Chinese Cemetery

Manila Top 18 in Can't Miss Attractions

The Chinese Cemetery was one of the most fascinating surprises on my recent trip to Manila. Although it’s technically a graveyard, it looks like a serene and old Chinese town, with its elaborate Oriental architecture, unique features and impressive mausoleums. In addition, it has a nice landscaping design, making it a perfect stroll on a lazy afternoon in Manila.

This cemetery is different from other cemeteries I have visited. Rows of houses are combined, like a community. The history of this cemetery is also very intriguing. Some people live here, they are the gatekeepers of these family graves. The most beautiful moment is All Souls' Day, when there are trolleys selling food everywhere, and the streets are full of people from all over to miss the dead. Manila is very crowded, but there are some places that are often overlooked by tourists. My top choices for visiting this city are: Ayala, Royal Spanish City and Chinese Cemetery. They embody the uniqueness of Manila. The US Military Memorial Cemetery is very good and touching, but it is similar to the Arlington National Cemetery in a way. But the Chinese cemetery is very different. The various tombs (a few of them are traditional Chinese style) look like real houses, with restaurants, bathrooms, etc., so that families can gather around their ancestors more easily. Some people often come to worship, and there is even a dog guarding here!

I came here on foot, passing through the market and residential areas to this Chinese cemetery. Looking at the most basic life of the locals along the way, the environment is a bit unsatisfactory, and the surrounding environment is a bit bad and smelly. Entering the Chinese cemetery is another scene. There are resort-like houses that seem to have a bit of history and are still magnificent. If you don’t know in advance that it is a tomb, you really think it is a resort. The environment is good for the locals. It's incredible. It is impossible to imagine such a scene in such a place. The contrast between walking through residential areas and coming here is too great. The living environment is far less good than that of the "dead". What is this concept? It is not difficult to see how wealthy and powerful the Chinese are in the local area. In fact, being a Chinese is quite proud!

Strictly speaking, this is not a scenic spot. We passed by here just to take a look at the Chinese and overseas Chinese who were buried overseas. There are also some soldiers' cemeteries, which are quite large overall.

When I first arrived in Manila, I realized that the cemetery was actually a tourist attraction, and I was drunk. Compared with the solemn and solemnity of the American military cemetery, the Chinese cemetery has built a small and prosperous community. Apart from being unpopular, it has everything you need. Each building has its own characteristics, and the area is not small, some are even luxurious, and there are seats, kitchens and bathrooms...