Different Types of Chinese in the Philippines

I live in the Philippines, in a busy city of Metro Manila. I am a Filipino citizen, but anyone who sees me would easily identify me as a Chinese. My almond-shaped eyes and fair complexion would sometimes lead others to believe that I am a foreigner who does not know how to speak or understand Filipino (the country's national language). There were also times when some of my Filipino friends would innocently ask me, if I am a Chinese, then why am I here? What am I doing in the Philippines? Well, it all started a few generations back.

During the period from the Chinese Revolution of 1911 to the Chinese Civil War, many Chinese, both male and female, arrived in the Philippines and settled down. Among the group were my grandparents. They have retained many Chinese practices, values and beliefs, but also assimilated some Filipino customs within their own practices. Most of them became Catholic but also practice Buddhism side by side with Catholicism. Many of them also became Protestants. They speak the Chinese dialect Hokkien among themselves and speak Chinese Mandarin which is learnt in school. They practice Chinese customs such as Chinese New Year and Mid-Autumn Festival as well as certain customs for weddings, birthdays, and funerals. These customs may already have certain variations from what other Chinese practice from other parts of the globe.

But they are not the only Filipino Chinese in the Philippines. In fact, the first batch of Chinese to arrive here can be traced backed during the Spanish colonization (about six to eight generations ago). Unlike the Chinese that came during the 20th century, the Chinese during the Spanish times were predominantly male, had intermarried with Malays and Spaniards, thus somehow losing the Chinese culture along the process. This specific group were referred to as the Chinese Mestizos. The more recent generation of Chinese however (starting from my grandparents' time), prefers to keep the culture intact and discourages intermarriages, thus was often to referred to as the full-blooded Chinese. However, many Chinese Mestizos are already tracing back to their Chinese roots by learning Chinese language and culture.

Another batch of immigrants from Mainland China has arrived in the Philippines. They are the newest Chinese to arrive so far, and has yet to adapt in the Philippine soil. They can also be refered to as the Third Chinese. For some reasons, the Third Chinese and the Second Chinese hate each other. Their cultures are already distinct from each other as well as their accent. I myself have difficulty understanding their language and perhaps they also feel the same way. Since the Third Chinese retain the purest form of Chinese culture, they are often referred to as Genuine Instik (meaning Genuine Chinese) or simply G.I. (a rather rude adjective) by Filipinos and Second Chinese alike.

For Filipinos, perhaps they would find it challenging to distinguish the three groups of Chinese in the Philippines. For us, it is easy. For Filipinos, Chinese is Chinese. But to us, we are very much divided. In our Chinese community, the elders discourage intermarriages with Filipinos. To add more restrictions to our already very limited choices for prospective spouses, the Chinese elders also forbid marriage with the Third Chinese! Despite that, it is starting to become a trend for a Second Chinese descendant to marry a recent Chinese immigrant, with a negative consequence of bearing a stigma. Sad how a single culture can become so divided.

For more information about the history of Filipino Chinese, read this article from Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filipino_Chinese

How to be a Chinese

Photo Courtesy of kconnors | Morguefile

The Chinese culture has been part of the earliest civilizations in the world. Due to its roots that can be traced back from ancient times, the Chinese culture has continued to refine itself into a rich, awesome, distinct, and superior state that it is known today.

China has the largest population in the world, but the Chinese are not only limited within their land's borders. The Chinese people can be found in many different countries, and instead of mingling with the rest of the people, they have established their own districts in foreign countries as can be witnessed by the existing Chinatowns around the world.

The Chinese Expatriates
Even in my own country, the Philippines, live many Chinese people including myself. No, I wasn't born in China, but my grandparents were. And many years ago, they migrated here to start a living. I was born here in the Philippines, yet I was raised a Chinese. The Chinese love their culture very much. Being away from their motherland does not mean that they are going to give up their Chinese lifestyle.

Yet, since many generations of Chinese descent are already being born outside China, some of them aren't anymore fully acquainted with their roots. Many Chinese intermarry, despite to many traditional Chinese parents' forbiddance. Yes, the traditional Chinese don't encourage interracial marriage. They are afraid that their Chinese ways will be lost when mixed with other cultures, which is already slowly happening in my generation.

Despite the assimilation of the present Chinese with other cultures, I believe that many of them are tracing back to their roots - I'm quite sure that the 45 million internet users who googled "How to be Chinese" would agree with me that this is the case. Whether you're a Chinese who wants to get to know about the Chinese culture, or someone who wants to know his/her Chinese spouse's culture, this article is for you. In here, I will write about how it really is to be a Chinese and what is it all about.

The Chinese Language
The most important part of the Chinese culture is its language. Since many traditional Chinese would want their own kind to be their children's future spouse, the first thing that they are going to look for their children's prospective spouse is whether he or she is a Chinese. And to be a Chinese means the person should know how to speak like one. In our Chinese community, there is a common expression of the elderly toward the young generation who isn't fluent in the language. It goes something like, "Aren't you a Chinese?" This expression puts emphasis on the strong bond between language and nationalism. The young generation has adapted fairly well in their country of residence. They go to school together with many of its local residents, thus, the language they have been accustomed to is the language of their peers. When they get home, they continue to use the language of their peers, often refusing to speak to their parents using the Chinese language. They may use both languages in their everyday conversations, perhaps a mixture of Chinese and their local language within a sentence, leading to the lack of practice of their mothertongue.

The Chinese language reflects Chinese values and beliefs. There are many common terms and idiomatic expressions that aren't readily translated into English. For instance, the word "yuan fen" pertains to whether you are destined or fated to be with someone or something. If you have good "yuan fen" with your lover, then it means that you are destined to be married with each other. If you always cross paths with someone, the Chinese would also say the same thing. If no matter how hard you try to earn money but always fail, they would say that you don't have "yuan fen" with money. It shows how the Chinese believe in destiny. Another common phrase is "Hao xin you hao bao." It roughly translates into "Good heart has good pay," showing how the Chinese believe in good karma. Of course, you don't have to absolutely believe in fate or in karma, but these are just how the Chinese like to describe life and may also just be a matter of expression. As with any other culture, studying a language is studying the nation's soul.

Chinese Festivities and Events

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Photo Courtesy of infomatique | Flickr

Each year, there are certain days of the Chinese Lunar Calender that mark some Chinese festivities and events. These are the Chinese New Year, Chinese Mooncake Festival, and Chinese Ghost Month. Of course, there are many other festivities of the Chinese, but the ones I've mentioned are heavily celebrated all around the world by the Chinese. Each festivity includes certain stories and traditions. I highly enjoy these festivities (well, except for the Chinese Ghost Month) because it's a chance of getting in touch with the family and Chinese friends. If you aren't a Chinese but still wants to get to know about these festivities, I suggest you visit Chinatown (or maybe China) during the events and see for yourself how they celebrate these holidays.

For a more comprehensive description of Chinese Mooncake Festival, you may visit this lens: The Moon Represents the Hearts of the Chinese People: An Introduction to Mid-Autumn Festival by cheerfulnuts.

In the near future, I will also post links to other articles pertaining to chinese festivities so you will have an in-depth understanding about different Chinese occasions.

Chinese Arts and Entertainment

Photo Courtesy of bionicteaching | Flickr

You don't need to watch every Chinese show or listen to every Chinese song in order to be a "true Chinese." But knowing about some of the Chinese arts and entertainment is surely a bonus for you to get the feel of your roots.

When you watch Chinese movies, you will definitely get to know more about the Chinese values. Of course, it's another way to practice your Chinese listening skills. Many movies and TV series of the Chinese come with Chinese subtitles. I'm not exactly sure why, but the Chinese are already so accustomed to watching TV with big Chinese characters being flashed at the lower part of the screen.

When it comes to the songs, in my personal view, it's better to first get to know about the classics. Going to Chinese gatherings such as birthdays and weddings, you would always hear the classics being sung or played in the background. And to be able to at least identify the title shows how well exposed you are to the Chinese music. One example of a highly popular Chinese classic is "Ye Liang Dai Biao Wo De Xin" performed by Teresa Teng. This is one song that every Chinese must have heard once in their life. For in most gatherings, this is a song commonly being played.

When it comes to practicing the arts per se, Chinese calligraphy, or brush calligraphy, is one of its highlights. It is a method of the writing Chinese characters using a brush. The brush is held in a special way, very different to holding an ordinary pen. Each stroke of the Chinese character is carefully written and with the right balance of depth and shape of the strokes results into a beautiful Chinese character. This art is being taught in most Chinese schools. There are even competitions being held inter-school to determine the best calligrapher. I like writing calligraphy, as it helps me remember the Chinese characters better. It's one way of appreciating the Chinese language and seeing the beauty of the characters.

Final Note
Why do traditional Chinese (particularly the elders) fear of losing their culture? Is it that bad to not know Mandarin, to not know Teresa Teng, or to not know how to write calligraphy? Why are they afraid of seeing their children marry someone from a different culture? Isn't that part of living in another country?

I was often asked by my Filipino friends why we weren't allowed to marry their people. I often find myself scratching my head, not knowing how to answer. The answer is unclear, and isn't that simple. Perhaps the Chinese believe that knowing ones roots is a crucial part of ones identity, and to marry someone from another culture may slowly dissipate that identity. Perhaps the Chinese don't want their grandchildren to grow up believing that they are Filipino, American, Canadian, British, or Malaysian, etc. when in fact the blood flowing inside their veins is Chinese.

Whatever the reason is, it seems to me that the Chinese culture is one culture that refuses to be overpowered by another. Just like in any two different cultures, there are some values that are considered taboo among the Chinese yet are alright for foreigners, and the other way around. In my own view, I believe that whether you marry a Chinese or a non-Chinese, what matters is you are able to gain a deep understanding about your own culture.

Music in Taiwan

The Chinese here in the Philippines are pretty much the same with the Filipinos in terms of musical taste. They find it easy to assimilate with the Filipinos since both races watch the same music channels and listen to the same radio stations. In fact, since more and more Asian groups (including Chinese artists) are gaining exposure in the country, Filipinos also learned to listen to Chinese music.

In earlier generations however, it was much more different. Although the Chinese know some Filipino songs, they still listen more to Chinese songs. Many classic songs are still highly popular in the Chinese community until now. When you go to Chinese birthday parties or wedding parties, you'll often hear classic Chinese songs being played or performed in the event.

I'm not really into old music, but I find myself appreciating some Chinese songs. I'm amazed how these songs had lasted despite all the years that passed. Feng Fei Fei and Teresa Teng are highly popular singers of Chinese old songs. Ask any middle aged Chinese and they'll surely know these singers. And even to younger generations, I'm sure they are familiar with the tune of those songs even if many of them might not know the title or the lyrics.

Read more about Feng Fei Fei or Teresa Teng by clicking on the links provided:

Feng Fei Fei:
http://lyrakua.blogspot.com/2012/02/tribute-to-chinese-legend-hat-wearing.html

Teresa Teng:
http://lyrakua.blogspot.com/2011/07/very-old-chinese-song.html

When it comes to the newer Chinese music, I bet a number of Filipinos are already familiar with many songs. Language barrier may not be an issue to stop them from listening to foreign songs. Since the phenomenal Taiwan drama Meteor Garden, Taiwan music was slowly introduced as well. The sensational quartet F4 who starred the drama became so popular that some Filipinos could even sing the lyrics from memory. Now that their season has somehow abated, the media shifted to Korean music. And to me K-Pop has become a more popular Asian music in the country nowadays.

But Chinese music hasn't completely died down in the country. Many Chinese still patronize songs with Chinese lyrics, especially music from Taiwan. I'm not sure why, but music from Mainland China wasn't very well exposed here in the country.

Anyway, if you are interested in Taiwan music specifically, here are some of the articles introducing the popular artists in Taiwan (more will be added soon):

S.H.E.
http://www.squidoo.com/taiwan-girl-group-s-h-e

Show Luo  
http://www.squidoo.com/asias-dance-king-show-luo

Feng Shui in Chinese Homes

Dragons are believed to attract good energy. (Source: Amazon)

Feng shui is a big part of the Chinese culture. If you happen to be an interior designer or architect, you will find many of your Chinese clients to be demanding certain arrangments that are according to their feng shui practices.

When you visit Chinese homes, you will often see home decors that are believed to bring good fortune to the dwellers. Lucky bamboos, bamboo flutes, certain paintings, water fountains, and crystals are just some of the things that not only act as great decors but enhance the good energy in feng shui.

You might probably find it hard to believe how a certain arrangement of things can change ones fate. Feng shui might appear to you as a set of supertitions that have no scientific basis at all. To me, I grew up in a community that is deeply ingrained with feng shui. I honestly cannot understand how feng shui influences life events as well. But I have come to accept it as part of our culture. After all, the lucky bamboo, the dragons, the lucky cat - these are all adorable decors that define your home. They show a lot about the culture in the home.

The fact is, some people are diehard believers of feng shui. They relate their unfortunate events to a bad feng shui. Thus, when this happens, they ask for a feng shui expert for a home visit to bring about a remedy. Some people might desire for love, and rely on feng shui to achieve that goal. Some long for children, some for a great career. To those people, feng shui is the answer.

If you are interested to decorate your home with feng shui items, visit this page: Feng Shui for the Home.

App for Chinese Learners

The Chinese Language is an old language. It has several characters and these the learner need to memorize. To me, Chinese is simpler to learn compared to English and other European languages. It has no grammar and the sentence structure is very simple. It has no verb tenses nor subject-verb agreement to worry about. To be good in this language, you only need to practice it a lot, and of course, building vocabulary words is important.

That is why when learning Chinese, flashcards become very handy. Not only do you have to memorize the strokes of the characters, but also the syllables and intonations. Without using the language very often, you tend to really forget the words.

I have this habit of having a little notebook with me whenever I watch a difficult Chinese show. I would jot down the words that I don't understand and then later look those up in the dictionary. Typing those Chinese characters take a lot of effort though when I search my online dictionary on my laptop. Thankfully, I've found a very helpful app and downloaded it right away on my iPod touch. I've realized that writing the words through touchscreen is much easier than typing the characters through my laptop keyboard. The app is called KTdict C-E (Chinese-English Dictionary). The interface is very simple, yet the beauty of it is you do not need an Internet connection to use it. Also, the characters appear in either Traditional or Simplified Chinese - two ways how Chinese words are written. (Traditional is prevalent in Taiwan, whereas Simplified is prevalent in China.) Most of the downloadable dictionaries I've encountered are in Simplified characters, a deal-breaker to me since I don't know Simplified Chinese. With the KTdict C-E installed in my portable gadget, I can search for Chinese words anytime anywhere.

To learn more about the app, check this link:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ktdict-c-e-chinese-english/id291179703?mt=8

Chinese Culture, Chinese Values, and Chinese Dramas

Watching Chinese dramas is a great way to get to know the Chinese. Being a Chinese myself, I could see a lot of values, beliefs, and culture being reflected on those shows. Some show the good side, some show the bad side. Chinese dramas have unique elements that set them apart from their Western counterpart.

Let me list down some of the elements found in Chinese dramas, and how they reflect the Chinese in real life.

The protagonist of the story has a good heart. She is being maltreated by the villains. Despite that, she does not retaliate and maintains her good actions.

That may be an exaggeration of kindness, but Chinese people indeed are martyrs. Not that they like people stepping on their toes, but they put other people (that is, their families) above their own needs and interests. For instance, if they are poor and have limited food supply, they would feed their parents or children first before themselves, even if they are hungry. Another example, old people experiencing symptoms of illnesses try to endure the pain and conceal them to their children to avoid having to spend a lot of money for their medications.

 
When something bad happens to the protagonist, he just accepts it as his fate.

That I believe is a very common characteristic among the Chinese. I've heard it a lot of times during conversations. They believe in fate as an act of the heavens. Their life is being controlled by outside forces and they could only do little or nothing about it. They have no choice but to accept fate.


A large family is living under one roof. The elders are the bosses. The sons bring in their wives in the house. The eldest male grandchildren is the favorite of the elders.

This shows the preferences to Chinese males. Chinese have the practice of lighting incenses to their ancestors to honor them. When they die, they too would like their children and grandchildren to honor them. Having male descendants would mean there is someone to continue the ancestry line. Therefore, male babies are preferred, while girls are despised. Fortunately, this preference is occurring less and less among families.


The Chinese father is the disciplinarian. He makes all the rules in the house.

Well, some very traditional families still carry this belief. The man in the house makes all the decisions.


Two people get married as a result of prearranged marriage (especially in dramas set out during the ancient times). 

Prearranged marriages are uncommon nowadays, but matchmaking still exist. The type of matchmaking that is very common these days is through introductions of families, friends, or agencies. In the Philippines, Chinese expats prefer to marry their own race in order to preserve their culture. With only a small percentage of Chinese in the Philippine population, it is harder for them to find the rightful partner - therefore resorting to matchmaking.