Best Eryk Michael Smith Podcasts (2024)

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S4-E9 – Chen Shui-bian 陳水扁: The Middle Years – From Law School to First Prison Term 24:15

14h ago24:15

24:15

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 president. The young Chen had no political plans – he wanted to study business and make money for his impoverished family in rural Tainan. One day during his first semester, he heard a speech by …

1
FORMOSA FILES IN CHINESE! CH03-臺灣街頭巷口的洗腦名曲—臺灣垃圾車音樂文化 11:12

3d ago11:12

11:12

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，垃圾車的「曲目」也有許多變化，但臺灣人聽得最久、最習慣的還是這兩首曲子，也成為臺灣日常最特別的文化。這集就讓我們來聊聊臺灣垃圾車的音樂文化。重要單字：propose/proposal, handwriting 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…

1
S4-E8 - The Formosan Association for Public Affairs (FAPA): talking to a member of a former “terrorist” pro-Taiwan-independence group 22:18

7d ago22:18

22:18

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 independence advocates in the United States have always enjoyed more freedom of speech, but pro-independence organizations that pulled stunts such as chaining themselves to the doors of the U.N…

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FORMOSA FILES IN CHINESE! CH02-臺灣養豬業的最慘一「疫」—1997年豬口蹄疫 12:21

11d ago12:21

12:21

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。一直到二十幾年後的今天，臺灣才真正擺脫當年口蹄疫帶來的影響，重新要把臺灣豬肉推向國際。重要單字：smuggle、outbreak、hoof 相關書籍： T. C. Locke。Barbarian at the Gate: From the American Suburbs to the Taiwanese Army。（中文版：《台灣饅頭美國兵》，林道明著）主持人簡介： Eryk…

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S4-E8 - The U.S. Breaks Up With Taipei for Beijing (Dec. 1978) 25:19

15d ago25:19

25:19

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 recognize the People’s Republic of China (PRC). It was an unpopular move, especially in Taiwan. President Carter asked his deputy secretary of state, Warren Christopher, to go to Taipei and …

1
FORMOSA FILES IN CHINESE! CH01-史上「最好」的劫機事件？—華航334航班劫機事件 18:44

16d ago18:44

18:44

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 年代初台灣與中國的關係。雙方都不想透過「官方」會談或交流承認對方的合法性，因此郵政、航班的聯繫以及兩岸相隔數十年的家人團聚等想法都難以推動。但就在 1986 年，由空軍 U2 偵察機飛行員轉任的中華航空機長王錫爵幹了一件不可思議的事——劫持自己駕駛的貨機並將其飛往廣州，也為兩岸關係帶來改變的契機。重要單字：defect、assume。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，…

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S4-E7 - Travel and Tremors – the 1906 Meishan Earthquake 梅山地震 25:32

22d ago25:32

25:32

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 (Taipei), he hurries down to the city of Chiayi to investigate the aftermath of the massive 7.1 magnitude Meishan Earthquake of March 17, 1906. Kann reports on the damage and the relief efforts be…

1
S4 - Special Episode - Remembering 921 in the Wake of 403 16:50

1M ago16:50

16:50

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 John Ross' feelings about the earthquake which this latest one is being compared to: 921, or, the quake of September 21st, 1999, which claimed the lives of several thousand people. In our sad…

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S4-E6 – Taipei’s Architectural Trilogy Part Two: Witnessing History and Changing with the Times 25:03

1M ago25:03

25:03

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 “culture and society” lens. The massive statue of Chiang Kai-shek remains on its pedestal at the CKS Memorial Hall. A place built to venerate a dictator, however, became the site of the Wild …

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S4-E6 – Taipei’s Architectural Trilogy: The CKS Memorial Hall, the National Theater and the National Concert Hall 26:54

1M ago26:54

26:54

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 (NTCH) among his greatest masterpieces. This week, we’ve got part one of the story of how a classical Chinese-style trilogy of buildings came to stand in the heart of Taipei City. Pics and mor…

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S4-E5 - Ghost Brides 23:38

2M ago23:38

23:38

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 episode’s two main ghost stories – one (probably) a tall tale – and the other a true story of a man taking a ghost bride, will offer listeners important insights into Taiwanese culture, belief system…

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S4 - A Formosa Files INTERVIEW: CNN China Legend Mike Chinoy 28:58

2M ago28:58

28:58

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 China correspondent – moving to the PRC in 1987 – and became famous as he reported live on the infamous events that transpired in and around Tiananmen Square in Beijing on June 4th, 1989. Chino…

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S4-E4 - The Interesting Tale of When the Dalai Lama’s Brother Came to Taiwan 26:54

2M ago26:54

26:54

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 Thondup has long been an unofficial envoy for the Tibetan leader-in-exile, and in May 1950, Gyalo Thondup became the first “officially acknowledged” Tibetan to visit Taiwan since 1949. What was …

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S4-E3 - The 1973 Qijin Ferry Tragedy - 旗津渡輪 26:48

2M ago26:48

26:48

Twenty-five young women and girls drowned after a severely overloaded ferry capsized in 1973. The deaths spurred changes in public transport safety in Kaohsiung, and the victims became part of a social debate over women's rights. Photos and more at formosafiles.com

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S4-E2 - Taiwan (the ROC) and Israel - Surprising Shared Histories 30:19

3M ago30:19

30:19

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 state to recognize the State of Israel in 1948? Israel was the first non-communist nation to recognize the People's Republic of China? However: Israel and the PRC only set up official relation…

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S4 - [ENCORE] Happy Holidays? (And: 新年快樂!) 26:08

3M ago26:08

26:08

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 filled with misery, terror, and death. John disagrees. And so the two go over the major holidays celebrated here, and, well, you be the judge of who wins this argument. Also, we cover holidays …

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S4-E1 - The Lugang Rebellion (鹿港 1986) 27:53

3M ago27:53

27:53

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 have a David vs. Goliath story, made more complicated by the fact that the Davids in this tale weren't sure what weapons they could get away with using. Taiwan was changing fast in 1986, but…

1
S3-E42 - Taiwan in 1958 25:46

3M ago25:46

25:46

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 broadcasts to Siberia. Eryk and John share nuggets from a 1959 ROC booklet, “101 Questions about Taiwan,” which proves to be both a humorous and fascinating time capsule of facts and stats. Enjoy this…

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BONUS Episode: Linda Gail Arrigo's Verdict on Shih Ming-teh 施明德 23:22

4M ago23:22

23:22

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 limb for a democratic Taiwan, and more recently, worked with the Taiwan Green Party on environmental issues such as stopping NPP4. She's also taught in local universities as a professor. Her Ph…

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S3-E41 - Shih Ming-teh 施明德 – “Taiwan’s Mandela” 29:48

4M ago29:48

29:48

Shih Ming-teh 施明德 died on the morning of his 82rd birthday, January 15th, 2024. This Taiwan democracy champion spent a combined 25.5 years in Taiwanese prisons for “sedition;” what the one-party state called his activism. Shih would live to see Taiwan blossom into a free society, and received recognition for his role in the long, hard fight. But in…

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S3-E40 - Sold to a Bargirl at the Age of Five (1955) – The Nancy Chen Baldwin Story 22:57

4M ago22:57

22:57

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. But the old practices of selling, “lending,” giving, and unofficial adoption of children persisted in Taiwan until relatively recent times. Nancy, in many ways, was one of the lucky ones; she…

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S3-E39 - Taiwan’s Most Famous Red Light District: Taipei’s Combat Zone 24:55

4M ago24:55

24:55

“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 Frazier takes us through the history of Taipei’s first foreign-oriented red light district, an area of girlie bars and nightclubs that was, and still is, known as the “Combat Zone.” Frazier ex…

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A Formosa Files INTERVIEW: Making History in Space, Taiwan Uni Team Puts Nanosatellites into Orbit - With Angel Menéndez 21:49

4M ago21:49

21:49

National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) PhD candidate Angel B. Menéndez came to Taiwan from his native Guatemala on a full scholarship provided by the Taiwan government. For Taiwan, this was a wise financial choice as Menéndez first studied mechanical engineering, then Mandarin, and then became involved in the historic achievement of a Taiwanese spac…

1
S3-E38 - Merry Constitution Day! (and a Happy New Year) 29:20

4M ago29:20

29:20

December 25th. A special day celebrating the birth of... the Constitution of the Republic of China. Once a holiday that rather conveniently overlapped with Christmas, today you don't get the day off in Taiwan. So, to relieve the pain of being forced to work on Christm... um... Constitution Day, John and Eryk bring you some festive cheer by recounti…

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S3-E37 - Wu Li-pei (吳澧培): A Taiwanese-American Immigrant Story, Part Two 24:30

5M ago24:30

24:30

In the 1960s and 1970s, many tens of thousands of Taiwanese went into self-exile; most of them headed to the United States. The people who became Taiwanese-Americans did so for a variety of reasons, but it's probably fair to say most were seeking opportunities more readily available in a democratic, free society. Taiwan in the 1960s and '70s was a …

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Bonus Episode: SAVE THE BIRDS! ~ The origin story of the Kaohsiung Wild Bird Society 16:17

5M ago16:17

16:17

Frank C. Chen was the mayor of Kaohsiung from 1960 to 1968. The foundation that bears his name is the reason we have Formosa Files. Paul Chen is one of Frank Chen's sons (b. 1944), and in 1979, he established the Kaohsiung Wild Bird Society. Why? Well, he and his dad were once avid hunters, and Paul Chen kept noticing there were fewer and fewer bir…

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S3-E36 - Wu Li-pei (吳澧培): A Taiwanese-American Immigrant Story, Part One 26:47

5M ago26:47

26:47

A generation of Taiwanese left (or you might say “fled”) Taiwan in the 1960s and 70s, with most going to the United States. Some went to school there and stayed, while others emigrated as they saw no future for themselves and their families in the then one-party ROC state. This Taiwanese diaspora was a boon for America; intelligent, hard-working, e…

1
[ENCORE] Henry Kissinger (and president Nixon) Go to China, and Everything Changes for the Republic of China (Taiwan) 29:49

5M ago29:49

29:49

Henry Alfred Kissinger died on November 29, 2023 at the age of 100. This incredibly controversial figure was a massive player in US politics and policies during the last four decades of the 20th century. Among the most consequential choices Kissinger facilitated was the switch in diplomatic recognition by the United States from Taipei (the ROC) to …

1
S3-E35 - Bits and Pieces (of Stinky Tofu 臭豆腐) and a Pre-Announcement Announcement 23:16

5M ago23:16

23:16

Although Eryk is as sick as a dog, both he and John are in very high spirits, and not just because, once again, they get to chat about stinky tofu. In this "bits and pieces" episode there's some jumping around, a look back and a look ahead. But most importantly, we tease an exciting new development! No, Formosa Files isn't going into the Chou Doufu…

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S3-E34 - Fabulous Foods of Formosa (and Stinky Tofu 臭豆腐) 25:22

6M ago25:22

25:22

Taiwan is a food-lover's paradise, with tasty treats, delicious dishes, scrumptious suppers, marvelous morsels... a versatile, vast variety of fabulous foods. John and Eryk aren't really down with the whole clichéd, “let's make stuff about foreigners eating stinky tofu” phenomenon, but we decided to do a food episode, topped with some yummy yarns f…

1
S3-E33 - Tales of Tokyo and Taiwan 26:04

6M ago26:04

26:04

This week we're looking at Tokyo, and telling a few tales that connect events in that major world city to people, places, and things in Taiwan. ポッドキャストをお楽しみください Visit Formosafiles.com for pictures, links and more.

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S3-E32 - Hakka Author Wu Zhuoliu (吳濁流), Part 2 - Japan’s Surrender and 2/28 25:12

6M ago25:12

25:12

Writer Wu Zhuoliu 吳濁流 (1900-1976), sadly, never saw Taiwan blossom into a democracy. But he left us with some of the most important works ever written about 20th-century Taiwan. Among these is the autobiography “The Fig Tree”, whose early chapters mirror the events in his acclaimed novel “Orphan of Asia.” In S2-E29, we covered Wu’s younger years as…

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WELCOME TO THE PODCAST! - The "White Formosan" - S1-E1 24:49

6M ago24:49

24:49

Formosa Files has gained a lot of new listeners of late, and many seem to begin listening from where they first encounter the program. But there are lots of great episodes from seasons 1-2 and, as this one is the one that started it all, we're rereleasing a new edit of Season One, Episode One: “The White Formosan.” Our sound quality and editing ski…

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A Formosa Files INTERVIEW: Manga Artist Mark Crilley Talks About His New Book - LOST IN TAIWAN 21:06

6M ago21:06

21:06

Mark Crilley is one of the top 10 American manga artists, and he has a new graphic novel out called LOST IN TAIWAN (2023). Formosa Files caught up with Mark, who spilled the beans on why he was here in the late 1980s and early 1990s, what he loved (and what he loved a bit less) about Taiwan. After listening to this fun interview with Eryk and Mark …

1
[ENCORE] Golf in Taiwan: A Surprisingly Long History 24:44

6M ago24:44

24:44

Hear the tale of Japanese colonial officials discovering golf as the "new cool thing for elites" -- and ordering a course built in just a few hours. Plus, the story of Lu Liang-huan (呂良煥), a man from a poor family who worked his way up from being a caddy to an impressive 2nd place win at the 1971 British Open. NOTE: We are re-releasing this episode…

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S3-E31 - The “Tea Thief” - Robert Fortune's Very Brief Trip to Taiwan (1854) 24:54

7M ago24:54

24:54

Tea was domesticated in China, and the knowledge of how to grow it, harvest it, and process it was a closely guarded secret. After basically becoming addicted to the beverage, the British needed to find a way to grow their own tea, as buying it from China was eating up their silver reserves. So, missions of “tea espionage” were conducted, most nota…

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[ENCORE] The 4,300-Kilometer Chase of an Illegal Taiwanese Fishing Boat (1989) 25:45

7M ago25:45

25:45

Taiwan loves seafood, and boats from this island trawl for yummy ocean offerings thousands of kilometers away from our shores. Taiwanese fishing vessels are very good at what they do, but they weren't always so good in how they did it. The use of drift nets, so-called "walls of death" that entangle species like sea turtles and dolphins, drew intern…

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[Bonus] Photographing Taiwan – Interview with Chris Stowers 28:17

7M ago28:17

28:17

John chats with photographer Chris Stowers. In 1988, Chris sailed a traditional Indonesian boat on an epic sea voyage (a trip described alongside the three-part series on the Free China junk, S3-Ep23-25). This led to his first story and photos being published, and the beginning of his career in photography. He came to Taiwan on a political photo sh…

1
S3-E30 - When the Russians Bombed Taipei (and other aviation stories) 26:51

7M ago26:51

26:51

Here's something we bet you didn't know: in 1938, Soviet pilots in Soviet planes (disguised to look like ROC Air Force planes) bombed the main airfield in Taihoku (now the Songshan Airport 臺北松山機場 in Taipei City). We've got that story and more as this week John and Eryk get a bit geeky and delve into some of the stories behind the planes we saw duri…

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S3-E29 - Taiwan's Great Pork Apocalypse (1997) 24:57

7M ago24:57

24:57

Not gonna lie folks: this episode gets dark; the story of a super swine slaughter. But, there's also some tasty morsels of info on Taiwan's favorite meat, and the pig’s place in the island’s history and culture. Plus, a final happy ending involving little cute piggies, but you'll have to have to visit formosafiles.com to see the pics.…

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S3-E28 - More Bits and Pieces: Ox Ditches and an Unsinkable Warship 25:35

8M ago25:35

25:35

Remember those two Polish cargo ships and one oil tanker from the USSR seized by the ROC Navy in the 1950s? Well, the story has one highly interesting extra element we didn't have time to get to in the last episode. Plus, John wants to write a book about an "ox ditch." Visit formosafiles.com for all the extras: links, maps, pics, images, book revie…

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S3-E27 - When Taiwan (ROC) Blockaded China (PRC) 28:59

8M ago28:59

28:59

After retreating to Taiwan, the ROC ordered a naval blockade of China, which lasted officially until 1979. There were interceptions and attacks by the ROC Navy, CIA-backed Nationalist forces, and some pirate-like actions by unofficial ROC guerrillas. Even ships from the UK and the US were targeted. But, with several high-profile cases, including a …

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S3-E26 - Taiwan as part of the Philippines? Or a British or German colony? “What Ifs” of Formosan History -- With Michael Turton 29:09

8M ago29:09

29:09

Taiwanese history would have been very different except for a few pivotal moments. “Sure,” you might be thinking, “that's true everywhere.” However, the “what ifs” Michael Turton and Eryk Michael Smith talk about today are especially fascinating because of Taiwan’s strategic location. The Spanish and Dutch had short-lived settlements here in the 17…

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S3-E25 - The Free China Junk Story - Part 3: Victory! 27:15

8M ago27:15

27:15

Today John Ross and Chris Stowers (a man who has first-hand knowledge of what it's like to sail on an old-fashioned sailing boat) end our three-part series on the amazing voyage of the Chinese junk (built possibly in the 1890s) that made it -- not without overcoming considerable difficulties -- from Keelung to San Francisco in 1955. We discover the…

1
S3-E24 - Crossing the Pacific in a Junk - Trials and Tribulations (Part 2-3) 27:06

8M ago27:06

27:06

We continue the amazing tale of six men who set sail from Keelung in 1955 aboard the Free China junk to join a trans-Atlantic yacht race. They were attempting to show that an old-fashioned Chinese vessel could compete against some of the world's best boats. But first they need to cross the Pacific Ocean. It’s an inauspicious start, and we find Paul…

1
S2-E23 - Across the Pacific in the Free China Junk (1955) - Part One 26:18

8M ago26:18

26:18

In 1954, a man living in Keelung 基隆 asked himself, “Could an old-fashioned Chinese junk beat modern yachts in a race on the high seas?” The answer? -- An almost unbelievable tale involving a boat that would become world-famous: the “Free China” junk (自由中國號). This week, John Ross and Chris Stowers (Stowers was part of a crew that also sailed on a wi…

1
S3-E22 - Barbie: Made in Taiwan 27:03

9M ago27:03

27:03

Seen the Barbie movie? No worries... Eryk saw it for you, and he noticed one thing they didn't mention in the film: from 1967-1987, most of the world's Barbie dolls were made in Taiwan. Factories in the tiny town of Taishan 泰山 (now a district of New Taipei City) churned out millions of these well-made toys before Mattel moved operations to cheaper …

1
S3-E21 - Blockading Taiwan 28:18

9M ago28:18

28:18

China's People's Liberation Army/Navy has been practicing for a possible blockade of Taiwan with ships, planes, and drones. This week, Formosa Files looks at the history of blockades connected to Taiwan. Plus, hear about the nastiest "ocean blockade" in history -- when the new Qing authorities ordered the evacuation of the Chinese coast for over 20…

1
Bonus Episode: 2-28: A Bad Beginning 20:58

9M ago20:58

20:58

In this special episode, we hear Eryk reading from chapter five of John’s “Taiwan in 100 Books.” The topic is 2-28, an event named after a date: February 28, 1947. It’s usually referred to as the February 28 incident, but sometimes called the 2-28 Massacre. American vice-consul at the time George Kerr used the term “the March massacres,” which give…

1
[ENCORE] The Empire's Last Solider (29 Years, 3 Months, and 16 Days) 27:16

9M ago27:16

27:16

The last Japanese "holdout" of World War II was an Indigenous Amis Taiwanese named Attun Palalin, but in Japanese Formosa, he was Nakamura Teruo (中村輝夫). Palalin was one of a group of Indigenous Taiwanese who served in the Japanese military as part of the Takasago Volunteer Unit 高砂義勇隊. The Takasago Unit was built on the idea that Indigenous Taiwane…

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