THE Philippines has increasingly become an active venue for the celebration of the Chinese Spring Festival, also known as Chinese New Year, with local communities and universities adopting the tradition as a platform for cultural exchange and people-to-people diplomacy, the head of the Confucius Institute at the University of the Philippines said.
Zhi Xiaojing said during a media forum organized by the Manila-based think tank Asian Century Philippines Strategic Studies Institute (ACPSSI) over the weekend that the Spring Festival has moved beyond its origins as a purely Chinese ritual and is now being reimagined in the Philippine setting.
Zhi said the festival, traditionally observed on the first day of the lunar calendar, has taken on new meaning locally as Filipinos participate in activities such as dragon and lion dances, parades, calligraphy workshops, and shared meals in Manila’s Chinatown and in university campuses.
“In the Philippines, I feel that it is not only a Chinese cultural celebration, but also a warm heart connecting our people,” Zhi said, adding that the festival reflects shared values of family, reunion, and community that resonate strongly with Filipinos.
She traced the festival’s origins to ancient Chinese rituals honoring ancestors and praying for good harvests, noting that it evolved through the Ming and Qing dynasties into a major national celebration centered on family gatherings and public festivities.
Zhi said this historical tradition is being localized through institutional partnerships. She cited the 2023 “4th Sinhe Year Spring Festival Celebration,” organized with the Development Cooperation Association, which drew hundreds of Filipino participants.
This year, the institute is preparing a joint event with the Bureau of Immigration, featuring dumpling-making, paper-cutting, and Tai Chi performances.
Cultural exchange has also expanded into Philippine classrooms. At partner schools such as the University of Makati and City College of Angeles, Filipino students have learned to write the Chinese character “Fu,” meaning fortune, and to compose Spring Festival couplets, exposing them to Chinese language and symbolism.
Similar themed activities are being planned in universities in Pampanga, Cagayan, and Quezon City, where painting exhibits and festival-themed workshops are expected to involve both Chinese and Filipino students.
“These activities are not just cultural showcases but heartfelt exchanges between our peoples, deepening mutual understanding and friendship, and giving our relations warmth and positive energy,” Zhi said.
She added that the Spring Festival in the Philippines is also incorporating modern elements, such as digital platforms and “Spring Festival AI,” blending technology with traditional customs to reach younger audiences.
“As Filipinos and Chinese celebrate together, we are not only preserving tradition but creating a shared cultural space,” Zhi said. “It shows that despite different histories, we all value family, peace, and hope.”
