In early 18th-century London, a mysterious man calling himself George Psalmanazar arrived, claiming to be a native of Formosa (modern-day Taiwan). Despite his distinctly Northern European features—fair skin, blonde hair, and blue eyes—he captivated the British intelligentsia with elaborate tales of his homeland. To support his claim, Psalmanazar invented an entire Formosan culture, complete with a complex written language, distinct religious rituals, calendar systems, and even bizarre dietary customs, such as eating raw meat seasoned with viper venom.
In 1704, he published 'An Historical and Geographical Description of Formosa', a masterclass in fictional world-building disguised as a serious academic text. The book detailed incredible falsehoods, including claims that Formosan husbands had the right to eat their adulterous wives and that 18,000 young boys were sacrificed annually to appease pagan gods. Astonishingly, the prestigious Royal Society, including prominent intellectuals, invited him to lecture.
Bishop Henry Compton even hired him to translate religious texts into his fictional Formosan language. Psalmanazar's success was fueled by British anti-Catholic prejudice, as he claimed Jesuits had kidnapped him and attempted to convert him. For years, he lived as a celebrated scholar, dining with nobility and lecturing at Oxford.
Eventually, skeptical scholars began pointing out linguistic inconsistencies and geographic impossibilities. By 1706, public enthusiasm waned, and Psalmanazar eventually confessed to the elaborate fraud in his posthumously published memoirs. He spent his remaining years working as a humble literary hack, earning the respect of Samuel Johnson, who forgave his youthful deception.
Today, his work stands as one of history's most creative and successful literary hoaxes.