Early contacts Philippine prehistory, dating to the ice age, shows us that land bridges connected the Philippines

to the rest of Asia. Tribes from Southern China reached the islands, bringing with them cultural practices that we can still see today. Relations between the Chinese and the Filipinos predate Magellans arrival by many centuries. Barter trade from north to south of the Philippine islands saw the exchange of silk, porcelain, farm implements, ornaments with tortoise shells, swallow nests, mother of pearl, and other products. The Parian When the Spaniards settled in the islands, more Chinese came and served as the backbone of the Spanish colonial economy. Because of their growing numbers, the Spaniards both needed and feared them, which led to the persecution and harassments including large-scale massacres. The Chinese, or Sangley as the Spaniards called them, were separated into quarters called the Parian where they lived, worked, and made better lives for themselves as laborers, merchants, and artisans. Colonial culture Spanish colonial culture is intimately linked with the spread of Christianity. The Sangleys contributed largely in the building of churches, carving religious icons often decorating them with Chinese motifs, printing religious books and catechisms. The first three books in the Philippines were printed by Keng Yong of Binondo in 1593. Many Chinese in the Philippines also practiced religious syncretism, the unique product of Catholic and Buddhist intermarriage. Lorenzo Ruiz, the first Filipino saint, was born in Binondo to a Chinese father and a Filipino mother. He was canonized in October 1987 in Rome. Mother Ignacia del Ispiritu Santo was also a Chinese mestiza. Emergence of the Chinese community At the end of the 19th century, life became even more difficult because of Spanish harassment and distrust. Hence, the Chinese started to form institutions for selfprotection school, hospital, cemetery, business groups. Pioneer businesses like China Bank, Destilleria Limtuaco, Yutivo, Ma Mon Luk started to appear. In defense of freedom At the turn of the century, the Chinese mestizos, who absorbed Western liberal ideas in their studies here and abroad, led the reform and revolutionary movements. The three martyred priests, Gomburza, the Trece Martires of Cavite, Emilio Aguinaldo, Pedro Paterno, our national hero, Jose Rizal, were of Chinese descent. Unique among them was Jose Ignacio Paua, the only pure-blooded Chinese in the revolutionary army who fought both Spaniards and the Americans. Life in the 1800s Commonly called the Bahay na Bato, the typical mestizo house which often include a sari-sari store and tool shed on the ground floor, and the family residence on the upper floor synthesizes the lifestyles and cultural influences of the Chinese mestizos. The Chinese influence can be seen not only in the architecture of the houses but also in the contents. The Ah Tay bed crafted by a renowned Chinese artisan, Eduardo Ah Tay, was a status symbol for the 19th century mestizo elite. Kitchen utensils and food processing techniques, then and now, are often called by their Chinese names. National leaders of Chinese descent Only their names, and sometimes only their ancestry, are clues to the two worlds and the two cultures, which their families had straddled. The contemporary Tsinoys bearing the twin virtues of their heritage continue to enrich history and make a strong impact on all aspects of Philippine life. Gallery of rare prints and photographs The rare prints and photographs are mostly those of Binondo, the center of commerce during the later part of the Spanish colonial rule up to the American regime. Martyr's hall During the darkest hours of the Japanese occupation, the Chinese formed guerilla units and fought side by side with their Filipino counterparts to gain freedom. From their ranks was a harvest of heroes. Ceramics collection These Chinese ceramics, dating from the 10th to the 17th centuries, unearthed in the Philippines, stand testament to the intensive and extensive maritime trade between China and the Philippine islands. Rare Philippine shell collection This collection of rare Philippine shells include those of extinct species of mollusks like the Gloria maris, the golden cowrie, the sundial and the very rare cypraea valentine (Donated by Tsinoy philanthropist Henry Tong.) Tsinoys in nation-building A hologram traces the transformation of the early barefooted, illiterate, impoverished, peasant immigrant to become the modern-day Tsinoy or Tsinong-Pinoy, blending the best of the Filipino and Chinese as he claims his rightful place in the Philippine sun. The Tsinoys are not bystanders. Like the rest of our countrymen, we toil and sacrifice to build this nation that we call home. A special section contains rare documentary materials on the Chinese in Philippine history. Buhay Tsinoy at Bahay Tsinoy By Queena Lee-Chua Philippine Daily Inquirer First Posted 01:18:00 01/19/2009 Filed Under: Education, Culture (general), People ?IN every aspect of Philippine life, in every phase of our history, in its culture and tradition, language and songs, in everything Filipino, there throbs a Chinese presence, which found its way there long before Philippine recorded history,? says Teresita ?Tessy? Ang-See, popular crusader and founder of Bahay Tsinoy Museum. ?Throughout Philippine history, the destiny of the Chinese-Filipinos has been closely intertwined with Filipinos. In every significant event that shaped thePhilippines as a nation, the Chinese-Filipinos have marked their presence. In the end, in everything that is Filipino, there emerges the Tsinoy?the Chinese who is Filipino or the Filipino who is Chinese?molded through the centuries by Philippine life, enriching this land with the legacies of his Chinese heritage.? Ang-See had long yearned for a museum to showcase the history and development of the Tsinoy in the Philippines. Her dream came true 10 years ago. On Jan. 19, 1999, Bahay Tsinoy was inaugurated atIntramuros, Manila. Through life-size exhibits and rare collections, the museum revealed the emergence of the Tsinoy, from early contacts in prehistory, to the Parian in Spanish times and the battles for independence and, finally, to present-day leadership in society. Beginnings During the ice age, land bridges connected the Philippines to the rest of Asia. Tribes from southern China reached the islands, bringing with them not only material goods, but also cultural practices that we still see today. (The majority of Tsinoys today hail from southern China.) Filipinos and Chinese exchanged silk, porcelain, farm tools, ornaments, pearls, swallow nests and many other products. ?The Chinese found the Filipinos trustworthy,? says Ang-See?s daughter Meah. ?The Chinese would often leave the goods with the village chief, who guaranteed that his people would pay for them. Then the Chinese would go to other shores for more trade and come back after many months, assured that the Filipinos would give back native goods in exchange.? Relations between the Chinese and Filipinos predated Magellan?s arrival by centuries. In Spanish times, the Chinese (called Sangleys by the Spaniards) became the backbone of the economy. But the Spaniards started persecuting them because of the increase in their population. Aside from bloody massacres, the Spaniards sequestered the Chinese in the Parian, where they were mostly laborers, merchants and artisans. The Chinese helped build many churches, foremost among them San Agustin Church, which still stands today. ?The arms on the chairs are of Chinese design, and there are dragons on the roof,? Tessy points out. The Chinese carved religious

icons, often with Chinese motifs. They printed religious books, including the first three books in the country: ?Doctrina Christiana en Lengua Tagala?,,?Doctrina Christiana en Lengua Tsina,? and ?Shih Lu Apologia de la Verdadera Religion? (What is the True Religion?). In fact, Spain wanted to use the Philippines as a stepping-stone to spread Christianity in China, so many Spaniards decided to learn the Chinese language. ?Imagine converting a million barbarian souls in Cathay!? the friars told their king. Christianity was generally welcomed by the Chinese, and indeed today, many of them practice religious syncretism, a combination of Catholicism and Buddhism. Both Lorenzo Ruiz, the first Filipino saint, and Mother Ignacia del Espiritu Santo (soon to be first Filipina saint) had Chinese fathers and Filipino mothers. To protect themselves, the Chinese formed groups, such as schools, hospitals, cemeteries, businesses. At the end of the 19th century, China Bank, Destileria Limtuaco, Ma Mon Luk appeared. Freedom By the late 1800s, the Chinese had adopted the Philippines as their home. Many Chinese mestizos studied in the West, absorbing liberal ideas. These ilustrados led the reform and revolutionary movements, foremost among them Jose Rizal. Other heroes of Chinese descent were the priests Gomez, Burgos and Zamora (Gomburza), Emilio Aguinaldo, Pedro Paterno, and the Trece Martires (13 martyrs) ofCavite. During the Japanese occupation, the Chinese formed guerilla units and fought side by side with the Filipinos. In modern times, Gen. Vicente Lim was the first Filipino graduate of Westpoint in the United States. Many leading personalities in politics, religion, business, media and the arts are of Chinese descent like Corazon Aquino, the late Jaime Cardinal Sin, Henry Sy, John Gokongwei, Lucio Tan, Jullie Yap Daza, and Jose Mari Chan. Chinese influences pervade the Philippines (and indeed, the world) today. From food (mami, lumpia, siopao, tsapsuy, biko) to kinship (ate, ditse, sako, diko, impo, ingkong). Chinese words are part of everyday life (bimpo, hikaw, jusi). ?There is no such thing as pansit Canton or lumpiang Shanghai, though,? says Meah, ?in Canton or in Shanghai. Since Philippine society was so open to Chinese influences, particularly in food, perhaps the pansit done here was tagged Canton because it was served by a Chinese cook. The point here is that the Philippines, at least the natives, have always been hospitable to the Chinese, thus the easy mingling of both cultures.? ?Our vegetables have Chinese names, too,? says Tessy, ?because of the Chinese laborers who opened Kennon Road going up to Baguio. A thousand Chinese, a third of the work force, blasted rock walls and perched atop bamboo scaffoldings with no safety gears. Many workers later stayed behind in Benguet and parts ofMountain Province, intermarried with the upland lasses, and started commercial vegetable gardening. Thus, all vegetables with tsay and taw?petsay, kintsay, kuchay, tawge, sitaw, bataw?were introduced by the Chinese. ?Truly, our blood may be Chinese, but our roots grow deep in Philippine soil. Our bonds are with the Filipinopeople.? To mark the 10th anniversary of Bahay Tsinoy, the ?Bittersweet Exhibit? will reveal rare documents, publications and prints of Chinese life from the late 19th century to the early American period. The exhibit will run on Jan. 23-Feb. 15. I every aspect of Philippine life, in every phase of Philippine history, in its culture and tradition, language and songs, in everything Filipino, there throbs a Chinese presence which found its way there long before Philippine recorded history. Although political, economic, or cultural exigencies throughout Philippine history sometimes isolate the Chinese Filipinos from a destiny shared with Filipinos, in the end, in everything that is Philippine, there emerges the Tsinoy -- the Chinese who is Filipino of the the Filipno who is Chinese. The Tsinoy -- molded through the centuries by Philippine life; enriching this land with the legacies of his Chinese heritage. Bahay Tsinoy: A Museum of the Chinese in Philippine Life

building architecture. In the same manner, many people from Filipino-Chinese community donated funds to continue the project. The museum opens at 1PM to 5PM from Tuesdays to Sundays. It is closed during Mondays to give way for maintenance and repair. Entrance fees are Php60 from students and children while it is Php100 for adults. The museum is divided into twelve sections. These are the Early Contacts, The Parian, Colonial Culture, Emergence of the Chinese Community, In Defense of Freedom, Life in the 1800s, National Leaders of Chinese Descent, Gallery of Rare Prints and Photographs, Martys Hall, Ceramics Collection, Rare Philippine Shell Collection and Tsinoys in Nation Building. Each features different facets and the tour is not complete if any of these sections is missed out. Early Contacts show prehistoric Philippines and the land bridges that once connected the country to the rest of the Asia. The Parian is quarters were Chinese lived and worked during the Spanish Colonization while Colonial Culture will show how Chinese influenced the Spanish artwork in their church building and religious icons. Emergence of the Chinese Community will tell us the start of Chinese communities amidst threat and persecution of the Spaniards. In Defense of Freedom depicts heroes of the time while Life in 1800s showcases typical Chinese mestizo houses. National Leaders of Chinese descent will show the leaders and famous people with Chinese biological history while Gallery of Rare Prints and Photographs will display old pictures of Binondo until American rule. Martys Hall is the section where you will find information on how Chinese fought bravely alongside with Filipinos during the Japanese Occupation while the Ceramics Collection shows the unearthed ceramics that dates back to 10th century. Figure 2: Life-size figure displayed that shows Tsinoys skill in jewelry making. The last two sections are the Rare Philippine Shell Collection which shows extinct species of mollusks and the Tsinoys in Nation Building which features a multilingual hologram of transition of culture and traditions. It is important to know that as a policy, the museum does not allow guests and visitors to take pictures or video recording inside. People can however, do their photo-ops in the lobby at KAISA Heritage Building. Indeed, Bahay Tsinoy truly allows guests and visitors to know how much Chinese has contributed to the development of Philippine History. Each section offers exciting information and facts that each can carry home to better understand the harmony that exists between the two cultures. So if you have free time, drop by at KAISA Heritage Center and know more about the Tsinoys of the past, present and the future. Bahay Tsinoy Those with Chinese blood would love to come here and learn more about their history in a foreign land--the Philippines. Plus their visuals are very detailed and convincing. It's like a wax museum but with the complete set-up (like surroundings, houses back then, etc) his has got to be one of the hidden gems of Intramuros and one of the best-made museums in the Philippines. I didn't expect it to be that good and informative. It reminded me of "Images of Singapore" at Sentosa. The only thing which took me aback was the exhibition at the very top about the kaisa organisation. "The Bahay Tsinoy (literally Chinese-Filipino House) is a museum located in the Intramuros (Old Walled City) section of Manila. Housed within the Kaisa-Angelo King Heritage Center building, the museum documents the history, lives and contributions of the Chinese in the Philippine life and history. The museum was designed by Eva Penamora in collaboration with the late architect Honrado Fernandez in 1996, and completed and inaugurated in 1999. Kaisa Para sa Kaunlaran, Inc., a non-profit organization co-founded by Teresita Ang-See, envisioned the project to provide another venue for advocating patriotism to the Philippines and promoting cultural identity and understanding between the local Chinese and Filipino communities, after the much-award bi-lingual children's educational television program Pinpin in the early 90's. Funding for the land and building structure was advanced by Angelo King Foundation and eventually raised through generous contributions from different levels of Filipino-Chinese community, from taipans to average wage-earners. The museum is divided into the following sections: * Early contacts * The Parian * Colonial culture * Emergence of the Chinese community * In defense of freedom * Life in the 1800s * National leaders of Chinese descent * Gallery of rare prints and photographs * Martyr's hall * Ceramics collection * Rare Philippine shell collection * Tsinoys in nation-building (inaugurated in 2004) The museum is fully air-conditioned and housed within the Kaisa-Angelo King Heritage Center building, which also houses the office of Kaisa Para sa Kaunlaran, Inc., Chinbin See Memorial Library, the Await Keng Theater Auditorium, the Benito Cu Uy Gam Hall, and the Pao Shi Tien and Madame Limpe seminar rooms, which all constitute the Kaisa Heritage Center."

How true it is, but how these words strike me with undeniable irony. You see, in my high school in which almost half of my classmates were Tsinoys, none of this local historical aspect was ever taught to us. And sadly, since these classmates had to dash off to their afternoon Chinese school after classes, there wasn't much opportunity for us to develop meaningful friendships. Yet, much like them, I, too, walked the streets of Santa Cruz and Binondo as a youngster, though mostly on Saturdays with my father. How I wonder what it would have been like to gallivant on these same streets along with them. I'm sure I would have discovered other interesting aspects of Chinese life, culture, sights, and foodstuffs besides those that my father had delighted in showing me. There were times he would even take me to the Chinese opera staged right there in Plaza Miranda, though neither one of us understood its dialogue. Nonetheless, I would have also enjoyed seeing a Hong Kong-made movie in Chinatown with these Tsinoy classmates and later enjoy a snack in one of their favorite noodle shops. With great embarrassment I admit it was only when I moved back to Manila from New York that I finally realized the immense influence of the Chinese in our local history; that is, even before the arrival of the Spaniards. Never thought before that the Tsinoys are just as much a Filipino as I am, as well as my Ilocano and Bicolano cousins. Bahay Tsinoy, a wonderful museum that all local and balikbayan Filipinos should visit! While Chinas rising importance is in todays news, China has always been a giant looming over every aspect of Philippine life. The Spanish colonized the Philippines mostly because they hoped to use it as a stepping stone to missionary work in China. The U.S. decided to keep the Philippines as a colony for much the same reason except the aim was trade rather than proselytizing. Even before the Spanish arrived in the 16th century, there were vigorous trade and other connections between China and the islands which became the Philippines. Filipinos of Chinese ancestry have been a critically important factor in the development of the Philippines as we know it today. The Bahay Tsinoy (bahay=house, Tsinoy or Chinoy=a Filipino of Chinese ancestry) helps the visitor trace Chinese influences on the Philippines from the earliest days to the present including displays on pre-Spanish Chinese trading, the Spanish era, the establishment of parians or Chinese ghettos, the Galleon trade which brought valuable goods from China to Europe through Manila, and the rise of Chinese Filipinos into the uppermost echelons of business and government. Kaisa Angelo King Heritage Center Building in the historical Intramuros hosts three storey museum: A Museum of Chinese in Phlippine Life. The brainchild of late anthropologist Prof. Chinben See, and made possible by Kaisa Para sa Kaunlaran Inc. It is conveniently located at Anda cor. Cabildo St., just a block away from Manila Cathedral. Open from Tuesdays to Sundays 1-5 PM. The entrance fee is P 100. These dioramas are based on actual prints and photographs. The museum is a repository of everything Chinese in the aspect of Philippine life. Life-sized dioramas are used in order to depict the life of Chinese in the Philippines. These dioramas underscore the intimate relationship between Filipinos and Chinese as partners in trade and commerce, even before Magellan discovered the Philippines. Further, the museum also houses overwhelming century old ceramics dating back in the 10th century,ancient Chinese documents and fine art galleries. Before 7-11 stores, the Chinese merchants were already selling their goods 24-7 in the olden times. When you plan to explore the cobblestone streets of Intramuros, stop by at Chinese museum. Take a guided tour of the Chinese culture and heritage. The tour lasts about 30 minutes. Those who want to go on their own pace can get a brochure and have your own self- guiding. With or without Chinese ancestry, it is educating to know the roots of Filipino-Chinese friendship, and its amazing how it flourished through time. Bahay Tsinoy, or loosely translated as Chinese-Filipino House is a museum that depicts Chinese in the Philippines. Chinese has long been part of the Filipino culture and this is visible in many tradition and culture currently followed even by contemporary Filipinos. Chinese has also influenced food and accessories that many believed to bring them fortune and luck. Figure 1: Some of the sections contain life-size figures depicting typical Tsinoy Life Bahay Tsinoy is a museum found inside the old walled city of Intramuros in Manila. The museum is housed in a building managed by KAISA Heritage Center. In here, you will find artifacts and other documents that showcase the history and contributions of Chinese in the Philippines. The museum was designed during 1996 but it was only on 1999 that it was finally completed and inaugurated. The project was envisioned to advocate patriotism to the country and to promote cultural and historical identity between the two nations. Kaisa Para sa Kaunlaran, Inc which is a non-profit organization has successfully launched this project. It is interesting to know that the whole museum was established thru fund raising. Angelo King Foundation has given ample amount of resources for the land and