Ancient Chinese records tell us that in 210 BC a Taoist priest and alchemist named Xu Fu (徐福) sailed east to find the elixir of immortality for the despotic Qin Shi Huang. China’s first emperor was obsessed with cheating death (as revealed by his huge tomb complex in Xi’an, with its thousands of terracotta warriors); he outfitted Xu Fu’s expedition with everything needed to establish a settlement – equipment, supplies, and several thousand young men and women. Xu Fu and his companions never returned to China. Where did they go? John and Chris Stowers, an English photographer and writer based in Taipei, discuss this story, especially as it relates to Taiwan. Did Xu Fu settle in Formosa? Or Japan? Or, as is the premise for Tim McGirk’s The Wondrous Elixir of the Two Chinese Lovers, did he reach Central America?

NOTE: A technical problem affected the audio quality of this episode, but the conversation is solid and worth sticking with. Thanks for your patience.