2016 was replete with surprises, twists and turns in-country. President Duterte made the headlines around the world with his merciless stance on drugs; the Philippines woke up to the surprise burial of Marcos; and we finally won exclusive sovereign rights within its economic zones in some disputed areas in the West Philippine Sea. As we …
This year’s Chinese New Year falls on Jan. 28, the Rooster year. Rooster is related to gold which indicates luxury, beauty and wealth. Rooster is also connected to the season of autumn or harvest time and people can experience relaxing or joyful time enjoying the fruits of their diligence. Malaysian-based spiritual feng shui practitioner Lilian …
This year, starting on Saturday Jan. 28, the Rooster reigns, his early morning cock-a-doodle-doo proclaiming the start of a new day. The 10th animal in the Chinese Zodiac will struct through our lives for the next 12 months. The Rooster figures prominently in many cultures, as these four stories show. How the rooster got his …
Hokkien, on the tongues of Tsinoys, has grown and evolved, taking on a life of its own. Sometimes words simply fail us. With some creativity, Tsinoys have strung together words to form colorful phrases that simply hit the bull’s eye. Here are some expressions unique to Hokkien as favored by Tsinoys. 横横梗梗 huin huin kè …
Ed’s note: This is a continuation of Relative Finder’s “Saga after the storm.” Aunty Marites finally arrived in Eni and met her long lost uncles. Upon her return she gave me colored photos from Chan Bon Kheng with notes at the back describing his return home to meet his long lost family in Iligan City, …
First published in Tulay Fortnightly, Chinese-Filipino Digest 29, nos. 14-15 (January 17-February 6, 2017): 24,26. Since the 1970s, Seoul has seen different stages of urban expansion. Today, Seoul has three major business districts in the city: the historical city center, the island of Yeoui and Gangnam. A fourth area is in gestation around the Digital …
In an earlier Tulay column (Oct. 8-21, 2013 issue), I’ve written that a true Chinatown is one that is lived and experienced and not built for tourism or business purposes. Dragons, arches and temples do not a Chinatown make. It is the lives lived, the culture experienced, and the history shared by a group of …
The legend goes that the phoenix – feng huang (鳯凰) – lived in the mountains of Hunan province in western China. As the mythical bird – symbol of the empress (the dragon is the symbol of the emperor), it represents longevity since it re- emerges from the flames each time it is consumed by fire …
