Founded in 794 A.D. and modeled after the ancient Chinese city of Chang’an (today’s Xi’an), Kyoto was Japan’s imperial capital for more than 1,000 years until it was replaced by Tokyo in 1869. The name Kyoto translates into “capital city,” fashioned after the Chinese for capital city (京都 pronounced kian to Hokkien, the ancient Tang […]
First published in Tulay Fortnightly, Chinese-Filipino Digest 28, no. 5 (August 4-17, 2015): 8-9. Prior to the arrival of Buddhism in China in the first century of the Common Era, the seventh lunar month was already the customary time for praying for the dead. Taoist rituals already existed for this purpose. As Buddhism inculturated and […]
The Chinese sari-sari (variety) store, popularly known among the Chinese as tsai-a-tiam (菜仔店), is a thing of the past. The younger generation of Chinese may not have the chance to see a Chinese sari-sari store anymore even in Chinatown or Chinese districts in Manila or the provinces. They may not have even heard of it […]
Editors Note: This is the 11th 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. 11. Chu Un Temple 慈恩寺246 V. Rama Avenue, Cebu City […]
First published in Tulay Fortnightly, Chinese-Filipino Digest 25, no. 4 (July 24-August 13, 2012): 9. Dr. Jose Rizal, Corazon Cojuangco Aquino, Anna Dominique Coseteng, Mariano Limjap, Claudio Teehankee are familiar names. They have one thing in common, all of them have Chinese forebears. For centuries, Chinese have intermarried with Filipinos. During the Spanish colonial regime […]
During the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127), the book A Hundred Chinese Clan Names became popular. In it are collected all the Chinese surnames in use at that time, arranged in four-character lines of which all even-numbered ones are rhymed. Although there is no coherence in subject and no apparent connection between one line and the […]
First published in Tulay Fortnightly, Chinese-Filipino Digest 25, no. 4 (July 24-August 13, 2012): 10. It has been said that knowing the past may give one a vision of the future. Perhaps this explains the buzz over the recent launch of the paperback version of Chinese and Chinese Mestizos of Manila, Family, Identity and Culture, […]
Certain types of skin infection can be difficult to cure. Recently, I discovered a simple treatment using povidone-iodine, thanks to doctors Ramon Estrada and Ric Naval of Manila Doctors Hospital. Povidone-iodine is an antiseptic. It kills bacteria and other microbes. It can also treat various skin diseases, such as: boil (pigsa), a reddish warm nodule […]
Editors Note: This is the 10th 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. 10. Yuan Thong Temple 圓通寺2876 Burgos Street, Bacolod City | […]
There was once a temple in Deng Feng County named Zhu Lin Si (Bamboo Forest Temple) at the base of Wu Ru Peak of Shao Shi Hills in the foothills of Mount Song in central China. In the temple lived an old monk named Dao Ji, who wanted very much to become an immortal but […]