Chinese New Year 2024: 5 things to know about Filipino-Chinese culture
Source：https://www.tatlerasia.com/power-purpose/diversity/filipino-chinese-culture
From：Taiwan Trade Center, Manila
Update Time：2024/04/24
Statistics reveal that the ethnic Chinese in the Philippines are numerically the smallest among Southeast Asian countries, with estimates ranging from 600,000 to 900,000, and fewer than 150,000 being foreign-born. Contrary to its number, the Chinese culture in the Philippines has always been vibrant.
The earliest accounts of Chinese immigration occurred between the 16th and 19th centuries. Called sangleys, these immigrants were “businessmen” or “frequent visitors”, which is the basis for using the said Hokkien Chinese term.
However, some records claim that the Filipino-Chinese relations go way back. According to the Cordillera Central and the pre-Hispanic Philippines historian William Henry Scott, Filipinos had already been to China before 1500. The first Philippine tribute mission to China reportedly came from Butuan on March 17, 1001.
Below are other interesting facts about the Filipino-Chinese culture:
1. Chinese merchants brought porcelain and silk
The Chinese brought porcelain and silk to the Philippines in exchange for beeswax, deer horn, and trepang (sea slug). This trade between the sangleys and Filipinos marked the influence of the Chinese in our culture.
Jingdezhen and Zhangzhou ware were the predominant varieties of Chinese blue-and-white porcelain found in the Philippines.
2. Manila was a Chinese merchant’s trade route
The Philippine islands were already a bustling trade route for Chinese traders even before the Spaniards came. Chinese merchants from Fujian moved to Binondo and made it the centre of commerce, having products sold from the Tondo port to Butuan, Legazpi, and all the way to the Cordillera mountains.
Today, Manila’s Chinatown is regarded as the oldest in the world.
3. The Chinese introduced religious icons during the Spanish period
The growing Chinese population during the Spanish Colonial Period propelled the government to implement anti-Sinitic measures. Such were the Parian Laws, which meant to segregate and regulate the economic activities of the Chinese; heavy tribute and taxes; and the 1603 Chinese massacre during the Sangley Rebellion.
Despite these, the Chinese still left indelible marks, including influence in artistic techniques, particularly religious icons. In Maningning C Miclat’s report Tradition, Misconception, and Contribution: Chinese Influences in Philippine Culture, the author explained that Christian images had chinky eyes and stood on dragons (San Agustin Church Museum, 1998).
4. Chinese xylography techniques paved the way for the publication of the first three books in the Philippines.
The first three books published by the Dominicans in the Philippines, namely—Doctrina Christiana en Lengua Española y Tagala or The Christian Doctrine in Spanish and Tagalog; the Doctrina Christiana en Letra y Lengua China or The Christian Doctrine in Chinese Script and Language; and the Apologia por la Verdadera Religion or The Defense of the True Religion—using woodblocks and the Chinese xylography method.
The process of xylography begins with the creation of a design or text. The next step involves transferring the design onto a thin, smooth wood block made of pear or jujube wood.
Skilled artisans then carve the design into the woodblock using carving tools; they would ink the wooden material and press it onto paper or fabric to print.
5. There are several Chinatowns in the Philippines
Cities such as Quezon, Cebu, and Iloilo have areas with a notable Chinese community. Below is the list of Chinatowns in these areas:
- Manila: Located in Binondo, the Chinatown in Manila features time-honoured bistros, neoclassical establishments, and more.
- Quezon: While not a traditional Chinatown, Banawe Street in Quezon City is known for its Chinese restaurants, grocery stores, and other businesses.
- Cebu: In Cebu, there is a place called Parian, a holistic area that played a significant role in the Chinese-Filipino trade during the Spanish rule.
- Iloilo: Also in the Visayas, the streets of Calle Real, Iznart and JM Basa feature Chinese temples, shops, and cultural hotspots.
Source: https://www.tatlerasia.com/power-purpose/diversity/filipino-chinese-culture