Article by Ken Tatlonghari
30 January 2022
Cemeteries are usually not the most popular tourist attractions. But the Manila Chinese Cemetery located in Santa Cruz is one that should buck that trend. It not only exhibits the inextricable presence of the Chinese community on Philippine soil, but also of elaborate Art Deco and Modernist architectural styles.
Historical Background
The Chinese, especially from Fujian province, have had trade relations with what is now the Philippine Islands centuries prior to Spanish colonization in 1565. The number of Chinese immigrants afterwards increased because they provided the goods for the Galleon Trade. To accommodate this rise in number, the Chinese were designated a residential quarter called the Parián. Eventually, it became the district for non-Christian Chinese, while the island of Binondo was for those baptized into the Catholic faith.
As for the subject of burial, most Chinese immigrants wished for their remains to return to China. Those which were not transported back to China were buried in “church pavements, walls and atriums.” Christian Chinese were also buried in the church grounds of the districts of Binondo, Santa Cruz and Santa Ana.
As the issue of public health and sanitation was addressed during the Enlightenment in Europe, the king of Spain decreed that cemeteries in its colonies be built in the outskirts of cities on 15 May 1804, following an initial decree for Spain itself.
Los Primeros Cementerios
Paco Cemetery was the first one built for Manila in 1823 and Catholic Chinese were also interred here in the beginning.
But in 25 November 1843, the Governor-General of the Philippines authorized the establishment of a separate Chinese cemetery in La Loma, Sta. Cruz district, prohibiting their burial in Paco Cemetery.
Manila had also been struck by waves of cholera epidemics for years and La Loma was the ideal place for a cemetery as its elevation would allow for the miasma to be swept away by the wind.
Sadly that would not prevent more and more Chinese from falling victim to these cholera epidemics in 1854. Giving rise to the need for the cemetery’s expansion, Lim Ong 林旺 who was running for gobernadorcillo of the Chinese (called capitan 甲必丹 by the latter), promised to buy more land for this purpose in his campaign. He made good on his promise and this additional plot of land was dubbed “dian chuy” 沾水 or zhanshui in Mandarin which means “dabbed with water”, referring to the sacrament of baptism. This actually pertained to his baptism, which was a requirement upon his accession as capitan. But in time the allotted area was designated only for baptized Chinese.
Further expansion would take place as the Chinese population in Manila continued to grow.
Chinese-Filipino Fusion
The Chinese and Filipino population blended together through intermarriages between the Chinese migrants and local women during Spanish rule since the mid-1700s. This gave rise to a new class of Chinese mestizos who would become the drivers of the Philippine economy in the 1800s.
When the role of colonizer changed hands from Spanish to American at the turn of the century, this wealthy class also became influenced by the aesthetics of this newer culture. Eventually, ostentatious mausoleums starting popping up in La Loma.
Some of those mausoleums showcase a fusion of Western and Eastern styles as well.
But others are clearly reflective of the Jazz Age, such as the Dy Buncio Mausoleum built in 1930 by a prominent businessman hailing from Jinjiang, Fujian province. Its main vertical reliefs consist of zigzag and chevron patterns, while its horizontal relief under the roof is lined with figures of birds. Overall, its geometric style is balanced by the wave patterns of the grillworks.
Another example of Art Deco in the Chinese Cemetery is the Egyptian-inspired post-war Li Chay Too Mausoleum erected in 1948.
These are just a few of the many fascinating tombs in the Chinese cemetery worth seeing.
War Heroes
But the historical site also pays tribute to the Chinese in the Philippines who had stood up to the Japanese in the Second World War. One monument here is dedicated to Consul General Yang Kuang Sheng and his staff. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, he stayed to help evacuate Chinese citizens.
When the Japanese army entered Manila, he was invited by Japanese Vice Consul Kihara Jitaro to meet at the Swiss consulate. Here he was advised that the Japanese government did not recognize the authority of China and that he and other overseas leaders were to head straight to the concentration camp to avoid complications.
On 4 January 1942, he and his 7 staff members were held captive at the University of the Philippines College of Arts where they were manhandled upon refusing to collect P24-million from the Chinese community to support the Japanese. Then they were transferred to Fort Santiago to be tortured, but still they refused to give in to their demands. Finally, on April 17th, they were brought to the Chinese cemetery to be executed.
There are many other Chinese in the Philippines who had followed their example and had resisted the Japanese during the war. And for that reason a memorial hall and arch was built in the cemetery.
Santa Cruz Spared
The district of Santa Cruz where the Manila Chinese Cemetery is located also contains much period architecture as it was spared from bombardment in World War II.
Period homes can be seen on Oroquieta and Felix Huertas Streets. Although many owners still reside in them, we should still provide support to ensure their preservation.
Aside from the houses, Santa Cruz is also home to historical medical institutions such as San Lazaro Hospital and Chinese General Hospital, making it a center for healthcare.
It also has several religious institutions such as Espiritu Santo Parochial School & Church, Knox United Methodist Church and Santa Cruz Church.
Knox United Methodist Church is the first Filipino Methodist Church as it evolved from the Spanish-language congregation of the first Methodist congregation in the Philippines. But the Knox Church building was also the first permanent Methodist structure in the Philippines.
As for Santa Cruz Church (Our Lady of the Pillar Parish Church), its current structure with a Spanish baroque façade is a reconstruction from 1957 as the original was destroyed in the Battle of Manila. The image of Our Lady of the Pillar was enshrined by the Jesuits in 1643 primarily for the Chinese residents in the area.
These are the cultural sites of Santa Cruz district. Avenida Rizal is the main thoroughfare and on it the commuter can access both the jeepney and the LRT. To reach the Manila Chinese Cemetery via LRT one should alight from J. Abad Santos Ave. Station and then walk southward into Aurora Boulevard. One can enter the South Gate of the cemetery upon reaching the intersection with Felix Huertas St. and turning left. Admittedly, the area surrounding the LRT station suffers from urban decay and needs to be addressed. But with all the interesting architecture to be found here, the potential of Santa Cruz cannot be ignored.
References:
- The Manila Chinese Cemetery: A Repository of Tsinoy Culture and Identity
- Toward a History of Chinese Burial Grounds in Manila during the Spanish Colonial Period
- Santa Cruz, Manila, via Wikipedia. Retrieved 30 January 2022
- Santa Cruz Church (Manila), via Wikipedia. Retrieved 30 January 2022
- History of Knox UMC
Article by Ken Tatlonghari.
Cover photo by Ken Tatlonghari.
Renacimiento Manila.
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