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The History of Taiwan: Formosa Files, rated as the best Taiwan history podcast, 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 Taiwan history 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 skills have improved greatly (um... we hope you agree) since the launch of the podcast in late 2021, but we hope our enthusiasm and love for telling stories from Taiwanese history has only grown with our audience. Thanks to long-time listeners for sticking with us, and a very big welcome to all the newer folks!
Originally released on September 6, 2021.
Cover: Composite of typical "Formosans" from Psalmanazar’s Description of Formosa. Colorized by Benjamin Breen. Via The Appendix/Benjamin Breen.
Below: An image said to be the likeness of George Psalmanazar (1679?-1763) Via Wikimedia Commons.
Below:
Psalmanazar went so far as to create a fake Formosan alphabet... and translate parts of the Bible into it! Here is his "translation" of the Lord's Prayer:
"Amy Pornio dan chin Ornio vicy, Gnayjorhe sai Lory, Eyfodere sai Bagalin, jorhe sai domion apo chin Ornio, kay chin Badi eyen, Amy khatsada nadakchion toye ant nadayi, kay Radonaye ant amy Sochin, apo ant radonern amy Sochiakhin, bagne ant kau chin malaboski, ali abinaye ant tuen Broskacy, kens sai vie Bagalin, kay Fary, kay Barhaniaan chinania sendabey. Amien."
(Image via Wikimedia Commons)
Below: The first page of Psalmanazar's 1704 book, An Historical and Geographical Description of Formosa, an Island subject to the Emperor of Japan
(Image via Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain)
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Check our very first episode, the story of a very white man who showed up in London in 1703... and claimed to be from Formosa. Or try a foodie episode from Season 3. Or, for those who want some harder-core history, hear the tale of the Lockheed U-2 pilot Wang Hsi-chueh 王錫爵, who became famous for defecting to the PRC by hijacking China Airlines Flight 334 on May 3, 1986.
