Philippine "Ukiyo-e"

Since its founding in the 14th century, the Philippines has been occupied or colonized by Spain, the United States, and Japan. Therefore, a large number of Spanish or American imprints are incorporated into the urban landscape, human customs and social systems of the Philippines. Ukiyo-e was originally a genre painting that emerged in the Edo period of Japan. It is a type of "machi culture" (that is, citizen culture), and its essence is embodied in "living in the present". The author borrows this word to express a glimpse into the daily life and social culture of ordinary people in the Philippines.

The Philippines is an archipelago country in Southeast Asia, facing my country across the Bashi Channel. Walking around the city streets, villages, towns and countryside of Luzon Island, you can find that except for the city's central business district, which has become international, many other areas are still stuck at the level of our country in the 1980s. Some large-scale national public buildings and facilities are magnificent and modern in style. Most ordinary residential buildings are low and old, and power lines form like spider webs over the city.

The United States has a great influence on the Philippines, especially in politics and military. Our stay in the Philippines coincided with the government election, and there was no sign of it in the capital Manila. As we drove south, the rural towns in the southern provinces were covered with electoral posters, all of which were smiling at the voters.

Regrettably, the Philippines has learned democracy from the United States, but not the rule of law. The state machinery is controlled by several major families. The country's political situation is unstable, corruption is rampant, the wealth gap between the people and the poor is very high, anti-government armed forces are active, and social security is poor.

Philippine citizens can legally possess guns as long as they have a gun license. If someone illegally invades a private residence, they can shoot in self-defense. Obtaining a gun license is just a matter of filling out some forms and paying some fees. The threshold is extremely low, so there are many private guns in circulation.

The police patrolling the streets of Manila are all armed with guns and ammunition. Police officers will guard every entrance of major shopping malls and shopping malls in the city to conduct security checks on suspicious persons at any time.

The basement level of department stores in the city center is often a weapons store or gun club. Citizens’ exposure to weapons and shooting training is as simple as getting a manicure. Therefore, there are many voices questioning the social security situation in the Philippines on the Internet.

Perhaps because we did not go to the island of Mindanao, which was "separated" by the anti-government armed forces, we could not feel the tense atmosphere at all. Instead, we were deeply impressed by the simplicity and kindness of the Filipino civilians.

When we returned to the hotel from the Mall of Asia in Manila at nightfall, the taxi driver who collected our customers turned around to reveal the pistol on his waist. The man traveling with me chased him and asked if it was a real gun. I was busy bargaining with the driver. The driver smiled naively, clasped his hands, and tilted his head in a cute way: "Please, don't reduce the money."

When we arrived in Anilao, because it is not a popular tourist destination, the villagers were even more friendly, even pretending to be When you stand on the roadside to see what TV programs they are watching, they will immediately make room for you on the bench, as if you are your neighbor.

The monthly salary of ordinary working-class people in the Philippines is about 2,000 yuan, and the price level is generally high, so the lives of the people are not rich. But when we passed by the shopping mall aisle and saw people sitting on the street, holding knives and forks in their hands and eating their simple lunch calmly, we still felt warm in our hearts.

The traffic situation in Manila can only be described in one word: traffic jam! The plane arrived at Manila International Airport at around 4 o'clock in the morning. The bleary-eyed driver picked us up and drove us along the suburban highway of Manila to Batangas, a province in southern Luzon. When passing through downtown Manila, around 5 o'clock in the morning, the shops were already open for business, the streets were busy with traffic, the buses were overcrowded, and the vehicle density on the highway was no different from that of urban roads. We were extremely surprised. After asking the driver, I found out that usually around 7 o'clock, urban traffic in Manila will come to a standstill and will only ease after about 10 o'clock. In order not to be late, ordinary citizens usually have to leave for work or school before 5 o'clock in the morning. It was only over 100 kilometers from the airport to the hotel we booked, but the driver still drove for 3 hours.

When we arrived in Batangas Province, we got off the highway and the road quickly turned into a narrow two-lane road. Once a large car passed by, the oncoming vehicle had to wait. At almost every congested intersection, there are people in casual clothes there to divert traffic. According to the driver, these people were nearby residents who came to direct traffic on their own initiative. All vehicles will not compete for the right of way, but will line up in order and wait quietly for passage.

Interestingly, the Philippines does not have strict control measures on vehicle modifications, and the roads are filled with all kinds of strange homemade cars. The frame shell seems to be welded with metal iron sheets, and the overall shape shows the owner's imagination and artistic attainments. The modification idea of ??adding a two-wheeled bucket to a motorcycle or bicycle is understandable. Some motor vehicles will install a metal frame similar to a mosquito net frame on the roof, which is really hard to figure out the use of.

There is a famous tourist destination in downtown Manila - Intramuros (also called the walled city). It was built during the Spanish rule. The architectural style here is completely self-contained. Spanish style. Although Intramuros covers an area of ??only 1 square kilometer, it has two large Catholic churches - St. Augustine Church and Manila Cathedral. The former is included in the World Heritage List and is known as the "Vatican of the East"; the latter has a solemn appearance. The white religious figures decorated on the walls and the cross on the top exude a strong religious atmosphere and classical charm.

Since the Philippines was occupied by Spain for more than three hundred years, Catholicism has become the main religion in the country. The day we went sightseeing in Intramuros happened to be the first day of the Catholic Lent period. I wonder if it was the so-called Ash Wednesday. While wandering around the city, we occasionally passed by believers with crosses painted on their foreheads with black ash. Catholics will always remind themselves to repent, that everyone is from dust and to dust they will return.

There are several schools in the city, and students take physical education classes barefoot in the open space beside the wall. Under the ruins of the broken wall, children in school uniforms lined up to do exercises or ran with heavy loads. Those who finished class early went into the Manila Cathedral to pray in small groups. In a sense, having everyone believe in religion can be considered an advantage. As long as it is not just a formality, everyone should repent and make amends from time to time. Isn't it similar to what Zeng Zi said in our country, "I examine myself three times a day"? !

On the day we left the Philippines, it was sunset. The taxi drove along the Roxas Promenade, and the dusk halo enveloped the sea. Not far from the shore, ships are docked quietly; there are an endless stream of people riding bikes, running, and walking on the promenade. Friends, couples, and fathers and sons pass by each other, depicting scenes of warmth, comfort, and time in front of our eyes. Quiet pictures.