The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa Files

• Popeye, Prison, Soy Sauce and Satire: Bo Yang 柏楊 – S5-E17

  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 prison on Green Island was translating a “Popeye” cartoon strip!More info, pics, and links are on our WEBSITE.

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• Taiwan vs. South Korea - A Conversation with Author Chris Tharp

  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 about these two dynamic nations.Read reviews of “The Cuttlefish” HERE and HERE.

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• Teresa Teng 鄧麗君 – “Asia’s Eternal Queen of Pop” (2025 Remastered Re-release)

  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 June 25, 2025. To mark the occasion, we’re re-releasing this classic 2022 Formosa Files episode celebrating her extraordinary life and legacy. Enjoy!

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• Calculating Fate: Taiwan’s Fortune-Telling Fever of the ’90s – S5-E16

  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!

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• Shanghai–Taiwan Connections, Part 1: Mark Kitto on Helen Zia’s “Last Boat” — BONUS EPISODE

  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 many ways after Shanghai. John Ross (world traveler that he is) has never been to this sprawling city, but Mark Kitto (English actor and author, most recently of China Running Dog, lived and worked there for around a decade. Mark and John discuss the Shanghai-Taipei connection via talking about and reading from the book, Last Boat Out of China, a tale of a family fleeing Red China and “temporarily” seeking shelter in Taipei.  

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