Congratulations to Kaisa on its 30th anniversary! Turning 30 and still thriving symbolizes a major achievement and a coming of age. From its humble beginnings, when it was paid little attention and regarded as a “fringe group,” not least by some Chinese Filipinos (Tsinoys) themselves, it has achieved public recognition as a significant movement of […]
Kaisa: A continuing commitment
Kaisa celebrated its 30th anniversary on Aug. 27 with its members and friends. In the morning, the traditional blood donation drive (on its 19th year) was done with a record breaking 56 bags of blood collected from 98 people who registered to give. Kaisa president Meah Ang See gave a powerpoint presentation on the group’s […]
Unearthing our history
Long before Magellan accidentally landed in Cebu instead of the Moluccas in search of spices in 1521, the Chinese were already trading with the Philippines with their ceramics, silk and beads for our pearls, yellow wax, tortoise shells and hemp fabric. Although we do not have written historical documentation as far back as the Chinese […]
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. 前哭後哭 tsuin k’ao aw […]
‘I have so much money!’
The girls’ school moved to a new campus in Fairview, Quezon City. With a bigger campus, there is now a canteen selling food and drink. Even when the girls bring snacks to last the day, they still want to buy yummy-looking snacks like turon, fries, corn, brownies from the canteen that don’t look like their […]
Heat, flood batter China
Heat waves afflicted China’s north early July while torrential rains lashed its southern region. Twenty one northern provinces saw heat wave temperatures. Shanghai baked in sweltering 40.9 degrees Celsius, the hottest recorded there in 145 years. In Beijing, many stayed indoors over the weekend. In Shaanxi province, residents ordered food delivery rather than cook in […]
Chinese folk art combined with high technology to produce an unusual treat for theater goers last month in Beijing. Zhang Yimou’s stage production of “2047 Apologue” showcased traditional art forms including Shaanxi tunes of small copper bowls, Quanzhou puppet show and Fuzhou drum music, combined with laser displays and other elements of modern technology. “The […]
Wudang-style swordsmanship fading
Wudang and Shaolin are the best-known forms of Chinese kungfu. While Shaolin is superior in boxing techniques, Wudang excels in swordsmanship, which combines both hard and soft moves that change according to the reactions of the challengers. Traditional Chinese kungfu lost its practical value in the past century. However, Wudang is trying to bring the […]
Taller Chinese may have lived in China 5,000 years ago, if archaeological findings in east China are any indication. Graves in Shandong province yielded bones that suggest the humans may have been at least five feet 10 inches to six feet two inches tall and strong. Since 2016, archaeologists have been excavating the ruins of […]
Chickenjoy triumphs in USA
Homegrown Jollibee fastfood chain now ranks third best among places to go for fried chicken in the United States. Food writer Constantine Spyrou rated only two other fastfood joints higher than Jollibee: Chick-fil-A and Popeye’s. “What makes it stand out beyond the rest, however, is a gravy packed with flavors of onion and celery that […]