BOOKISH ASIA with Plum Rain Press

John chats with Jenna Cody about some of her favorite works of Taiwan fiction. Jenna, an American based in Taipei, is the author of the long-running blog Lao Ren Cha (now on Substack). Lao Ren Cha (“Old Man Tea”) is the most popular English-language blog on Taiwan; it focuses on Taiwan culture, politics, and books. In this Bookish Asia episode, the four main works discussed are Green Island by Shawna Yang Ryan (2016), The Butcher’s Wife by Li Ang (Chinese 1983; English edition 1986), Migrante by J. W. Henley (2020), and Taipei People by Pai Hsien-yung (Chinese 1971; English edition 1982). Jenna is known for her strong opinions and she doesn’t disappoint in this wide-ranging discussion. Make sure to listen to the very end to hear about the Plum Rain Press book giveaway.

Busan-based author Chris Tharp chats with John about The Cuttlefish, his hilarious novel set in the fictional East Asian island nation of Sukhan. The protagonist, an American called Zach, finds himself in Sukhan’s toughest prison: National Correctional Facility Number 4, nicknamed “the Cuttlefish.” That might sound bleak but this story is a huge amount of fun. Listen and learn what the the author and the main character have in common – and whether the miraculous gayabonga is an actual Korean delicacy.

Taiwanese Feet: My walk around Taiwan by John Groot (Almas Books, 2020) Canadian John Groot first came to Taiwan in 2001, fell in love with the island and its friendly people, and decided to stay. Years later, looking for a big adventure and a way to forge deeper bonds with his adopted home, he decided to walk around the entire coastline of Taiwan. He set off on foot from his home in Tamsui in the far north of the country, traveling clockwise around the island on weekends and holidays. It would turn out to be an eight-year trek. This unique ground-level look at Taiwan resulted in a very special travelogue: Taiwanese Feet. For more information about the book, and Groot’s other writings on Taiwan and beyond, visit his blog: The Culture Shack.

John talks with Taipei-based photographer Chris Stowers about his new book, “Shoot, Ask ... and Run!,” an account of his journalistic travels and life in Asia in the early 1990s. On this episode adventures are discussed, the romance of pre-Internet travel fondly recalled, and favorite books given praise. If you want to hear about Chris’s first travelogue, “⁠Bugis Nights,” you can listen to the three-part “Free China Junk” story told on Formosa Files: the History of Taiwan podcast. Chris also discussed photographing Taiwan in a bonus FF episode. For weekly stories about Taiwan history, check out FORMOSA FILES. Other social media: Facebook, Instagram, Youtube.

Zhou Youguang (周有光) was one of the creators of Hanyu Pinyin, a system of romanization for Chinese characters. Introduced to PRC elementary schools in the late 1950s, it was instrumental in improving China’s literacy rates. Zhou had an extraordinary life and a long one, living to the age of 111. Prolific Hong Kong-based author Mark O’Neill shares his knowledge and admiration for this underappreciated scholar. (Apologies for the audio quality.) Book featured: The Man Who Made China a Literate Nation – Zhou Youguang, Father of the Pinyin Writing System by Mark O’Neill (Joint Publishing H.K., 2023)

Chris Ruffle returns to Bookish Asia (we covered his memoir A Decent Bottle of Wine in China in Episode 2) to discuss his autobiographical novel, which is set in Beijing in 1983. After decades of Cold War tensions, China is starting to reopen to the West. In the story, a young Englishman, working at a trading company, finds himself in a budding romance. But there’s a problem; the father of the Chinese woman he likes is asking for access to forbidden foreign technology. The Barter Trade: a Novel by Chris Ruffle (Earnshaw Books, 2024)

John Ross talks with John Saeki about tigers in Hong Kong. The big cats once made frequent and sometimes deadly forays into the territory, even reaching islands such as Lamma and Lantau. Listen and learn about the 1911 Stanley Tiger, the Sheung Shui Tiger of 1915 which left two British policemen dead, and the Shing Mun Rambler of 1965, possibly the last tiger to stalk the hills of Hong Kong. They also discuss the fabled “Blue Tiger” of Fujian Province. The Last Tigers of Hong Kong: True Stories of Big Cats that Stalked Britain’s Chinese Colony by John Saeki ⁠(2022, Blacksmith Books) Bookish Asia a podcast by PLUM RAIN PRESS. Our Taiwan history podcast is FORMOSA FILES.

John talks with Chris Bates about one of Taiwan’s greatest ever martial artists, Hong Yixiang 洪懿祥 (1925–1993). He was Taiwan’s foremost master of the Chinese internal martial arts (which consist of baguazhang 八卦掌, xingyiquan 形意拳 and taijiquan 太極拳.) The Hong family learnt these fighting forms from exiled Mainlanders who fled the communists in the late 1940s. These skills were put to good use in dealing with local gangsters in the turbulent post-WWII years in Taipei. Chris, who trained with Hong and his sons, translated his biography “Blurred Boundaries,” written by son Hong Ze-han, into English. Like the book, this Bookish Asia episode is not just a conversation about kung fu, but a rich cultural dive down little-known alleys. (Note: This is a slightly longer version – with added mentions of the translation and publisher – of an edition which ran on the Formosa Files podcast on June 13/2024. Chris also previously spoke with John about his own martial arts odyssey in Taiwan: “Bonus Episode: Way of the Warrior - Martial Arts Master Chris Bates,” May 25, 2023.) More books at Plum Rain Press Taiwan history podcast: Formosa Files

Veteran Hong Kong-based journalist and prolific author Mark O'Neill tells us what Taiwan was like in the early 1980s, when he first came to study Chinese. Despite a mysterious knife attack and various authoritarian elements (such as “mail boxes” for reporting spies and subversives), he loved the country. Over the next four decades, he made numerous trips back, witnessing and reporting on Taiwan’s transformation from one party rule to an admirable democracy. “The Island” is not Mark’s first Taiwan book – earlier works include ones on Buddhist charity Tzu Chi and the National Palace Museum – so he brings both depth and breadth to his entertaining look at the country. As such, it’s our pleasure for Mark to kick off the Bookish Asia podcast. More books at Plum Rain Press Taiwan history podcast: Formosa Files