Tsinoys' New Year in Manila

Tsinoys' New Year in Manila

By JO ERLINDA GABOT

The Chinese Filipinos or tsinoys have always been one of largest ethnic Filipino groups in the country with Chinese immigrants comprising the largest group of immigrant settlers in the Philippines .

They are mostly business owners and their life centers mostly in the family business. These mostly small and medium enterprises play a significant role in the Philippine economy. A handful of these entrepreneurs run large companies and are respected as some of the most prominent business tycoons in the Philippines . Their thriftiness and hard work had made their success in business inspires many young Filipinos throughout the entrepreneurial history to copy.

Aside from their family businesses, Chinese Filipinos are active in civic organizations related to education, health care, public safety, social welfare and public charity. As most Chinese Filipinos are reluctant to participate in politics and government, they have instead turned to civic organizations as their primary means of contributing to the general welfare of the Chinese-Filipino community and to the betterment of Philippine society.

Chinese New Year or Spring Festival is a major festivity of Tsinoys here in the country. It is the first day of the Chinese calendar, which follows the lunar year cycle. The celebration may fall on any day from January 21 to February 21 depending on when the first new moon of the lunar year comes. Each year is named for one of twelve animals in turn: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, or Pig.

One Chinese new year when I was still working at Manila City Hall, I was invited by a Chinese businessman who I have assisted during his business affair with the city hall. As his way of saying thank you, he toured me around Binondo to experience their tradition. I tell you, it was my first time to go to that district during that kind of festivity.

I was in awed seeing Binondo jampacked with Chinese during that time as they usually do. There were tsinoys and pinoys who merrily went out to the road mostly wearing red garments, the same color of lanterns and decorations piled outside many business establishments of the streets. I learned red is the favorite color for Chinese New Year clothing and decorations, as it is said to bring good luck. It symbolizes fire. They believed fire drive away evil and to frighten away a legendary monster that terrorizes people on New Year’s Eve.

There were lots of enormous dragon heads with long body of colorful fabric performing in a vibrant and energetic dance maneuvered by skilled operators roaming on streets of firecrackers!

Residents or business owners who want the dragons/lions to cleanse their homes and bring good fortune hang "ang pao" containing cash, with the words hi (happiness), sin (long life), and kiong hi huat tsai (congratulations and prosperity) printed on it at the top of their gates or doors. The lion dancers demonstrate their strength and skill as they climb to reach the red envelopes. After getting an envelope, the dragon/lion does a short victory dance, bows three times in thanks, and moves on to look for the next one.

I never forget when this Chinese friend and I went to the Estero, famous for Chinese carenderia, where I ate an enormous meal my whole life! Pancit Bihon, uncut noodles, lots of dumplings, duck, sticky rice, shrimps, different fish menu, oyster cake, different kinds green vegetables! I kept complaining while eating. I couldn’t indulge them all. It was just the two of us to eat a real enormous meal! I never forget until now how it felt forcing yourself to eat and swallow food when you are full. It’s like you need to go to restroom and vomit to take another swallow! He kept telling me that I should eat all of them and explaining each food its significance on welcoming the New Year.

Long noodles are said to signify a long and prosperous life. You should eat fish to ensure abundance and a good beginning and end to the New Year. Shrimp to attract happiness, dumplings is to pack luck on your life. You eat veggies not because they are nutritious, I remember him saying, it is because you need to build family ties closer. Duck or chicken represents good marriage and family. You have to eat the rice to have your family stay in unity.

After a mind-blowing experience of the enormous feast, I panicked as he dropped the three red boxes on the table. Seems he noticed my reaction, he immediately told me, “It’s for you to eat. Not here but before the festival ends for you to have a full prosperous year! It will make the kitchen god's jaw glued shut, to prevent him from making an unfavorable report on your journey this coming new year.”