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Because the Chinese calendar is based on the lunar year, the date of the Chinese New Year changes each year. This year it falls on February 18, 2007.

The Chinese animal signs are a 12-year cycle used for dating the years. They represent a cyclical concept of time, rather than the Western linear concept of time.
According to Chinese legend, the twelve animals quarrelled one day as to who was to head the cycle of years. The gods were asked to decide and they held a contest: whoever was to reach the opposite bank of the river would be first, and the rest of the animals would receive their years according to their finish. All the twelve animals gathered at the river bank and jumped in. Unknown to the ox, the rat had jumped upon his back. As the ox was about to jump ashore, the rat jumped off the ox’s back, and won the race. The pig, which was very lazy, ended up last. That is why the rat is the first year of the animal cycle, the ox second and the pig last.

Decorated with red banners and catchy lights, Chinatown is now all prepared to start the Year of the Pig on February 18. A lot of exciting activities are lined up for this year’s Chinese New Year Celebration.

Tuesday February 13 at 6 pm : Interpretative Chinese Modern Dance Competition.

Wednesday February 14 at 6 pm: Manadarin Love Song Competition

Thursday February 15 at 5 pm: Little Mr & Mrs. Chinatown Competition

Friday February 16 at 4pm: Parade of Floats
at 5 pm: Chinese Filipino Cultural Show with special guest “Hiyas ng Maynila”
at 8 pm: Fireworks

Saturday you can expect the traditional Dragon and Lion dance in the street of Binondo.

Why go to Hong Kong when you have Binondo at your doorstep in the heart of Manila? I recommend everybody to go there and have fun watching the different activities organised for Chinese New Year.

If you want to see more pictures about Chinese New Year click here.

I also highly recommend Ivan Man Dy’s Chinese New Year Edition of the Wok, a culinary walking tour through Binondo. You can check his Old Manila Walks website here to see his tour shedules.

Where: Main streets of Binondo & in Front of Binondo Church.

When: February 12 till February 18.

My rate: 9/10 Spectacular. I love to eat Chinese food and no better place to do this than in Binondo.

Source: My Sarisari Store

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 13th, 2007 at 10:32 pm and is filed under Metro Manila, Road Trip, Travel Destinations. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.