Cultural Influences of India, China, Arabia and Japan

The impact of Hindu culture profoundly influence Philippine Life.
The Sarong (skirt0and the putong(turban)worn by the early Filipinos and the embroidered shawls still worn by today's Muslim Filipino women are an Indian influence. It has been estimated that about 30% of the Tagalog words are derived from San-skrit, India's ancient language which greatly influence the modern European languages such as English and German. A few Sanskrit words in tagalog are Bathala( the supreme God) ,dala(fishnet), asawa(spouse) ,mama (man), diwa(thought), puri(honor), mata(eye), likha(creation), Lakambini(princess), Kuta(fortress), and wika(language). The use of brass ,bronze, copper, and tin in the decorative arts and metal work of the early Filipinos is another Indian influence. The boat-shape lute a musical instrument still played by Muslim Filipinos, is of Indian origin.

Early Filipinos folklore and literature also show strong Indian influences. The Maranaw epic Darangan is Indian in both plot and characters. Balituc, the tale of the Ifugao legendary hero, is similar to Arjuna's exploits in the Mahabharata, the great Hindu epic. The Agusan legend of a man named Agnio, resembles the story of Ahalya in the Ramayana, another great Hindu epic. An eclipse is called laho in Tagalog and Kapampangan. The Philippine folk belief is to the effect that an eclipse occurs when the sky dragon swallows and bites the moon and the sun. Old folks say that the eclipsed moon is red because the sky dragon laho has bitten it, making it bleed, and the people stampede it into releasing the moon by beating on cans and drums. The marks one sees on the face of the newly risen moon are said to have been made by the teeth of the dragon that bites it every time it can, and the Hindu god that causes eclipse by biting the moon or the sun is Rahu.

From the Chinese the early Filipinos learned to use porcelain ware, umbrellas, gongs, lead, the art of metal working, the manufacture of gun powder, and certain mining methods. The loose style in the early Filipino manner of dressing, the sleeve jackets and loose trousers of the Muslim Filipino women, and the use of slippers, indicate Chinese influence too.

Also of Chinese origin was the wearing of yellow clothing by the nobles and of blue garments by the commoners in pre-Spanish Philippine society. The wearing of white dresses and the use of a white background in mourning and burial ceremonies is another Chinese influence.