Binondo -- The Necessary Necessity

Even the candles that burned for long hours in the Binondo church in the 17th Century was of course, of Chinese alchemy. Also, artisans from Amoy (Xiamen), newly arrived in Manila would find it difficult to imitate the European face, their "Santos" like that of the Madonna would have that distinct Chinese features.

The Spaniards equally lacking, most were homesick of whatever would remind them of Spain. The Chinese way of curing meat was to mimic some of the preserved stuff they long for, jamon, etc. When the first bullfight in Manila was held, it was said to be a lousy copy not even worthy of comparison with that of the Americas. Yet, it won't be long until they found Chinese entrepreneurs to supply them with bulls -- a crossbreed between a Chinese and a Mexican bulls,  which Retana described as timid.

From bookbinders to haberdashers they came, then suddenly the silver economy was in a boom, that preference to Potosi metal -- the first truly global currency. It doubled the arrival of Chinese from the mainland seeking a new life, in a land about two weeks of sail with a junk.

Binondo Canal. Manila 1885 -- Incredible to imagine that a great amount of silver mined in Potosi, Bolivia found its way in the busy canal, streets and warehouses of Binondo. Truly the first of the so-called global economy, which was then powered by the Mexican silver peso, greatly appreciated in China. Manila was the transit point. Even after the independence of Mexico from Spain and after the Galleon de Manila or the Nao de China ceased to exist, the silver peso remained the standard currency of the economic contact: China - the Americas via Manila for many years. The small canal of Binondo then connects to waterways like the Pasig River. Bringing lifeblood to the local economy.

The Nao de China or Manila Galleon somehow also attracted pioneering ventures. Ever heard of Chinese doing prosthetic jobs on faces like nose eaten away by injury? They existed already in 18th Century Manila.

The founding of Spanish Manila was followed by the rise of Binondo --the Chinese Manila. The Spaniards needed a different workforce, a diverse economic group to get a colony going. Somebody to do the dirty jobs. Etc.

The other night, I was in Binondo, never doubted in the saying..." nothing ever changes".

Binondo Manila in the 1920s -- From this photo, we can see the Uy Su Bin Building which housed the Binondo Bazaar. If we have chain stores and big malls today, bazaars and warehouses were their equivalents in that distinct time, where one could even order imported goods from musical instruments to big industrial tools.