Bahay Tsinoy

Bahay Tsinoy is a museum located in Intramuros. It is a place where the history, lives and contributions of Chinese people in Philippine life and history were documented.

Tsinoy is an informal name for a person with both Filipino and Chinese ancestry or influence. Many Chinese have married Filipinos/as and so their children were called Chinese Mestizos/as or simply Tsinoy.  It was showcased in the museum how the Chinese have come to the Philippines, and one of the main reasons is because the exchange of goods with the Filipinos or what they commonly call bartering or trading.

 In addition, you can also see various facsimiles of books and documents written by famous Chinese publicist during those times. There is also a collection of Chinese artifacts such as porcelain pieces during the Tang, Sung, Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties in China. There are pictures and life-size waxed sculpture of Chinese and Tsinoy people showcasing their lives and contributions in the evolution of the Philippines. Some of them are our national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, former president Cory Aquino and singer-songwriter Jose Mari Chan.

It was a great activity! I learned a lot not just on the museum but also during the trip. Our group have encountered different kinds of people and adventured on the trip going there. Moreover, Bahay Tsinoy gave us a better understanding on our relationship with the Chinese. It was very beneficial for us because we are able to fully understand the roots and lifestyle of the Tsinoy and the Chinese and actually compare it with our own.