，從大學南漂高雄以來，人生的大部分時間都在高雄渡過。關心臺灣文史與地方文化發展，尤其是自己的兩個家鄉：北斗與高雄。
Apr 23, 2025•19 min
After the “execution-style” murder of Taoyuan Magistrate Liu Pang-yu and half a dozen others at Liu’s official residence in November 1996 by assassins deemed connected to the underworld, Taiwan’s authorities began getting serious about trying to rid its ranks of those with ties to organized crime – but it’s no easy task. A report from that same year found that at least a third of elected officials were part of a system termed “Black Gold,” or put simply: gangsters in government. Links, pics and ...
Apr 17, 2025•30 min•Season 5Ep. 9
過去的臺灣，似乎並不是一個非常平靜的地方。在1960年代，對外有持續發生小規模衝突的共產中國，對內則有軍隊紀律、匪諜滲透、省籍情節等問題。雖然實施了戒嚴，但社會的治安依然不甚穩定。而在1962年，民國51年，就發生了兩件駭人聽聞的連續殺人案。這集的 Formosa Files 中文版 Podcast，就讓兩位主持人來跟大家聊聊當年其中一件發生在軍營，罕為人知的殺人事件。 主持人簡介： Eryk Michael Smith－ICRT南臺灣特派員，長期從事記者採編工作、聲音編輯，也會客串DJ。現居高雄，在臺灣已經居住了接近30年，認為臺灣是自己的家。 Eric Hsu（徐葆權）－彰化北斗人，從大學南漂高雄以來，人生的大部分時間都在高雄渡過。關心臺灣文史與地方文化發展，尤其是自己的兩個家鄉：北斗與高雄。
Apr 16, 2025•17 min
Shortly after the Lunar New Year of 1990, the Taiwan Stock Exchange (the Taiex) hit a peak of almost 12,500. Eight months later it had fallen to a low of about 2,500 – an 80% collapse, and one of the worst stock market crashes of all time! In this week’s Taiwan history Formosa Files episode, we’re looking at the “Great Stock Market Bubble” of the late 1980s, when too many people had a lot more money than sense. Taiwan’s financial sector in the late 1980s was so crazy that the Republic of China (...
Apr 10, 2025•28 min•Season 5Ep. 8
臺灣在戰後很快的成為「復興基地」，接收了百萬播遷來臺的中國軍民，但仍需儲備「反攻大陸」所需的兵力；再加上農業社會需要大量人力，政府於是鼓勵生育，臺灣人口也隨之快速增加。然而在八十年後的今日，臺灣的生育率卻是世界倒數，人口也開始節節下降。這集的 Formosa Files 中文版 Podcast，就讓兩位主持人來跟大家聊聊，臺灣人口的故事與挑戰。 主持人簡介： Eryk Michael Smith－ICRT南臺灣特派員，長期從事記者採編工作、聲音編輯，也會客串DJ。現居高雄，在臺灣已經居住了接近30年，認為臺灣是自己的家。 Eric Hsu（徐葆權）－彰化北斗人，從大學南漂高雄以來，人生的大部分時間都在高雄渡過。關心臺灣文史與地方文化發展，尤其是自己的兩個家鄉：北斗與高雄。
Apr 09, 2025•20 min
Taiwan is enjoying a four-day break for Qing Ming Jie, usually called Tomb Sweeping Festival (or Day) in English. Formosa Files is taking a bit of a break as well, but Eryk thought you might be interested in a short history of communist parties in Taiwan, so he recorded a mini episode on that topic. After seeing red, stay with the episode for a re-release of the (or at least one of the) origin story of the Tomb Sweeping Festival - an edit from (Not So) " Happy Holidays - S2-E28 ."...
Apr 04, 2025•19 min
臺灣自從1971年退出聯合國以來，在國際上逐漸面臨被孤立的困境。無獨有偶的，此時在非洲也有另一個被國際孤立的國家：南非。雖然非常具有爭議性，但兩個國家確實攜手合作了很長的一段時間，臺灣人當時在南非甚至還被授與「榮譽白人」，直到曼德拉上台後轉與中國建交為止。而就在兩國關係還相當密切的1987年，在印度洋上發生了一起空難，卻引發外界無限的陰謀論遐想。這集的 Formosa Files 中文版 Podcast，就讓兩位主持人來跟大家聊聊，「榮譽白人」與這起空難的故事。 主持人簡介： Eryk Michael Smith－ICRT南臺灣特派員，長期從事記者採編工作、聲音編輯，也會客串DJ。現居高雄，在臺灣已經居住了接近30年，認為臺灣是自己的家。 Eric Hsu（徐葆權）－彰化北斗人，從大學南漂高雄以來，人生的大部分時間都在高雄渡過。關心臺灣文史與地方文化發展，尤其是自己的兩個家鄉：北斗與高雄。
Apr 02, 2025•17 min
If we left in all the material we discover when researching topics, our episodes would be many hours long, so we try to force ourselves not to go down too many rabbit holes. But it’s a problem: we find so many “goodies” that are too good not to share! Our solution: a “Bits and Pieces” episode every now and then. In this first one for Season Five, we’ll look again at Taiwan’s falling population, female dentists, the old custom of throwing teeth on a roof (or burying them), the surprising number o...
Mar 27, 2025•21 min•Season 5Ep. 7
臺灣從荷蘭、明鄭時期以來，不斷的有漢人來此開墾。然而在開墾的過程中，難免會與原住民發生爭端與衝突。而在漢人開始大舉來臺的清代，雖然政府透過各種方式想要避免漢人與原住民發生爭執，但似乎總是成效不佳。甚至在清代中後期以至於日治時期，為了開發臺灣的樟腦資源與擴張帝國治理的邊界，臺灣原漢族群的界線也隨之快速後退。這集的 Formosa Files 中文版 Podcast，就讓兩位主持人來跟大家聊聊，清代時的臺灣「番界」，「土牛溝」的故事。 主持人簡介： Eryk Michael Smith－ICRT南臺灣特派員，長期從事記者採編工作、聲音編輯，也會客串DJ。現居高雄，在臺灣已經居住了接近30年，認為臺灣是自己的家。 Eric Hsu（徐葆權）－彰化北斗人，從大學南漂高雄以來，人生的大部分時間都在高雄渡過。關心臺灣文史與地方文化發展，尤其是自己的兩個家鄉：北斗與高雄。
Mar 26, 2025•12 min
Pavel Ivanovich Ibis, or Paul Ibis, a 22-year-old Russian naval officer (he was born in today’s Estonia) embarked alone on a dangerous and adventurous journey – on foot – through Taiwan in the winter of 1875. At the time, much of the island was under Qing rule; a prefecture of Fujian Province. So, what was he doing here? He left very detailed accounts of places, people and customs, and Paul Ibis seems to have had a genuine “anthropological” interest in this island. But was he also possibly a spy...
Mar 20, 2025•29 min•Season 5Ep. 6
如果要說到臺灣人過去最熟悉的牙膏品牌，「黑人牙膏」絕對是名列前茅。即使後來因為可能有種族歧視的意味而全面改名為「好來牙膏」，商標的顏色也幾度調整，但依然還是臺灣各大賣場架上最常見的牙膏品牌。這集的 Formosa Files 中文版，就讓兩位主持人來一起聊聊這個歷史意外悠久的牙膏品牌，以及它背後的一些歷史爭議故事。 主持人簡介： Eryk Michael Smith－ICRT南臺灣特派員，長期從事記者採編工作、聲音編輯，也會客串DJ。現居高雄，在臺灣已經居住了接近30年，認為臺灣是自己的家。 Eric Hsu（徐葆權）－彰化北斗人，從大學南漂高雄以來，人生的大部分時間都在高雄渡過。關心臺灣文史與地方文化發展，尤其是自己的兩個家鄉：北斗與高雄。
Mar 19, 2025•11 min
November 28, 1987: South African Airways Flight 295 departs from Taipei bound for Johannesburg. Somewhere near Mauritius, a mysterious fire breaks out. The crew fights hard to extinguish it, but sadly, the plane and all 159 people on board are doomed to a watery grave in the Indian Ocean. The crash of SAA Flight 295 raises questions: What was in the cargo hold? Did the fire have anything to do with banned items or weapons? Plus, we'll tell you why the ROC (Taiwan) and white-ruled South Africa we...
Mar 13, 2025•27 min•Season 5Ep. 5
臺灣在追尋民主自由獨立的道路上，彭明敏教授是無法忽略的一位重量級人物。在日本留學時經歷了戰爭、原子彈，回到臺灣後又遇上二二八事件。而1964年的《台灣自救運動宣言》，讓他不得不在傳教士友人的協助下逃離臺灣，顛沛流離三十年，最終由於與李登輝的因緣而回到臺灣。這集的 Formosa Files 中文版，就讓兩位主持人來一起聊聊這位經歷離奇波折的臺灣民主前輩。 主持人簡介： Eryk Michael Smith－ICRT南臺灣特派員，長期從事記者採編工作、聲音編輯，也會客串DJ。現居高雄，在臺灣已經居住了接近30年，認為臺灣是自己的家。 Eric Hsu（徐葆權）－彰化北斗人，從大學南漂高雄以來，人生的大部分時間都在高雄渡過。關心臺灣文史與地方文化發展，尤其是自己的兩個家鄉：北斗與高雄。
Mar 12, 2025•12 min
Two common brands of toothpaste sold in Taiwan: one of them is strangely/poorly named, but the other has a very long history of flirting with racism. In this less-somber episode, you’ll learn the backstories of both “Whitemen Toothpaste” 白人牙膏, and Hei Ren “Darkie/Darlie Toothpaste” 黑人/好來牙膏 , and also enjoy a bit of info on the “ten courts of hell,” where the dead are judged and sentenced. Heed this warning if you don’t want to be reincarnated as a mosquito: “Decieve women and children, use illeg...
Mar 06, 2025•30 min•Season 5Ep. 4
臺灣在追尋民主自由獨立的道路上，彭明敏教授是無法忽略的一位重量級人物。戰爭在他的身上刻下傷痕，又讓他在長崎見證原子彈；而在臺灣，二二八事件也讓他的家人飽受威脅；隨之而來的白色恐怖，更讓他不得不逃離臺灣。這集的 Formosa Files 中文版，就讓兩位主持人來一起聊聊這位經歷離奇波折的臺灣民主前輩。 主持人簡介： Eryk Michael Smith－ICRT南臺灣特派員，長期從事記者採編工作、聲音編輯，也會客串DJ。現居高雄，在臺灣已經居住了接近30年，認為臺灣是自己的家。 Eric Hsu（徐葆權）－彰化北斗人，從大學南漂高雄以來，人生的大部分時間都在高雄渡過。關心臺灣文史與地方文化發展，尤其是自己的兩個家鄉：北斗與高雄。
Mar 05, 2025•13 min
NOTE: This episode is not suitable for young children. The story of Nylon Deng is too often painted in terms of good/bad, black/white…but almost nothing is ever so binary. January 1989: Deng is summoned to answer charges of sedition/treason for publishing an idea for a constitution for the “Republic of Taiwan.” He vows not to be taken alive. However, unlike almost every article about him, Formosa Files isn’t going to stick to the script of “the police tried to break in and he self-immolated.” In...
Mar 02, 2025•30 min•Season 5Ep. 3
