新年快乐! Happy Chinese New Year!

   Happy Chinese New Year everyone! Yesterday, I went to the mall to buy food for dinner. As usual I went to Lugang Cafe at SM North Edsa, The Block. This is one of my favorite Chinese restaurant because they have this special vegetarian dumplings. The exact name is Vegetarian dumplings in truffle oil. I also bought nian gao or sticky rice cake at another Chinese restaurant (King Chef). There's also a bazaar at The Block activity center. I bought a local noodles called 'habhab'. We ate the noodles today. Its a vegetarian noodle dish served with red cane vinegar on the side. Usually we use Philippine lemon, but for this particular noodle dish vinegar is recommended. Aside from the dumplings we also had shrimp and pork siumai. Plus, our two favorite fish dish (cream dory). Sweet and sour fish fillet, and Fish and Tofu hotpot (this one is spicy, but I asked the server to lessen the spiciness). I also bought suman, a Filipino delicacy. Sticky green rice called 'pinipig' with shredded coconut.

I also had the chance to see lion dancers, and a feng-shui shop owner having a show at the mall. She owns a feng-shui shop, and various lucky charms are for sale. FYI, they are all very expensive. Key chain lucky charms that I saw were priced at 600 Philippine Pesos up. Today is a holiday. We all needed that break from work. I'm glad that the Chinese New Year is considered a holiday in my country. Again, wishing everyone a Happy and abundant year. Also to all my Chinese, and Filipino Chinese friends, mentor, and teachers, I greet you 新年快乐!

My Hanfu (Ancient Chinese Costume)

   I love to watch Chinese period dramas. I have seen Ballad of the Desert starring Liu Shi Shi, and the Imperial Doctress. The characters there are shown wearing long loose clothing called Hanfu. I dreamed of wearing one so I decided to buy online. It costs me around a thousand pesos, but it is alright since, the costume that I wore before in our office 'trick or treat' party costs me around the same amount. Also, as a Chinese culture enthusiast this is a must-buy. I chose this beautiful 'silk-like' light blue Hanfu with a flowery design. I like that it has gray tones. I am not that young anymore so I like the formality of the color. I bought this from a seller-online that goes by the nickname suyuer123. This Hanfu came all the way from China. So I think it is authentic. It also comes with accessories. Ancient Chinese-style pins, with a Chinese character keychain for the belt, stickers, free measuring tape, a piece of braided hair lace with a ribbon.This is a two-piece clothing. A jacket, and a long skirt with a belt/sash. Also, I learned from our online Hanfu group in fb, that the top jacket is worn crossover from left to right, and not right over left. I made a mistake before. So this is very important to note.

Today many admirers of this ancient Chinese costume formed a group or an organization. Just check out the popular social network and you'll find many Hanfu, Chinese cosplayers enthusiasts. Now, there is a worldwide trend of people fascinated with this style of clothing. The cheongsam is nice to look at but I think the Hanfu also deserves a place to be appreciated also. While the Japanese have kimonos, and the Koreans have the hanbok. The Chinese people can be proud displaying this beautiful traditional clothing. I included a photo of myself wearing my very own Hanfu. The Hanfu came first before the Manchu style clothing. It also influenced the Japanese, and the Korean style of clothing. For me, the Hanfu is really a beautiful Chinese traditional costume.

Back again at Confucius Institute in Ateneo (Basic Mandarin 3)

   After 3 years, I'm finally back in Confucius Institute at the Ateneo de Manila University. I decided to take up Chinese again because I was positively influenced by my friend, whose Chinese mastery is way, way advanced compared to my level. Anyway, we started our class last week, July 8th. Yesterday, was our 2nd session. This is the 43rd cycle. My batchmates before, I'm sure were pretty much ahead of me because the Basic Mandarin 2 that I took 3 years ago was cycle 30+... something.. I already forgot since it's been a long time. My instructor's name is Priscilla Chang. She originally hails from Taiwan, and from her story, since the start of Confucius Institute Cycle 1,  at the Ateneo de Manila University, she has been teaching until now. My former laoshi (Ms. Joanna Tecson) in Basic Mandarin 2 told me that my teacher now is really kind. Before, I was really having second thoughts if I should continue attending this class. (remember my post before in my Basic Mandarin 2 class, same feelings again) I find this course also difficult. I was not able to practice what I learned before since I didn't have Chinese friends, or someone to practice what I learned. I have a Filipino-Chinese friend (churchmate) but that friend of mine is not that active in texting or replying in Chinese.

Basic Mandarin 2 focuses on conversation, creating sentences, more vocabulary words. Basic Mandarin 3 focuses more on writing. Our first lesson was all about the Chinese strokes, horizontal, vertical, left, right and dot... (heng, shu, pie, na, dian.. etc,) I'm still overwhelmed because I've been on a hiatus with regards to Chinese language study. I tried memorizing them. I even told my laoshi that I'm having a hard time studying the lesson. She encouraged me to study harder. The book that we used is the same as the book that we used in Basic Mandarin 2. (New Practical Chinese Reader - Book I). We review the words that we learn, and I think its a good refresher course for me. I also like the style of my teacher, wherein we review how to say a sentence in Chinese, and then we learn how to write the characters. The number of students enrolled in our class is not that large (8 students) since those who attended in the first day of class moved to another class because this level is way easy for them, and also as suggested by my laoshi. Yesterday's class we did a lot of things. Our teacher brought a book about how to hold the Chinese brush properly, how to write Chinese characters in order, and we also got to try writing with a Chinese brush and sort of a writing mat for practicing writing in Chinese. We also learned how to write Philippines (feilubin), so lengthy! I still haven't bought a notebook for this course. My filchi friend suggested a math notebook. What I did is I just printed the Chinese writing paper (Tian Zi Ge) that I saw online. My teacher said that's okay, she also brought a copy of tian zi ge for my classmates to have it photocopied. A lot of words to remember, hen nan (very difficult)! I'm overwhelmed. I even have a comparison when it comes to learning Chinese.. I feel happy, excited, and nervous. The feeling is similar when you like someone. he!he!he!

For those who are interested in learning Chinese (Mandarin), the course fee for a cycle is P4,500 for the early bird, and P5,000 if you didn't register earlier like me. I already registered on the last week, deadline of payment. Basic Mandarin 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6 is offered at Ateneo in Katipunan (courses offered in Katipunan are limited). While in Ateneo Confucius Institute in Makati all Basic Mandarin levels are offered, and they have also Special Topics, and various lessons in Chinese musical instruments are also offered. The new Basic Mandarin textbook 1 is priced at 1,100 now, while the New Practical Chinese Reader books are still priced at P550. Even if its hard studying Chinese, I'll still try my best to learn. If you love something. No regrets! Jia you!

Philippines-China Friendship Club (PCFC)

  I badly wanted to join a Filipino-Chinese or any Chinese studies organization/association or club before. As a Chinese studies and culture enthusiast I wanted to be a part of a solid organization that can help me learn more about China, and wherein I can be considered as part of the family, with the same aspiration as mine. I thoroughly search online and was blessed enough to read about Philippines-China Friendship Club. I was fortunate enough to be able to get in touch with the founding president of that club, a young professional, Mr. Austin Ong. He's an alumnus of the University of the Philippines, and also a master's degree holder from Tsinghua University (China). He has been to a lot of countries, and has been guested in local tv shows here in the Philippines. I have met Sir Austin Ong personally at KAISA this year.

What is Philippines-China Friendship Club all about?

From PCFC website:

It is a friendship club that strives to provide platforms of interactions for Filipino students and young professionals to establish and cultivate life-long friendships with the Chinese.

Objectives of PCFC:
+ To build and to strengthen Filipinos and Chinese friendship through fun and meaningful events.
+ Be a resource for Filipinos to maximize their "China experience".

PCFC also holds meetings, and social gatherings with fellow and like-minded Chinese studies scholars, students, and professionals. (Check out the group photo here about an event that was held in the past, my graphic drawing was also used in the invitation and group page.) I'm also thankful to the founder of PCFC because 2 years ago, I was able to attend the inauguration of Confucius Institute in U.P Diliman. As a former student of Confucius Institute in Ateneo, that was another milestone in my life.

I believe that we can work together for the common good. I hope that the relationship of China and the Philippines will be even more stronger. The relationship of this 2 countries dates far back.

If you are interested in joining the group, you can search for it on Facebook.

(Update: This July 2018, we have available PCFC customized t-shirts. See the photos above. For orders just leave a message here. Thanks!)

In My Reading Room: Broken Mirror (Inside A Chinese Marriage) Aurora Teo Mei Ling

   Finally! I got a copy of this book. This is available only in selected Fully Booked branches. Sad to say, Fully Booked SM North Edsa branch doesn't carry this title. I have to order it from them. The price of the book is around P800+. After some days I received a text from them and I got my own copy. I haven't started reading it but from what I know this is a true story of a woman, and her experiences in marrying a Chinese. I will write a review about this book soon.

Love O2O TV Series 微微一笑很倾城

  I just finished watching Love O2O tv series version. Just check out my past review about the movie version. I have different feelings about the drama and the movie. The drama series lead actor who played Xiao Nai was portrayed by Yang Yang and the lead character named Wei Wei was portrayed by Zheng Shuang. She is also the lead actress in the series Love Weaves Through A Millenium with Jing Boran who played Xiao Nai in the movie version of Love O2O. The summary of this movie is two popular computer science students who are both gamers fall in love with each other.

The drama series goes in-depth with all the characters in Gu Man's novel. I have really enjoyed watching the tv series. In the drama series Wei Wei is portrayed as very feminine, and sweet not like in the movie version wherein Wei Wei is more tomboyish. There are also a lot of kissing scenes in the drama version. I ask myself is that necessary in order to spike the viewership ratings? There are also differences between the story line in the drama and movie. KO was a computer gamer who owns a shop, and not a chef. There's also differences between the character of Cao Guang.

 If you want to know more about the characters in Gu Man's novel, I suggest you watch the series. All in all it has 30 episodes. I think Xiao Nai was played very well by Yang Yang and he is really very handsome. Jing Boran who played Xiao Nai in the movie is okay too, but I think Xiao Nai was played very well by Yang Yang. He also sang the OST of the drama. The characters complement each other very well. Xiao Nai the mysterious, silent type of guy who protects the sweet, smart, frail Wei Wei. The character of Xiao Nai is the ideal man of every girl, a loving and a very protective man over his girl. My favorite scenes are when he took care of Wei Wei when she got sick, and when he fetch her from the get-together party of online RPG players. Both the tv series and the movie is worth-watching. They're both my favorites!

Ice Fantasy 幻城

    I am hooked in this 2016 released Chinese fantasy tv series entitled, Ice Fantasy also known as Huancheng in Mandarin. This Chinese fantasy series is based on Guo Jingming's novel, City of Fantasy. The way I understand the story this world is comprised of three realms. (spoilers ahead). Li Luo a mortal, who is a Guardian of the Realm met Prince Ka Suo. They became close when they went to the mortal realm to obtain the snowflakes from the 6 mortal tribes in order to restore the damage made in the ice kingdom when the Prince of the Fire tribe went there because of an ulterior movie, he mysteriously died because of the black fog, whom we continue to see up to the latter part of the series. They met many characters along the way. The leaders of each tribe, namely the Healer, the Dream master, the leader of the Bear Tribe, Eagle, Spirit and Mermaid Tribe.

This series is also showing, and dubbed in my native language in a local channel. I prefer of course the Chinese version with English subtitles.

I also love all the characters here. I was not attracted to the lead character Prince Ka Suo, but I was more enchanted by his younger brother Ying Kong Shi. I also like the character of the sweet and beautiful mermaid princess named Lan Shang, because I can relate to her character wherein she likes someone but that someone doesn't feel the same way. I also like the Grandma of the Prince Ka Suo. On the later part of the series, we are going to meet an immortal named She Mi who is powerful like Shi exiled on the most harshest part of the immortal land. His great mistake is that he fell in love with a mortal. Li Luo traveled there in order to know how to restore the immortal powers of Prince Ka Suo, she was ordered by the Ice King to go there. Ka Suo lost his immortal powers when he took the Deicide sword which was inhabited by fairies. It is the only sword who can take on the Fire Tribe's power. Anyway I won't tell the whole story here. Now, I know why this novel is a best-seller. I also love the twists and turns of the story. An immortal falling in love with a mortal. Will the Fire tribe, conquer the Ice Tribe? I found out that there is a sequel to this series, it is entitled Ice Fantasy - Destiny.

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(update: I just finished the series this week. (spoilers ahead) I'm just saddened that the leaders of the mortal tribes except for Xing Jiu, former Spirit tribe Queen Dieche, Chao Ya, Huang Tuo and Luna were all killed by the King of Fire of the Ice Tribe. Yuan Ji (the black fog from the start of the series), was an evil immortal who was imprisoned by the Ice Tribe together with all the alliances from all of the other tribes, They made a wish to the veiled Lotus. He also liked Ying Kong Shi's mother, Lotus. Lotus was just adopted by the mermaid tribe, and her parents was originally from the Ice tribe. Ying Kong Shi's father was really Yuan Ji. Also there's a twist Ka Suo was able to make a wish to the veiled Lotus, but one's gains, is also one's loss. Li Luo, Lan Shang, and Ying Kong Shi were all resurrected, and Lan Shang was able to wake up again but they lost their memory, and Lan Shang and Li Luo personality were exchanged. (The appearance is Lan Shang but the memories is from Li Luo, and Li Luo's body but the memories is from Lan Shang). Ka Suo here was killed by the Fire King, and Ying Kong Shi was able to kill the Fire King with the help of Yan Da the fire princess who really likes Ying Kong Shi. Ying Kong Shi's memory came back promised to resurrect Ka Suo this time by getting the Blood Lotus from outside of their realm.So that's why there's a sequel. The setting is the year 2020. Over-all I enjoyed watching this series. I am also excited to see the sequel.