The Tiu Gan Altar

Tsim Tsiu or Mano Po is the Filipino-Chinese act of receiving a blessing from an elder relative by means of gently making contact between the hand of the elder and the forehead of the youth.

Ancestral Altar

Tsim Tsiu is literally translated as Kissing the hand but is now adapted in the form of contact between hand and forehead. This is a common practice amongst Filipinos and is even seen in church when the churchgoers receive the blessing from the priest by means of Tsim Tsiu

Some of the clan members

I am proud to be 50% chinese and part Filipino. Our family’s culture shows how persisent and hardworking the chinese really are. I’ve been told countless tales of my grandfather starting with nothing and now leaving the family with blessings to sustain us.

Recently our family had to go to our Clan gathering in downtown Cebu. My memories of this place consisted of awardings and ceremonies but after I graduated from High school I no longer go to the clan gatherings.

Our Tiu-Gan clan association awards students and teachers who excel in the field of Chinese education and my shobe (??/ younger sister) got recently awarded for having third honors in Chinese education. I miss the times when I used to go to a Chinese School and received awards myself. I could use some extra cash too you know. *wink*

Unfortunatelty, today’s generation is becoming less aware of the importance of upholding the culture and values of the old chinese. Although this may be an advantage such as the tolerance of inter-marriage amongst non-Tsinoys, values such as respect for elders are also slowly fading away.

Nevertheles, I am still proud to be Tsinoy or Fil-Chi and even if I am just a half-blood I will continue to uphold the ways of the Chinese starting with the very roots of Tsim Tsiu.