I recently had the pleasure of speaking about three historically important Taiwanese bridges on an episode of Formosa Files: The History of Taiwan, a top-rated podcast. (Link inline) In our chat, I also threw in a few stories of precarious river crossings that I made during my walk around Taiwan.

The host was my old friend John Grant Ross, a Kiwi based in Chiayi. Ross’ bio says “his twin loves are books and drinking beer, which he often combines.” He is a colorful character, to be sure.

Ross is well-known and respected for his contributions to writing and publishing in Taiwan. His two most famous books are Formosan Odyssey and Taiwan in 100 Books. He also podcasts on the shows Books on Asia and Bookish Asia.

At present, Formosa Files is Ross’ major project, which he does together with Eryk Michael Smith, the show’s co-creator and frequent host. Smith also reports for ICRT, and is the editor of the Kaohsiung Times, a digital newspaper.

Now in its sixth season, Formosa Files weaves its way across Taiwan’s historical landscape, covering a diverse range of topics including pirates, ghosts, Cold War political intrigue, indigenous cultural traditions, and more.

While its content is detailed and carefully researched, the tone is quite accessible and entertaining, making it the most popular independent English-language podcast based in Taiwan.

Here is a summary of the structures we covered in our chat:

1) DANJIANG BRIDGE

Elegant and impressive, the world’s longest single-tower asymmetrical cable-stayed bridge crosses the mouth of the Tamsui River from Tamsui District to Bali District of New Taipei City. It opened on May 12, 2026, and has made engineering history by overcoming the technical obstacles of building such a unique structure in a windy, tidal estuary.

2) XILUO BRIDGE

Started by the Japanese colonial government in 1937, the Xiluo Bridge was the second longest bridge in the world when it finally opened in 1953. It was the first road bridge across the Zhuoshui River between Yunlin and Changhua, and created a vital link between northern and southern Taiwan. Due to the technical challenges caused by the width and instability of the riverbed, it was considered an engineering marvel. 

3) TAIPEI BRIDGE

It was the first bridge across the Tamsui River, crossing from Datong District of Taipei City to Sanchong District of New Taipei City. The original wooden structure was built in 1889 for Qing governor Liu Mingchuan’s Keelung to Hsinchu railway. Subsequent versions in 1920, 1925, 1969, and 1996 were for cars and foot traffic. This important piece of urban infrastructure helped Sanchong become an industrial center that made an outsized contribution to the Taiwan Miracle.

Future articles will look into the colorful, dynamic, and grungy history of Sanchong is more detail.

Finally, here are some links to other podcast interviews I have done with John Grant Ross:

• Formosa Files, Season 3, Episode 19: “Two Johns Take a Walking Tour in Historic Tamsui” (The Battle of Tamsui, Part 1)

• Formosa Files, Season 3, Episode 20: “John Groot and John Ross Walk and Talk Historic Tamsui” (The Battle of Tamsui, Part 2)

• Bookish Asia, Episode 13: “Taiwanese Feet: My walk around Taiwan”