Lesson03_Midterm

Lesson 3. The Ascendance of the Chinese Mestizo

This lesson presents the significant roles of Chinese mestizos in Philippine history,
governance, and economy. It also shows how the Chinese mestizos influenced the character
of Rizal who has Chinese roots.

Lesson Objectives:
At the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
 Explain how the Chinese mestizos influenced
the character of Rizal;
 Discuss the relationship of Filipinos and
Chinese, then and now; and
 Analyse the important role of the Chinese
mestizos within the changing Philippine
economy and society.
Vocabulary
 Galleon Trade – (1565-1815) this was the form of
trade between Philippines and Mexico.
 Parian – Chinese enclaved established in 1581
outside the walls of Intramuros.
 Sangley – a term that proliferated in the Spanish
Philippines to refer to people of pure Chinese
descent; came from the Hokkien word “sengli”
meaning business.
 Immigrant – a person who migrates to another
country, usually for permanent residence.
 Intramuros – “within the wall,” It is the oldest district
and the historic core of Manila

Getting Started:

Philippine history is not complete as basis for understanding contemporary society unless
it includes the contributions of the Chinese mestizos to the development of the Philippines as a
nation. They played a significant role in the formation of the Filipino middle class, in the call for
reforms, in the 1898 revolution, and in the formation of Filipino nationalism.

Chinese History in the Philippines

As early as the 16th century, the Chinese were already in the Philippine archipelago.
However, some historians asserted that it was during the pre-colonial period that the Chinese
first arrived in the country as merchants between the coasts of Manila and China. Still, it was
only during the Spanish colonial period that Chinese immigrants became prominent in
Philippine society.

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In 1594, the Spanish Governor Luis Perez Dasmariñas created Binondo as a permanent
settlement for Chinese mestizos who converted to Catholicism. In this part of Manila, Chinese
merchants and traders were free to do their business. Binondo also became the place of
intermarriages between Chinese immigrants and Filipino natives, thus, the emergence of
Chinese mestizos.

As the Chinese population increased, the Spaniards saw them as a threat to their own
rule. They feared that the Chinese would be far less loyal to the Spanish regime than the indios.
Nevertheless, one fact that the Spaniards could not discount then was that the Chinese
become pivotal to their colonial rule because they provided valuable capital to Manila. Thus,
despite orders of expelling all Chinese from the Philippines, Governor Dasmariñas realized that
Manila needed the Chinese for economic reasons.

Chinese mestizo communities, aside from Binondo, emerged in many other parts of the
archipelago. In Manila, notable communities were Santa Cruz and Tondo. In the early 17 th
century, more than 100 Chinese individuals were married to native Filipinos in Iloilo, Pampanga,
and Cebu. In Northern Luzon, Chinese mestizos could be found in Pangasinan, Benguet and
Mountain Province.

From the beginning of the Spanish colonial period until 1740, the inhabitants of the
Philippines were classified into three: Spaniards, Indios, and Chinese. As the Chinese mestizo
population grew, questions regarding their legal status as an inhabitants of the country arose. It
was only in 1741 that their legal status was officially established when the whole population of
the Philippines was reclassified into four according to tax payment or tribute.

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Spaniards and Indios Chinese Chinese Mestizos

Spanish Mestizos

they were required to

they were required to
pay taxes depending on
their income
they were not required
to pay tribute or tax
* a Chinese mestiza
and an Indio were
listed as Indios
pay taxes depending on
their income
they were required to
pay taxes depending on
their income
any person born of a
Chinese father and
Indio mother
* a policy that limited a Spanish mestiza and
the number of Chinese a Chinese mestizo
individuals who could
reside in the
Philippines and
restricted their area of a child of a Spanish
settlement was mestiza and a Chinese
implemented mestizo

Significance of the Chinese Mestizo

The sectors that greatly benefitted from the changing economy were the Chinese and
the Chinese mestizos. Since precolonial times, the natives of the Philippines had trade relations
with the Chinese.

During the height of the Galleon trade, it was also Chinese products that comprised
most of the goods being traded. The influx of Chinese settlements in the Philippines made the
Spaniards suspicious of the Chinese. These feelings led to stringent state policies towards the
sangley ranging from higher taxes, the restriction of the movement with the establishment of
the Chinese enclave (the Parian), to actual policies of expulsion.

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The Chinese, however, proved to be “necessary outsiders” in Philippine colonial

economy and society. Although the Spaniards were wary of the Chinese, they realized the
importance that the latter played in sustaining the economy. From the goods loaded on the
galleons to the development of retail trade, the Chinese enlivened the economy.

Eventually and gradually, they became integrated into colonial society, giving rise to the
intermarriage with Indios that gave birth to the Chinese mestizos. The Chinese mestizos
assumed an important role in the economy all throughout the Spanish colonial period. They
influenced the changing economy in the 19th century by purchasing land, accumulating
wealth, and influence.

The expulsion of Chinese immigrants in the Philippines enabled the Chinese mestizos to
take over the markets that the former previously controlled. Chinese mestizos became
prominent and influential figures in the area of industry, commerce, and business during the
Spanish colonial period.

They monopolized the internal trading in the Philippines while the Spanish mestizos were
concerned with the foreign trade. The entrepreneurial power of the Chinese mestizos gave
way to the emergence of the Philippine middle class described as “more active and
enterprising, more prudent and pioneering, more oriented to trade and commerce than the
Indios” (Bowring, 1963).

They shared economic exports and imports. They became landholders, wholesalers,
retailers, and owners of the majority of the artisan shops.

The significant role of the Chinese mestizos in the making of the nation was highly
evident at the turn of the century. Their involvement in the armed revolt against the colonizers
showed that they recognized Spain as the enemy — the oppressor.

The Philippine Revolution of the 1896-1898 was the act of determination on the part of
Filipinos — Indios and Chinese mestizos alike — to claim for themselves and for future
generations the incomparable birthright of nationhood.

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Rizal and the Chinese Mestizos

Rizal is a 5 th generation Chinese mestizo. However, he and his father were considered as
Indios. Some documents and scholarly papers noted that Rizal disliked being called Chinese
mestizo, and disassociated himself from any Chinese relations.

Through his novels, Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, Rizal exposed the abuses and
corruption of the Spanish authorities, condemned the oppression of the people by the
colonizers, and ridiculed the hypocrisy and overbearing attitude of the Spanish friars. He also
depicted the bloody revolution that sparked people’s fury and eventually led them to revolt.
At the same time, as a sign of his contempt towards Chinese immigrants in the Philippines, his
novels brimmed with insults and scorn for them.

Rizal clearly manifested his anti-Chinese feelings in his writings, as well as in his
correspondence with family and friends. By virtue of his lineage, Rizal could have had a special
connection with the Chinese but such was not the case.

The concern on whether Rizal’s disdain over his Chinese lineage made him less of a hero
is not something to argue about. Chinese mestizo or not, Rizal is a nationalist and a Filipino.

Summary

 This lesson ended with a brief discussion on the sectors that greatly benefitted from the
changing economy which were the Chinese and the Chinese mestizos. Since
precolonial times, the natives of the Philippines had trade relations with the Chinese.
 The significant role of the Chinese mestizos in the making of the nation was highly
evident at the turn of the century. Their involvement in the armed revolt against the
colonizers showed that they recognized Spain as the enemy — the oppressor.

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References:

Obias, R., Mallari, A. & Estella, J. (2018), The Life and Works of Jose Rizal, C& E Publishing, Inc.,
Clemente, J. & Cruz, G. (2019), The Life and Works of Rizal Outcome-Based Module, C& E
Publishing, Inc.,
Crudo, E., Guiwa, H. & Pawilen, R. (2019), A Course Module for The Life, Works, and Writings of
Jose Rizal, Rex Bookstore, Inc.,

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A. Modified Multiple Choice.

Write: A if both statement is correct,

B if the first statement is not correct and the second statement is correct,
C if the first statement is correct and the second statement is not correct, and
D if both statement is not correct.

B1. I. Intramuros is a Greek word which means “within the walls.”

II. The district beyond the walls are called extramuros, meaning “outside the wall.”

D2. I. Intramuros is also called the “Walled City”. It is the oldest capital and the historic core of
Manila.
II. Intramuros was where Manila’s most influential and healthy citizens of the Spanish colonial
period had lived.

D3. I. Rizal clearly manifested his anti-Chinese Mestizo feelings in his writings.
II. Chinese mestizo or not, Rizal is a reformist and a Filipino

A4. I. Rizal exposed through his novels about the abuses and corruption of the Spanish
authorities
II. He also condemned the oppression and ridiculed the hypocrisy and overbearing attitude of
the Spanish friars.

C5. I. Rizal depicted the bloody revolution in his novels.

II. His novels brimmed with insults and regards for the Chinese immigrants”

B6. I. Sangley is a term that proliferated in the Spanish Philippines to refer to people of pure
Chinese decent.
II. It came from the Hokkien word “sengli” meaning business.

D7. I. The Chinese immigrants shared economic exports and imports.

II. With these, they became landholders, wholesalers, retailers, and owners of the majority of
the artisan shops.

A8. I. Spaniards and Spanish Mestizos were not required to pay tribute or tax.
II. Meanwhile, Chinese, Indios, and Chinese mestizos were required to pay taxes depending on
their income.

C9. I. The influx of Chinese settlements in the Philippines made the Spaniards suspicious of the
Chinese.

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II. T higher taxes, restriction of the movement with the establishment of Parian, and they had
actual policies of explosion.

D10. I. The Chinese mestizo monopolized the internal trading in the Philippines and Mexico
while the Spanish mestizos were concerned with the foreign trade.
II. The Chinese mestizos assumed an important role in the economy all throughout the Pre-
Spanish colonial period.

B11. I. Fort Santiago was a fortress built in the late 1600s by the Spanish government during the
colonization of Manila, as part of Intramuros.
II. Also, this was where the Philippine national hero, Jose Rizal, was imprisoned before he was
executed by the Spaniards.

A12. I. An Indio and a Chinese mestiza were listed as Indios.

II. They were required to pay taxes depending on their income.

C13. I. A child of a Chinese mestizo and a Spanish mestiza were listed as Chinese mestizo.
II. Also, any person born of an India mother and a Chinese father were listed as Chinese
mestizo.

B14. I. Parian is a Chinese enclaved established in 1851 outside the walls of Intramuros
II. It was from a local word meaning “puntahan” which could also mean “liwasan,” usually
adjacent to a river.

A15. I. From the beginning of the Spanish colonial period until 1740, the inhabitants of the
Philippines were classified into three: Spaniards, Indios, and Chinese
II. But in 1741, Philippines was reclassified into four according to tax payment or tribute.

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