EVERY year, Manila city’s Chinatown gets swarmed by locals and tourists in the celebration of the Chinese New Year.
In the city of Binondo; foods, dragon parades, and the loud sounds of thudding drums and fireworks became a music to the ears of the visitors.
On the 29th day of January, greetings of Gong Xi Fa Cai are passed around to friends and loved ones—speaking good wishes for a prosperous year.
The greetings come with the traditional custom of gifting tikoy that symbolizes the importance of unity and closeness; representing the desire for strong bonds within the family throughout this year.
The celebration of the Chinese New Year comes with the time of renewal, reflection, and reconnection.
A fresh start for some who would describe it; a time to honour ancestors, cherish loved ones, and express hopes for happiness and prosperity.
This year’s Chinese New Year comes with the Year of The Wooden Snake. The year is said to be the ideal year for strengthening bonds with your loved ones.
On the eve of the Chinese New Year, about 500,000 people had flock to the Jones Bridge to witness the dazzling lights of fireworks—welcoming the year of the wooden snake.
The celebration of the event serves as part of the 50 years of Filipino-Chinese diplomatic relations.
In the afternoon of the Chinese New Year, in Manila’s Chinatown, thousands of people had filled the streets of Binondo to join in the celebration of Chinese New Year. Street dances, dragon parades, and various food stalls can be seen in every corner of the street.
Upon entering the Arch of Good Will, we are greeted with a crowd of people, making it somewhat hard to get in the streets of Manila’s Chinatown.
Once entered in the street of the Arch, stalls of lucky charmed bracelets and waving golden cats came to greet the people who are entering.
These artifacts serve as a lucky charm for many people; hushing the bad spirits away in exchange of good luck, fortune, and protection.
Colors of each charms varies on what type of fortune you’re aiming to have this year with the goodluck lying on the colors of cinnabar, gold, and green jade; black beads for protection, and green stones and jade for health.
Aside from the various stalls; street dancers are also seen in the crowd providing entertainment to those who are participating in the celebration along with Mr. And Ms. Chinatown parading the street.
As we dive deeper into the street of Binondo, stalls of circular fruits are displayed on the street to be sold.
In Chinese culture, round shapes symbolize wealth and prosperity; ones that are shaped like coins and are believed to bring good fortune for the coming year.
The celebration of the Chinese New Year wouldn’t be complete without the food stalls that are built on the side of the street.
Chinese foods such as dimsum, tikoys, siomai, and many more became the go to food of the locals and tourists who came to join the celebrations of the holiday.
While the celebration of the Chinese New Year often is filled with foods and wishes for fortune and prosperity; this celebration is more than just the fun of it as this also serves as the time where one can take a look back and appreciate the culture that they have.
