The Reading Room: Bai Ren's Lagalag sa Nanyang (Salin ni Joaquin Sy)

I have a few Filipino-Chinese related books. I got them wayback from Kaisa Heritage Center in Intramuros Manila. I am also fortunate to have known and met a few Chinese studies scholars and experts along the way. One of them was the translator of Bai Ren’s work, Adrift in the Southern Ocean, Mr. Joaquin Sy. This novel has a former title in English but I just chose to mention here the latter. I was supposed to do a book review, but since I’m just in the middle part of the book, it would be unfair. So I just titled this entry, ‘The Reading Room’. There are a bit of spoilers here.

This is the true to life story account of Bai Ren, and his experiences here in the Philippines, as a huankhe in Hokkien or huaqiao in Mandarin, it means an overseas Chinese worker. I’m sure that Filipinos will also hold this story close to their heart because we have a similar plight with the Chinese people back then. Most of the head of the family of many Filipinos today go abroad, in order to provide for their family, especially in terms of financial.

I have never read a book before written in our own native tongue (with the exception of short romance novels when I was a teenager, and other books that I got from KAISA). I have heard a lot of good reviews about this book in a social networking page, and how it was translated very well by Mr. Joaquin Sy. I've decided to buy one for myself when I went to a local bookstore, National Bookstore at Trinoma mall. As fate would have it, I found one! It is the lone copy at that time, so even if the book is not in a very good condition, I bought it. I've just put a clear plastic cover on it. (see the attached photo).

Reading the book, I can picture the scenes slowly unfolding in my mind. As if I’m watching a mini-series, or a movie. I like how Li Xin/A Song, in the story narrates  his every experiences. From their packed sweet snack, called hopia (usually a small round pastry snack, with sweetend mung beans filling, nowadays it has a variety of flavors), to the double decker bus, the swarm of mosquitoes, and the ‘vampires’ at night, the deadly bloodsuckers. I am now halfway, and I have met a lot of characters along the way. The Buddha-like owner of Asia Bazaar, Ang Taoke (Boss Ang), the three co-workers of Li Xing. Mr. Dy, the right hand man of their boss, a workaholic person – rarely takes a vacation leave, Mr. Lim, the cook a short and chubby fellow, and a distant relative of their boss, and lastly the big, burly man, Mr. Tan. (I've just decided to put a honorary title in front of their surname). I am saddened with the heartbreaking love story of Isha (a mestiza – half Caucasian, daughter of a white man, but her mom basing from what I read is Filipina), and Tan Sua. I also read, and learned a lot of Hokkien word, like apeh, achiak, huanpo, ahia, amah, koyi, huanna, huankhe, tsutyiya. I also stumbled upon good quotable quotes, “Ang luwad na hindi hinubog, hindi naghuhugis mangkok.” By Ang Taoke. This translates in English as, the clay that was not properly formed, will never become the shape of a bowl. I guess, he likened it to a person not properly reared by their parents, the child will soon be may be a wayward or a prodigal child. I highly recommend this book, especially to Chinese or Filipino-Chinese studies enthusiast like me, lovers of Filipino literature, or for those who just want to read a good Tagalog translated Chinese novel. This book is for you. Two thumbs up!