Formosa Files and the FRANK CHEN FOUNDATION (陳啟川先生文教基金會) present: AUDIO: FULL EPISODES S1-E1 THE WHITE FORMOSAN How could a "very white" European man get away with showing up in London in 1703 and claiming to be from Formosa? In this first episode of FORMOSA FILES, we look at this fascinating…
Formosa Files and the FRANK CHEN FOUNDATION (陳啟川先生文教基金會) present: AUDIO: FULL EPISODES S1-E2 KOXINGA VS. THE DUTCH - ROUND ONE Pirate Warlord Koxinga's successful invasion of Taiwan changed everything. Here's part one of the tale of an epic, nine-month struggle with the Dutch in Anping, modern-day Tainan. Subscribe for more…
Formosa Files and the FRANK CHEN FOUNDATION (陳啟川先生文教基金會) present: AUDIO: FULL EPISODES S3-E21 BLOCKADING TAIWAN China's People's Liberation Army/Navy has been practicing for a possible blockade of Taiwan with ships, planes, and drones. Formosa Files looks at the history of blockades connected to Taiwan. Plus, hear about the nastiest "ocean…
FAKE HISTORY (2023, by Paul Timings) is a generative audiovisual installation comprising the first iteration of three separate installations, all of which explore the network of machinery that moderates our experience of the world. The work is informed by narratives surrounding the history of Taiwan that have historically overlapped, competed,…
In June 2023, the English-language newspaper, The Taiwan News, was kind enough to interview Eryk Michael Smith about our podcast, Formosa Files. https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4910533 We very much appreciate Keoni Everington and the Taiwan News for giving us this opportunity and invite you to check out this video. Plus, a note from…
During the pandemic, Eryk took his youngest daughter to the Aviation Education Exhibition Hall, where's essentially Taiwan's Air Force Museum in Gangshan, Kaohsiung. https://goo.gl/maps/b4D8vAaHBiz3mYs97 It's a great place to visit, and has places flown to Taiwan by defectors from the PRC, plus, the retired "Air Force One" -- which can…
Suggestion: First listen to the two-part podcast episode on which this video is based. 建議：首先聆聽以下兩部Podcast，本影片是基於這兩部Podcast製作。 Part one: https://www.formosafiles.com/s3-e19-two-johns-take-a-walking-tour-in-historic-tamsui-part-one/ Part two: https://www.formosafiles.com/s3-e20-john-groot-and-john-ross-walk-and-talk-historic-tamsui-dan-shui-part-two/ -- Check out the first “Walking Tour Video” from Formosa Files, an idea we will be improving on in the future. As many know, the port town of Tamsui…
Formosa Files and the FRANK CHEN FOUNDATION (陳啟川先生文教基金會) present: A Kaohsiung History Moment – CHENG CHING LAKE It’s become one of Kaohsiung’s most popular sites, and it’s not hard to understand why. Da Bei Hu (Big Clam Lake), now called Cheng Ching Lake, is an oasis of nature, just a…
Formosa Files and the FRANK CHEN FOUNDATION (陳啟川先生文教基金會) present: A Kaohsiung History Moment – HAMASEN Hamasen is one of the earliest developed areas in Kaohsiung and was once the most prosperous region in Kaohsiung. It can also be said that without the Kaohsiung Port, there would be no Hamasen today.…
Read and Listen TRANSCRIPT VIDEO: S3-E13 - The Flag of Taiwan (?) The flag that flies across Taiwan is the flag of the Republic of China, yet many Taiwanese (and foreigners) have come to see it as the "flag of Taiwan." Read along as we tell the story of the…
Read and Listen TRANSCRIPT VIDEO: S3-E11 - Steve McQueen and "The Sand Pebbles" The biggest Hollywood production filmed in Taiwan to date is the 1966 hit "The Sand Pebbles," starring the "King of Cool," Steve McQueen. But, Steve and the crew nearly lost their cool in the winter of 1965-1966…
Read and Listen TRANSCRIPT VIDEO: S2-E1 - The CIA vs. Made in Taiwan Nukes By the mid-1960s, the global nuclear club included the UK, the USA, the USSR, and the People's Republic of China (the PRC). Taiwan's supreme ruler Chiang Kai-shek wanted to join this club, but nuclear non-proliferation was…
Formosa Files and the FRANK CHEN FOUNDATION (陳啟川先生文教基金會) present: THE STORY OF TURTLE ISLAND Called “Turtle Island” due to its perceived turtle-like shape, this mini volcanic island was once home to a thriving group of fisherfolk, but after the ROC arrived in 1945, its perfect location as a cross-fire position…
Formosa Files and the FRANK CHEN FOUNDATION (陳啟川先生文教基金會) present: A Kaohsiung History Moment – MILITARY DEPENDENTS VILLAGES What does a small island do when it’s flooded with over a million Chinese troops and civilian refugees between 1945 and 1949? Where do you house them? From tiny shacks crammed into what…
Formosa Files and the FRANK CHEN FOUNDATION (陳啟川先生文教基金會) present: A Kaohsiung History Moment – THE KAOHSIUNG LIGHTHOUSE Why was the harbor at Takao once very hard to navigate? How did local fishermen find their way? Who first ordered the construction of a lighthouse on a bluff overlooking the port in…
Formosa Files and the FRANK CHEN FOUNDATION (陳啟川先生文教基金會) present: A Kaohsiung History Moment – BANANA PIER How did Taiwan once become the third-largest exporter of bananas? How was the fruit transported from hilly plantations in Chishan and Meinung? Why did the island lose its crown as the “Banana Kingdom?” Check…
Formosa Files and the FRANK CHEN FOUNDATION (陳啟川先生文教基金會) present: A Kaohsiung History Moment – THE OLD WALLS AT FENGSHAN COUNTY (ZUOYING) Why did the Qing authorities ban walls in Taiwan? And why did they change their mind? How were the walls in what’s now Zuoying built? What was used for…
Formosa Files and the FRANK CHEN FOUNDATION (陳啟川先生文教基金會) present: A Kaohsiung History Moment – LOTUS POND Where did its name come from? How does the pond connect to rivers and the sea? When were the famous Tiger and Dragon Pagodas built, and why? Check out this short history explainer on…
