New
Year is a festivity we Filipinos take seriously. Every year, without fail,
thousands of fireworks launch into the sky, coloring the beginning of January
the 1st as celebration of the year’s beginning. However, it is also
true that New Year is celebrated twice in this country, the second time being
the Chinese New year.
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This
year is the year of the dragon. The dragon, in Chinese tradition, is a divine
beast that symbolizes good fortune and intense power. During Chinese New Year,
which doesn’t have a specific date on our calendar, dragon and lion dancers
prowl the streets of Binondo, blessing shops for good fortune throughout the
year. Fireworks, a Chinese invention, are heard from almost every street
as lions fearlessly dance around them festively. And the people. Oh, the
people! You’ll find yourself in a middle of a huge crowd wondering how they
actually fit into the streets. A bit tiring and stressful, but hey, no one’s
complaining.
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The
streets of Binondo are littered with activities, most of them on the food
variety. Pastries with different Chinese specialties are seen left and
right, noodle shops can be spotted here and there, vegetarian meals on a few
lanes, and many other Chinese offerings litter the streets. In some
instances, you’ll feel that you aren’t in the Philippines anymore, what with
the various Chinese signs of these shops. Worry not, because most of them have
English translations, anyway.
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| Lion, not to be confused with the Dragon * |
Along
the way, you will not only be educated with the diverse culture of the
Filipino, Filipino-Chinese, and pure Chinese, you will also realize how they
live and harmonize together in this mixed community. There also stands the
giant Binondo church that has been renovated many times but stays forever the
same, a magnificent catholic structure dating back from the late 1500s. This is
said to be the church where Filipino-Chinese saint, San Lorenzo Ruiz was
trained for the life of a missionary. Sadly, records of this period were destroyed
during the Second World War.
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Well,
is it worth it? Provided that you are the kind of person with a huge appetite,
wanting to test your tongue with often spicy Chinese food and various pastry
specialties, with sturdy and strong knees that wouldn’t give in after hours of
walking and shop hopping, a knack for a differently paced adventure, an interest
in the Chinese culture with not enough budget to visit the country, and lastly,
a tolerance for a huge crowd. Well, if you meet the requirements, Chinese New
Year in Binondo may just be the best option for you.
*Photos by Royce Lyssah Malabonga
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