Celebrating in Style: Chinese New Year 2024 in Binondo Chinatown

- February 10, 2024, Saturday, Chinese New Year.

- Chinese New Year has always been a double-edged sword for me. On one hand, it is an event that serves as an excuse to eat and dress fancily. On the other hand, if deciding to celebrate in Chinatown, it can be hell as the crowd is just too much. But at the end of the day, I guess all of these are just what makes Chinese New Year the joyful event that it is.

- This year, I decided to go out with my hanfu. It was my first time to wear a hanfu. Most people are now used to seeing the Mandarin-collared qipao/cheongsam or tang zhuang as the representatives of traditional Chinese sartorial culture, but these clothes are more contemporary than people think. The more historical ones are the "hanfu" (literally "Chinese clothing"), which look more like robes. They have evolved throughout the many Chinese dynasties , but hanfus - for both men and women - generally have a few parts. Usually there is a top part and a skirt. Additional layers or accessories will depend on one's position in society. In recent years, China has been experiencing a hanfu revival movement especially among the youth. It is nice to see that more young people are interested in learning more about their heritage. This has made hanfus become more available in stores, unlike before. Even here in the Philippines, it has also been easy to buy hanfus directly from China! Of course some of the designs have been modernized, and the use of colors has become less strict as well. I am also happy to see that some young Chinese-Filipinos have appreciated this aspect of Chinese culture too!

- For this year's CNY, I had a long catch-up moment with my friend Hanz, who has been studying abroad. We had a nice time in Lucky Chinatown, where a 500-foot wooden dragon art installation (for the year of the wooden dragon of course) was created by local Chinoy artist, Leeroy New. It was an interesting mix of Chinese and Filipino art that neatly contextualize Chinatown's culture and its people.

Had lunch at Golden Noodle House at Lucky Chiantown. Thankfully it wasn't crowded because lines were insane everywhere.

My friend Phoebe was also in her royal hanfu - complete with hair and accessories!! -- Now you see why I need to be fab, because my friends are fab too!!

Saw this nice lantern with fake autumn leaves.

Leeroy New's giant dragon artwork.

- Hanz and I also took time to go around Chinatown, which obviously is so close to our hearts. We stopped by Apologue, Binondo's newest cafe (across Masuki along Benavidez Street). What I like about it is that its food, drinks, and ambience were well-thought tributes to Binondo but without Chinese food. (I love Chinese food in Binondo, but I also appreciate a breather from Chinese food.)

Apologue the best.

Saw these guys at the Binondo Plaza.

I have finally been converted. I swore that I wouldn't buy any of these stupid duck hair pins, but here I am. I even got three (3 for 100). They actually look cute though.

- I ended the day with seeing more amazing friends at Lucky before calling it a day. Some people took photos of me and my friend Ana, who was also in her stunning hanfu. -- A running gag over the years of me celebrating Chinese New Year in Binondo was that people would often want to have photos taken of or with me because of what I wear. I thought I was about to end the day without random people doing that. Boy, was I wrong. (I appreciate the photos, by the way, especially when people ask nicely!)

Ash, Ana, and I were all in matching colors.

I am loving Ana's hanfu so much!

We have fans. HAHA. (Well OK, both senses of the word.)

My theater kiddos and our ducks.

0.5 selfie!

Hello Jane and Hazel!

- I didn't think I would have fun during this year's CNY. I'm actually not "allowed" to celebrate it yet because my mom passed away a few months back. That's also the reason why I wasn't wearing anything red, the staple color of any Chinese celebration - I still couldn't, based on cultural norms. But I guess what I got out of my CNY experience this year was that I have good (and fab!) friends around me who are there for me despite things happening in my life. I guess, that is something I can be thankful for, CNY or not!