One in every 10 Tsinoys is a Tan (陳 Chen in Mandarin). It is the most populous surname in the Chinese-Filipino community, with almost 10 percent of Tsinoys carrying the family name. In China, more than 54 million Chinese bear this surname, making it the fifth most populous there. In the Philippines, during the late […]
Editors Note: This is the 19th of a series about the 36 Chinese Buddhist temples of the Philippines. Much of the information is from a thesis of Venerable Chuanmiao (Hsuan Chuang University, 2008), a Buddhist monk affiliated with the Thousand Buddha Temple in Quezon City. 19. Soc Yan Temple (宿燕寺)1404 F. Guerrero Street, Tondo, Manila […]
For the past couple years, car companies give big discounts or special promos during the month of August. Should you buy? Not if you believe in the Chinese ghost month. In Chinese culture, the 15th day of the seventh month in the lunar calendar is called Ghost Day or Hungry Ghost Festival (七月半 in Hokkien) […]
Editors Note: This is the 18th of a series about the 36 Chinese Buddhist temples of the Philippines. Much of the information is from a thesis of Venerable Chuanmiao (Hsuan Chuang University, 2008), a Buddhist monk affiliated with the Thousand Buddha Temple in Quezon City. 18. Seng Guan Temple (信願寺) 1176 Narra Street, Tondo, Manila […]
With more than 65 million Chinese carrying this surname, 劉 (Lao in Hokkien, Liu in Mandarin) is certainly the fourth more populous family name in China. The origin of this surname has close links with the dragon. The earliest ancestor of the Laos was Liu Lei (劉累). He took care of the emperor’s dragons. Little […]
Idioms, expressions Hokkien pronunciation Literal translation Meaning 嘴尖舌利 tsui tsiam tsi lai pointed mouth, sharp tongue a very talkative person 嘴笑目笑 tsui tsio bak tsio laughing mouth and eyes expression of happiness as shown in one’s smiling face 三尖六角 san tsiam lak kak three sharp edges and six angles describes something with irregular shape as […]
Editors Note: This is the 17th of a series about the 36 Chinese Buddhist temples of the Philippines. Much of the information is from a thesis of Venerable Chuanmiao (Hsuan Chuang University, 2008), a Buddhist monk affiliated with the Thousand Buddha Temple in Quezon City. 17. Poh Chong Temple (寶藏寺) 35 C. Benitez Street, Cubao, […]
First published in Tulay Fortnightly, Chinese-Filipino Digest 28, no. 5 (August 4-17, 2015): 13 I used to dislike the smell and taste of coffee. Over the years, however, I find myself arranging meetings and study dates at coffee shops. What started as an occasional drink of the bitter-tasting liquid out of a ceramic mug (during […]
Editors Note: This is the 16th of a series about the 36 Chinese Buddhist temples of the Philippines. Much of the information is from a thesis of Venerable Chuanmiao (Hsuan Chuang University, 2008), a Buddhist monk affiliated with the Thousand Buddha Temple in Quezon City. 16. Ocean Sky Chan Monastery (海天禪寺)716 J. Abad Santos St., […]
More than 90 million Chinese carry the surname 張 (Tiu in Hokkien, Zhang in Mandarin). Together, they represent the third largest group in China with the same family name. The name carries with it more than 5,000 years of history, with intimate ties to both royalty and warfare. Its origin has to do with the […]