S3-E7 - Lord of Formosa and the VOC - Part One

Arguably the single most important event in Taiwan’s history –
and certainly the most dramatic story – was the arrival in 1661
of warlord and Ming loyalist Koxinga (鄭成功 Zheng
Chenggong). After a fierce struggle, Koxinga evicted
the Dutch, who had established a successful settlement in
southwestern Taiwan in 1624. This clash is the subject of
“Lord of Formosa,” a wonderful novel by Dutch
writer Joyce Bergvelt. Too epic a historical story for
just one episode, in the first of this special two-part
series, John chats with Joyce about the Dutch East
India Company (the VOC). What was the VOC and why was it here in
Taiwan? And why on earth were the Dutch importing bricks from
Europe and exporting deer skins to Japan?


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much more!