A Little Town of Everything

Experience the essential Chinese and the traditional Filipino.

Chinatown (Binondo to local folk) has been called a study in contrasts. High-rise condominiums sit beside colonial-era shop houses, flashy cars race the road beside horse-drawn kalesas, streets have Iberian-cast and Chinese names, Catholic images find themseles side-by-side Buddhist deities, and bakeries serve Hokkien hopia with native ingredients like ube, kundol, and pinya. During its festivals, Binondo is transformed. The streets are gold and red, fireworks light up the sky, dragon and lion dances are performed to celebrate good fortunes.

WELCOMING THE MONKEY

* Grandfathers hand over pao (red gift envelopes) to their grandchildren with money inside worth at least P12 and going in multiples of 12 depending on his generosity. (The Chinese usually avoid odd numbers because they may bring bad luck.)

* Sticky delicacy tikoy, a symbol of close relationships, is given to friends.- The traditional lion dance is performed to drive away evil spirits and bring prosperity all year long.

* Chinese Filipinos usually trip to the Seng Zuan temple (on Narra Street) to seek the monk’s blessing.At the stroke of midnight, they light incense to ward of evil spirits (incidentally, this Chinese New Year, their monk will be turning 100 years old).

CHINESE NEW YEAR

Also known as the Spring Festival, the Chinese New Year is determined by the first day of the First Moon of. This falls sometime between late January and mid-February. This year, it falls on January 22. 2004 is the Year of the Monkey, and Mix & Match Chinese Astrology (available at Fully Booked) says, “No one knows how a monkey year will end—in rights, confusion, revolution, or just a whimper. A year to dare anything.”

ON THE ITINERARY

Shopping Haven. Intriguing and lively, Chinatown’s bewildering array of street shops sell everything. You can get gold jewelry for cheap, though it doesn’t hurt to bring an expert for sound input.

Traditional Garb. Chotek Gifts (821 Ongpin St.; tel. no. 733 3097), is the only shop in Chinatown the sells cheongsams sourced directly from mainland China. Ask for Hap Kiat—that’s what the shop used to be called, and what the Binondo folks still call it today.

Chinese Fare. Part of the fun of Chinatown is taking in all the tastes. There’s fried siopao in and cane juice on the street, and you can find alleged aphrodisiac Soup No. 5 at carinderia-style eateries. Take part in lauriat fine dining at President Restaurant (746-750 Ongpin St,; tel. no. 244 7235), famed for its good seafood. Take note of the place, it used to be a Chinese movie theater. Load up on dim sum, mami, and congee without hurting the pocket at Waiying (810-816 Benavidez St.; tel. no. 242 0310). Pick up some hopia and check out the deli display at Eng Bee Tin (628 Ongpin St.; tel. no. 2429765) for pasalubong.

Sight Seeing. A monument to the illustrious Filipino-Chinese merchant and philanthropist Roman Ongpin, considered to be the first dealer of art supplies in Chinatown, stands on the street named after him. Behind it stands the 300-year-old Binondo Church, a testament to the merging of Filipino and Chinese cultures. First Filipino saint Lorenzo Ruiz—himself part-Chinese—used to serve there as an altar boy. If an Oriental-looking rooftop catches your attention, it’s most likely to be a tample; some are built atop buildings. One of the most famous is the Seng Zuan temple along Narra Street.

OUTSIDE CHINATOWN

Kaisa Heritage Center houses Bahay Tsinoy (Corner Anda and Cabildo Streets, Intramuros, with entrance fees at P30 for children/students, P50 for adults), a museum tracing the history of the Chinese Filipino. Founded to accomodate Chinese burials during the Hispanic colonial period, the Chinese Cemetery (Aurora Blvd. and Felix Huertas Sts., Blumentritt, Manila) is a rousing 54-hectare expanse lined with magnificent mausoleums.

CHINESE CHARACTERS

A reading list to give you a sweeping view of the culture:

Wuhu Diary: The Mystery of My Daughter Lulu (By Emily Prager). An American mother’s real-life search to understand her adopted Chinese daughter’s roots.

A Thousand Pieces of Gold: Growing up Through China’s Proverbs (By Adeline Yen Mah). Personal reflections, historical insights, and sayings present the wealth f the Chinese civilization.

The Good Women of China: Hidden Voices (By Xinran). An intimate look at modern Chinese women’s political and personal upheavals.

The Chinese Kitchen (By Eileen Yin Feo-Lo). An authority on authentic Chinese cooking, the book weaves memories, recipes, and techniques.

All books available at Fully Booked, Power Plant, Rockwell.

published in Preview, January-February 2004