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Community News

Pinoys allowed visa-free entry to Taiwan starting November

Filipinos planning to stay up to 14 days in Taiwan for tourism activities, business, visiting relatives, attending functions or events can enjoy visa-free entry effective Nov. 1 to July 31, 2018, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the Philippines announced. TECO said those who intend to stay in Taiwan for more than 14 days […]

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Community News

Ballet Philippines caps arts festival in Ningbo

The country’s premiere professional ballet and contemporary dance company, Ballet Philippines, recently returned from a performance in Ningbo, Zhejiang province, China. Ballet Philippines’ performance was the main feature of the 15th Asia Arts Festival, hosted by the Ministry of Culture of China and the provincial government of Zhejiang. The much applauded performance included BP classics, […]

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History

A celebration of 600 years of friendship

Sept. 13 is officially celebrated in Dezhou, Shandong, China to commemorate the 1417 visit of Paduka Batara, the Sultan of Sulu, to Ming Dynasty Emperor Yong Le. This year, a Kaisa delegation joined the festivities marking the 600th anniversary of this historic event. Paduka Batara, sultan of Sulu According to Teresita Ang See’s book, The Ties […]

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History

Beijing for beginners (and 2nd timers)

Though visiting Dezhou City to commemorate the 600th year of Sultan Paduka Batara’s trip to China is the main reason Kaisa made a pilgrimage to China, an extended stay at the Chinese capital to explore its cultural offerings proved irresistible for some. Our motley group consisted of both first-timers and repeat visitors, so coming up […]

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Parenting

The words of a muse

Achi was busy chatting on the internet with classmates one long weekend. She was asking her classmates what they put in their booklets. Their homework for the long weekend was to finish reading Adventures of a Child of War by Lin Acacio-Flores published by Anvil. They were supposed to put words they do not understand […]

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Idioms...Hokkien style

When words fail, use idioms… Hokkien style (50)

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. 毋精神 mm tsing sin […]

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Life

The case for the revival of Kagyur

The Kagyur (Tibetan: “words, speeches;” a collection of canonic works attributed to Buddha) and Tengyur (Tibetan: “translation of teachings;” Tibetan collection of commentaries on Buddhist teachings) are the combined legacy of all Buddhists who have lived from the time of the Buddha until the present. Also known as the Canon, they are two voluminous collections […]

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Uncategorized

Midnight snack order volume points to economic vitality

Amid a blistering heat wave, the number of orders for late-night snacks in major cities have climbed to more than double the usual levels. A popular online food ordering platform showed the top 10 busiest cities for the midnight snack economy: Shanghai, Hangzhou, Shenzhen, Wenzhou, Guangzhou, Beijing, Wuhan, Fuzhou, Xiamen, and Nanjing, reported 21st Century […]

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Uncategorized

Villagers build tomb to honor Dutch priest

A Dutchman’s sacrifice has earned him the community’s lasting gratitude. Franciscan priest Aemilianus van Heel died trying to protect his flock from the Japanese army in 1938. His effort earned him a violent death from two shots in the chest and slashed wrists. The villagers buried their protector in the church yard then fled. Today, […]

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Uncategorized

China marks Confucius’ 2,568th birthday

The city of Qufu held a grand ceremony to celebrate the 2,568th anniversary of its most famous son, ancient Chinese philosopher Confucius. Qufu is Confucius’ hometown. An educator and philosopher, Confucius (551-479 BC) founded Confucianism, a school of thought that deeply influenced later generations. He was also the first to set up private schools in […]