Singapore's Heritage (Edited version)
As national day is coming, I decided to write about a topic on the heritage of Singapore. Singapore has a close history along with Penang and Malacca, there will also be some similarities between these three places. I will be writing the following heritage sites of Singapore.
- Bukit Brown heritage park
- Tiong Bahru
- Tiong Bahru
- Queenstown
I will show these following heritage sites
1. Bukit Brown
http://www.iremember.sg/index.php/2015/11/memory-makers-bukit-brown-caretakers/
Sources: https://mymindisrojak.blogspot.com/, http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP_1550_2009-08-29.html, http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP_1496_2009-04-03.html, https://mymindisrojak.blogspot.com/2013/07/chew-joo-chiat-bukit-brown.html, https://mymindisrojak.blogspot.com/2011/12/sikh-guards-at-bukit-brown.html
The origins of the name and the place
First of all
First of all, why was the place called Bukit Brown and why does this place exist. I will first write about the origins of the name
The word bukit means hill in Malay as there are over nine hills over that area. But due to the a plan that was came out in 2011 that the Land Transport Authority announced that a new four dual lane road to be built and it runs over Bukit Brown, It is now left with only five hills in that area.
Brown is actually referring to a British gentleman named George Henry Brown that arrived during the era of the Straits Settlements of Singapore in the 1840s. The area used to be a land of coffee plantation that belongs to him and his residence was at Mount Pleasant which his residence still now exist there located at Mount Pleasant road.
George Henry Brown his
daughter George Henry Brown's grave in
Penang
The second part, why does Bukit Brown exist and built? During the 19th and early 20th century, there are lots of migrants from China, migrating to Nanyang (which means South Seas which refer to Southeast Asia in the past by the Chinese) to find a living and Singapore by then part of British Malaya was one of the destinations.
While migrating to Singapore, the Chinese need to take a week from their homelands in China, (majority from the provinces of Southern China, Fujian, Guangdong and Hainan island and minorities from Shanghai of Northern province of China) some of them died while on the ship down to Singapore due to the problems in the ship, like malnutrition. So while the ship arrived in Singapore, some people will go to find their ancestry and bring them to the cemeteries which are cared by the Chinese Associations.
Like example that the deceased is a Teochew, the corpse will be brought to Tai San Teng, that was located at Orchard Road and was the largest Teochew Cemetery in Singapore, but the cemetery was exhumed in 1951 and the current site now is Takashimaya and Ngee Ann city. If the deceased is a Hakka, the corpse will be brought to to Shuang Long Shan Hakka cemetery, located at Holland Village where while we are inside the East-west line, we can get to see the cemetery, if the deceased is a Cantonese, he will be brought to Bishan, where the largest Catonese cemetery is located. While for the Hokkiens, as they are the majority, there are Hokkien Cemetery all over Singapore. There is a Hokkien cemetery located near Bukit Brown which is named Kopi Sua
The Tai Shan Ting cemetery, the largest Teochew Cemetery of Singapore (currently the site of Takashimaya and Ngee Ann City) in the 1950s
The Shuang Long Shan Hakka cemetery in Holland Village
The Kwong Wai Siew Peck San Teng Cemetery in the 1970s, currently now Bishan New Town
The Kopi Sua Hokkien Cemetery
By then in 1920s, all the land of the cemeteries are being used up, at this time there were two men, Tan Kheam Hock and See Tiong Wah, stand up in the legistrative council, and asked the British colonial government to open up a municipal cemetery for burial and the first municipal cemetery which is Bukit Brown was opened in January 1st, 1922. But it was defunct in 1973 as the government announced that all burials will be carried out outside the city.
Tan Kheam Hock (1862 - 1922) See Tiong Wah (1886 - 1940)
The Areas of Bukit Brown
Bukit Brown is actually a part of the cemetery. The researchers called the whole cemetery area as Greater Bukit Brown. It was divided into these areas.
- Bukit Brown
- Seh Ong
- Lao Sua
- Kopi Sua
- Grave of famous Teochew pioneer Seah Eu Chin
- Grave of famous pioneer Chia Ann Siang
The Unique of Bukit Brown
There are also many unique structures found in Bukit Brown, it is rarely seen in many parts of Singapore
1. The silk guards
The silk guards of Bukit Brown. Why are there statues of silk guards in the Bukit Brown cemetery?
The answer to this question is something to do with the history of silk guards in Singapore. The history of silk guards in Singapore started when British soldiers saw the bravely of the silk soldiers fighting against them while they are conquering India. So the British decide to employ the silk soldiers to be part of them and also for security.
The local people living in Singapore were impressed when they saw the bravely, diligent and loyaty of the silk soldiers and decided that they will be their symbolic guardian when they pass on and the silk guards became an ionic symbol of Bukit Brown. Currently there are 30 silk guards statue founded there.
Famous Chinese scholar Kang Youwei (seated at the middle) in Singapore protected by silk guards
A silk guard statue at the grave of Ong Sam Leong, the largest grave in Singapore with the size of two football fields
Grave of Ong Sam Leong
2. Decorative tiles
Another unique structure in Bukit Brown are the decorative tiles
Most of the decorative tiles are found on graves of peranakans and houses. The tiles are also very beautiful and are imported from countries like Japan and the United Kingdom. These tiles can be found in houses in the Katong area, Emerald Hill and also, it can be found in other countries like Malaysia and Cambodia
The decorative tiles on it.
Source: https://jenniferlimart.com/blog/2016/3/6/bukit-brown-cemetery, https://www.flickr.com/photos/zmackid/5911113039
3. Structures of final piety and stories
In Bukit Brown, there are also rarely structures of final piety carved or drawn on the graves.
Famous pioneers buried over there
There are a lot of famous pioneers buried at the cemetery, their names can be even heard in every Singaporean's lifes.
Boon Lay, located in Jurong West was named after a pioneer named Chew Boon Lay (1851 -1933) where he cultivated rubber, pepper and gambier in lands of Jurong. He is also nicknamed the Biscuit King of Singapore as he started a factory named the Ho Ho Biscuit Factory which made his early fortune. He died at aged 82 in 1933.
Chong Pang located in Yishun, was named after Lim Chong Pang (1904 - 1956), an influential businessman in Singapore in the 1940s and 1950s. He was also one of the son of the three Singaporean nobles which they support the Chinese Revolution to overthrow the Qing Empire, Lim Nee Soon, which Yishun New Town was named after him. Just like his father, he helped to open up the Sembawang area which now consist of Woodlands, Sembawang and Yishun by helping to improve the situation of the village like letting the villagers to have entertainment and improve the facilities there. When he died at July 21, 1956 at aged 52, the colonial government decided to renamed a village in Yishun, Westhill village, into Chong Pang village for what is now the Chong Pang area, to commemorate this influential pioneer.
The Joo Chiat area, located near Katong, was named after a native from Amoy, Chew Joo Chiat(1857 - 1926).
The area was used to be plantations of coconuts and rubber that was owned by him. He was nicknamed the King of Katong as he expanded to be property tycoon leaving behind properties and houses in the East Coast area which costs millions in the 1930s. When the colonial government decide to built roads expanding to the east, he gave without asking for compension. Predicting that the colonial government decide to built roads and infrastructures, he could make more money by transporting his copra and rubber. He died at aged 69 on February 5, 1926.
Bukit Ho Swee in Bukit Merah, was named after a influential Chinese opium and spirit farmer, Tay Ho Swee (1834 - 1903). Actually he is not a farmer, he is a person who collect taxes on these items and at that time, those people are referred as farmers and spirit actually referred to alcohol. He used to have a plantation of gambier, pepper at the Bukit Ho Swee and Outram area. And also his signature often appeared in the proposal of the Chinese to the British government. Bukit Ho Swee was named after him in his honour and it was the first hill to be named after a Chinese.
Have you heard of Hong Lim Park? Where there used to have demonstrations going on, like the protests about the population white paper and the pink dot movement? The place was named after a famous philanthropist and a Kapitan Cina named Cheang Hong Lim (1841 - 1893). He was also famous for being an opium farmer where he and Seah Eu Chin, Tan Seng Poh and Tan Hiok Nee, set up the Kongkek company which control the trade of gambier, opium, spirit and pepper of Singapore and Johor and even Malacca and the Riau Islands. In 1876, he donated $3000 to built the Dunman Green for the people to come and enjoy and rest which is now Hong Lim Park.
Other famous people buried there
Seah Eu Chin (1805 - 1883), a influential Teochew leader in the 19th century, nicknamed the King of Gambier of Singapore where he became rich of the planting of both pepper and gambier which his plantations stretch from River Valley to Bukit Timah.
Ann Siang Hill, was named after Chia Ann Siang (1832 - 1892), one of the leading Hokkien merchants from Malacca.
2. Tiong Bahru
Sources: http://www.nhb.gov.sg/~/media/nhb/files/places/trails/tiong%20bahru/tiongbahru.pdf?la=en
The Origins of Tiong Bahru
The meaning of Tiong Bahru is actually new cemetery where the place used to be a cemetery for the Hokkiens until the 1920s, where the colonial government announced to clear the cemetery to make way for a housing estate, due to the unhygienic situation in the area. Tiong Bahru is the oldest housing estate in Singapore.
The heritage of Tiong Bahru
Tiong Bahru has a rich heritage of history. I will write the following Tiong Bahru Heritage sites
1) The origins & development of Tiong Bahru
The Tiong Bahru Cemetery before developing into a housing estate and Seng Poh Garden Market in 1953
2) Bird corner & Former Hu Lu Temple
The bird corner was a famous sites that attracted many tourists and curious on-lookers. A major landmark there was once a Chinese temple named Hu Lu Temple. Some locals believe that this temple has been set up in the early 1800s and the building constructed in 1918. The temple was built by migrants from Nan'an, a county in southern Fujian province to dedicate to their patron deity Guangze Zunwang.
3) Graves of Tan Tock Seng, Chua Seah Neo & Wuing Ye Ho
Tan Tock Seng was one of the famous pioneers and Chinese Kapitan who influence Singapore in the 19th century by donating money to built one of the oldest Hokkien temple Thian Hock Keng. He also donated $7000 to built the Tan Tock Seng hospital in 1844 as he saw many poor and sick people. He died on February 24, 1850 and was buried at Tiong Bahru Cemetery. His daughter-in-law Chua Seah Neo and his granddaughter in law, Wuing Ye Ho both died in 1882 and was both buried at the cemetery. It was unsure where Wuing Ye Ho was buried, some researchers felt that she was buried together with Chua Seah Neo. The graves located there are the remnants of the Tiong Bahru Cemetery.
4) The Outram Precinct
The place was located near the former institute of health. Outram was named after Lieutenant-General James Outram as he fought the Indian Mutiny.
5) Monkey God Temple
The Tiong Bahru Monkey God Temple was founded in 1920s in a small attap hut located across Eng Hoon Street and was moved to the current site of 44 Eng Hoon Street in 1938. The temple is dedicated to the Monkey God, Sun Wukong from the 16th century fable, Journey to the West. At this temple, we can see ten statues of the Monkey God which are almost a century old.
6) The Architecture of Tiong Bahru
The buildings of Tiong Bahru over the decades. The flats in Tiong Bahru are hardly seen in other parts of Singapore. The architecture there are a mixture of Streamline Moderne from Britain and local Straits Settlements shophouses. Also is a iconic represents of Tiong Bahru.
7) Tiong Bahru Community Centre
The Tiong Bahru Community Centre was the very first community centre of Singapore and was established with the cost of $20,000 and opened in 1951.
8) Seng Poh Garden & Dancing Girl Sculpture
The dancing girl sculpture was unveiled by then Minister of Interior and Defence, Lim Kim San. It was chosen by a Sarawakian born sculptor, Lim Nan Seng (1916 - 1987) as being asked by the MP of Tiong Bahru, Ch'ng Jit Koon, as he was anxious that the estate green spaces will be given greater prominence.
9) The Horse Shoe Block
These horse-shoe blocks at Moh Guan Terrace and Guan Chuan Street were built between 1939 to 1940. Block 78 is one of the largest block of flats in Tiong Bahru and is unique for two reasons. Actually these blocks bestride both Moh Guan Terrace and Guan Chuan street. And also a section in Guan Chuan Street features an Air Raid Shelter in case of emergency.
10) Design of Tiong Bahru Flats
The flats of Tiong Bahru over the decades.
The main roads and streets of Tiong Bahru
Many streets and road names in Tiong Bahru are named after many famous Chinese pioneers of Singapore.
Chay Yan street, was named after Tan Chay Yan (1870 - 1916), the great grandson of a famous Kapitan Cina Tan Tock Seng (1798 - 1850), was one of the businessman who pushed the development of the rubber industrial of both Malaya and Singapore.
Moh Guan Terrance, was named after See Moh Guan (? - 1879), the son of the influential Chinese leader of both Singapore and Malacca, See Hood Kee (1793 - 1847) (the photo below Moh Guan Terrance and See Moh Guan in Chinese Qing official uniform). The See family is one of the influential Hokkien families of Singapore before the families of Tan Tock Seng (1798 - 1850) and Tan Kim Seng (1805 - 1864).
Tan Tock Seng and Tan Kim Seng, both them and their families have big influence in Singapore other than See Hood Kee.
Kim Pong Road was named after a Chinese businessman, Chinese community leader and philanthropist, Low Kim Pong (1837 - 1909). In the early days, he opened up a Traditional Chinese Medicine shop which made him rich. He positively attended and helped the Chinese Affairs of Singapore. As he is also a devout Buddhist, he built a Buddhist Monastery located in Toa Payoh named Siong Lim Temple, which is now one of the landmarks of Singapore.
The Siong Lim Temple
Seng Poh Road, Seng Poh Garden and Seng Poh Lane, was named after a famous Teochew opium farmer, Tan Seng Poh (1830 - 1879), who is the son of the Kapitan Cina of Perak, Tan Ah Hun and was the brother-in-law of the inflential Teochew leader, Seah Eu Chin. He was once being offered by the then Johor Sultan Abu Bakar, the Kapitan Cina of Johor, but he rejected the Sultan's offer.
Yong Siak Street was named after a Teochew merchant named Tan Yong Siak (1835 - 1914). He became rich when his business of boats travelling between Indonesia and British Malaya and also involved in the agriculture of the Siam Rice and local products.
3. Queenstown
Sources: http://mycommunity.org.sg/demos/sync.html
The Origins of Queenstown
Queenstown was used to be known as Boh Beh Kang or as the river with no source. Queenstown was named after Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdon to mark her coronation in 1952 after the death of her father, King George VI. Queenstown is also the oldest and the first sattellite town in Singapore when the construction of Princess Margaret Estate in July 1952.
The Heritage sites of Queenstown
There are 40 heritage sites marked in Queenstown
The Tanglin Chap Lak Lao which means the 16 floors of Tanglin It was being called Chap Lak Lao by Hokkien speakers as they do not knew the English language of the road names there. As they saw that there are 16 floors from the HDB flat, they decide to call it Tanglin Chap Lak Lao.
The Block 85 & 86 Commonwealth Crescent. Some people will find a patch of garden behind the blocks of 85 & 86 similar and was once when one of the founding fathers of Singapore, Lee Kuan Yew, stood there as he was seeing the peoples' living in that area.
The Hang Jebat Mosque. The mosque was named after a legendary Malay warrior Hang Jebat that lived during the era of the Sultanate of Malacca and he was one of the greatest silat exponents of Malaysia. It was one of the few of the kampong generation mosque left and the mosque was iconic due to close proximity of the former Malayan Railway.
4. The importance of heritage
a
So, why is heritage so important to us? It is because these heritage sites have overseen the growth of Singapore from the past till now. It also shows the rich heritage that Singapore has which like similar to both Penang and Malacca. The heritage sites show the identity and the culture of Singapore. We should cherish and be proud that Singapore had a rich heritage and also enriching our lives. There are also more heritage other then Bukit Brown, Tiong Bahru and Queenstown. Like Chinatown, Kampong Glam, Little India, Jurong, Katong and many other heritage trails. Do get to know more of them.
I will show these following heritage sites
1. Bukit Brown
http://www.iremember.sg/index.php/2015/11/memory-makers-bukit-brown-caretakers/
Sources: https://mymindisrojak.blogspot.com/, http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP_1550_2009-08-29.html, http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP_1496_2009-04-03.html, https://mymindisrojak.blogspot.com/2013/07/chew-joo-chiat-bukit-brown.html, https://mymindisrojak.blogspot.com/2011/12/sikh-guards-at-bukit-brown.html
The origins of the name and the place
First of all
First of all, why was the place called Bukit Brown and why does this place exist. I will first write about the origins of the name
The word bukit means hill in Malay as there are over nine hills over that area. But due to the a plan that was came out in 2011 that the Land Transport Authority announced that a new four dual lane road to be built and it runs over Bukit Brown, It is now left with only five hills in that area.
Brown is actually referring to a British gentleman named George Henry Brown that arrived during the era of the Straits Settlements of Singapore in the 1840s. The area used to be a land of coffee plantation that belongs to him and his residence was at Mount Pleasant which his residence still now exist there located at Mount Pleasant road.
George Henry Brown his
daughter George Henry Brown's grave in
Penang
The second part, why does Bukit Brown exist and built? During the 19th and early 20th century, there are lots of migrants from China, migrating to Nanyang (which means South Seas which refer to Southeast Asia in the past by the Chinese) to find a living and Singapore by then part of British Malaya was one of the destinations.
While migrating to Singapore, the Chinese need to take a week from their homelands in China, (majority from the provinces of Southern China, Fujian, Guangdong and Hainan island and minorities from Shanghai of Northern province of China) some of them died while on the ship down to Singapore due to the problems in the ship, like malnutrition. So while the ship arrived in Singapore, some people will go to find their ancestry and bring them to the cemeteries which are cared by the Chinese Associations.
Like example that the deceased is a Teochew, the corpse will be brought to Tai San Teng, that was located at Orchard Road and was the largest Teochew Cemetery in Singapore, but the cemetery was exhumed in 1951 and the current site now is Takashimaya and Ngee Ann city. If the deceased is a Hakka, the corpse will be brought to to Shuang Long Shan Hakka cemetery, located at Holland Village where while we are inside the East-west line, we can get to see the cemetery, if the deceased is a Cantonese, he will be brought to Bishan, where the largest Catonese cemetery is located. While for the Hokkiens, as they are the majority, there are Hokkien Cemetery all over Singapore. There is a Hokkien cemetery located near Bukit Brown which is named Kopi Sua
The Tai Shan Ting cemetery, the largest Teochew Cemetery of Singapore (currently the site of Takashimaya and Ngee Ann City) in the 1950s
The Shuang Long Shan Hakka cemetery in Holland Village
The Kwong Wai Siew Peck San Teng Cemetery in the 1970s, currently now Bishan New Town
The Kopi Sua Hokkien Cemetery
By then in 1920s, all the land of the cemeteries are being used up, at this time there were two men, Tan Kheam Hock and See Tiong Wah, stand up in the legistrative council, and asked the British colonial government to open up a municipal cemetery for burial and the first municipal cemetery which is Bukit Brown was opened in January 1st, 1922. But it was defunct in 1973 as the government announced that all burials will be carried out outside the city.
Tan Kheam Hock (1862 - 1922) See Tiong Wah (1886 - 1940)
The Areas of Bukit Brown
Bukit Brown is actually a part of the cemetery. The researchers called the whole cemetery area as Greater Bukit Brown. It was divided into these areas.
- Bukit Brown
- Seh Ong
- Lao Sua
- Kopi Sua
- Grave of famous Teochew pioneer Seah Eu Chin
- Grave of famous pioneer Chia Ann Siang
The Unique of Bukit Brown
There are also many unique structures found in Bukit Brown, it is rarely seen in many parts of Singapore
1. The silk guards
The silk guards of Bukit Brown. Why are there statues of silk guards in the Bukit Brown cemetery?
The answer to this question is something to do with the history of silk guards in Singapore. The history of silk guards in Singapore started when British soldiers saw the bravely of the silk soldiers fighting against them while they are conquering India. So the British decide to employ the silk soldiers to be part of them and also for security.
The local people living in Singapore were impressed when they saw the bravely, diligent and loyaty of the silk soldiers and decided that they will be their symbolic guardian when they pass on and the silk guards became an ionic symbol of Bukit Brown. Currently there are 30 silk guards statue founded there.
Famous Chinese scholar Kang Youwei (seated at the middle) in Singapore protected by silk guards
A silk guard statue at the grave of Ong Sam Leong, the largest grave in Singapore with the size of two football fields
Grave of Ong Sam Leong
2. Decorative tiles
Another unique structure in Bukit Brown are the decorative tiles
Most of the decorative tiles are found on graves of peranakans and houses. The tiles are also very beautiful and are imported from countries like Japan and the United Kingdom. These tiles can be found in houses in the Katong area, Emerald Hill and also, it can be found in other countries like Malaysia and Cambodia
The decorative tiles on it.
Source: https://jenniferlimart.com/blog/2016/3/6/bukit-brown-cemetery, https://www.flickr.com/photos/zmackid/5911113039
3. Structures of final piety and stories
In Bukit Brown, there are also rarely structures of final piety carved or drawn on the graves.
Famous pioneers buried over there
There are a lot of famous pioneers buried at the cemetery, their names can be even heard in every Singaporean's lifes.
Boon Lay, located in Jurong West was named after a pioneer named Chew Boon Lay (1851 -1933) where he cultivated rubber, pepper and gambier in lands of Jurong. He is also nicknamed the Biscuit King of Singapore as he started a factory named the Ho Ho Biscuit Factory which made his early fortune. He died at aged 82 in 1933.
Chong Pang located in Yishun, was named after Lim Chong Pang (1904 - 1956), an influential businessman in Singapore in the 1940s and 1950s. He was also one of the son of the three Singaporean nobles which they support the Chinese Revolution to overthrow the Qing Empire, Lim Nee Soon, which Yishun New Town was named after him. Just like his father, he helped to open up the Sembawang area which now consist of Woodlands, Sembawang and Yishun by helping to improve the situation of the village like letting the villagers to have entertainment and improve the facilities there. When he died at July 21, 1956 at aged 52, the colonial government decided to renamed a village in Yishun, Westhill village, into Chong Pang village for what is now the Chong Pang area, to commemorate this influential pioneer.
The Joo Chiat area, located near Katong, was named after a native from Amoy, Chew Joo Chiat(1857 - 1926).
The area was used to be plantations of coconuts and rubber that was owned by him. He was nicknamed the King of Katong as he expanded to be property tycoon leaving behind properties and houses in the East Coast area which costs millions in the 1930s. When the colonial government decide to built roads expanding to the east, he gave without asking for compension. Predicting that the colonial government decide to built roads and infrastructures, he could make more money by transporting his copra and rubber. He died at aged 69 on February 5, 1926.
Bukit Ho Swee in Bukit Merah, was named after a influential Chinese opium and spirit farmer, Tay Ho Swee (1834 - 1903). Actually he is not a farmer, he is a person who collect taxes on these items and at that time, those people are referred as farmers and spirit actually referred to alcohol. He used to have a plantation of gambier, pepper at the Bukit Ho Swee and Outram area. And also his signature often appeared in the proposal of the Chinese to the British government. Bukit Ho Swee was named after him in his honour and it was the first hill to be named after a Chinese.
Have you heard of Hong Lim Park? Where there used to have demonstrations going on, like the protests about the population white paper and the pink dot movement? The place was named after a famous philanthropist and a Kapitan Cina named Cheang Hong Lim (1841 - 1893). He was also famous for being an opium farmer where he and Seah Eu Chin, Tan Seng Poh and Tan Hiok Nee, set up the Kongkek company which control the trade of gambier, opium, spirit and pepper of Singapore and Johor and even Malacca and the Riau Islands. In 1876, he donated $3000 to built the Dunman Green for the people to come and enjoy and rest which is now Hong Lim Park.
Other famous people buried there
Seah Eu Chin (1805 - 1883), a influential Teochew leader in the 19th century, nicknamed the King of Gambier of Singapore where he became rich of the planting of both pepper and gambier which his plantations stretch from River Valley to Bukit Timah.
Ann Siang Hill, was named after Chia Ann Siang (1832 - 1892), one of the leading Hokkien merchants from Malacca.
2. Tiong Bahru
Sources: http://www.nhb.gov.sg/~/media/nhb/files/places/trails/tiong%20bahru/tiongbahru.pdf?la=en
The Origins of Tiong Bahru
The meaning of Tiong Bahru is actually new cemetery where the place used to be a cemetery for the Hokkiens until the 1920s, where the colonial government announced to clear the cemetery to make way for a housing estate, due to the unhygienic situation in the area. Tiong Bahru is the oldest housing estate in Singapore.
The heritage of Tiong Bahru
Tiong Bahru has a rich heritage of history. I will write the following Tiong Bahru Heritage sites
1) The origins & development of Tiong Bahru
The Tiong Bahru Cemetery before developing into a housing estate and Seng Poh Garden Market in 1953
2) Bird corner & Former Hu Lu Temple
The bird corner was a famous sites that attracted many tourists and curious on-lookers. A major landmark there was once a Chinese temple named Hu Lu Temple. Some locals believe that this temple has been set up in the early 1800s and the building constructed in 1918. The temple was built by migrants from Nan'an, a county in southern Fujian province to dedicate to their patron deity Guangze Zunwang.
3) Graves of Tan Tock Seng, Chua Seah Neo & Wuing Ye Ho
Tan Tock Seng was one of the famous pioneers and Chinese Kapitan who influence Singapore in the 19th century by donating money to built one of the oldest Hokkien temple Thian Hock Keng. He also donated $7000 to built the Tan Tock Seng hospital in 1844 as he saw many poor and sick people. He died on February 24, 1850 and was buried at Tiong Bahru Cemetery. His daughter-in-law Chua Seah Neo and his granddaughter in law, Wuing Ye Ho both died in 1882 and was both buried at the cemetery. It was unsure where Wuing Ye Ho was buried, some researchers felt that she was buried together with Chua Seah Neo. The graves located there are the remnants of the Tiong Bahru Cemetery.
4) The Outram Precinct
The place was located near the former institute of health. Outram was named after Lieutenant-General James Outram as he fought the Indian Mutiny.
5) Monkey God Temple
The Tiong Bahru Monkey God Temple was founded in 1920s in a small attap hut located across Eng Hoon Street and was moved to the current site of 44 Eng Hoon Street in 1938. The temple is dedicated to the Monkey God, Sun Wukong from the 16th century fable, Journey to the West. At this temple, we can see ten statues of the Monkey God which are almost a century old.
6) The Architecture of Tiong Bahru
The buildings of Tiong Bahru over the decades. The flats in Tiong Bahru are hardly seen in other parts of Singapore. The architecture there are a mixture of Streamline Moderne from Britain and local Straits Settlements shophouses. Also is a iconic represents of Tiong Bahru.
7) Tiong Bahru Community Centre
The Tiong Bahru Community Centre was the very first community centre of Singapore and was established with the cost of $20,000 and opened in 1951.
8) Seng Poh Garden & Dancing Girl Sculpture
The dancing girl sculpture was unveiled by then Minister of Interior and Defence, Lim Kim San. It was chosen by a Sarawakian born sculptor, Lim Nan Seng (1916 - 1987) as being asked by the MP of Tiong Bahru, Ch'ng Jit Koon, as he was anxious that the estate green spaces will be given greater prominence.
9) The Horse Shoe Block
These horse-shoe blocks at Moh Guan Terrace and Guan Chuan Street were built between 1939 to 1940. Block 78 is one of the largest block of flats in Tiong Bahru and is unique for two reasons. Actually these blocks bestride both Moh Guan Terrace and Guan Chuan street. And also a section in Guan Chuan Street features an Air Raid Shelter in case of emergency.
10) Design of Tiong Bahru Flats
The flats of Tiong Bahru over the decades.
The main roads and streets of Tiong Bahru
Many streets and road names in Tiong Bahru are named after many famous Chinese pioneers of Singapore.
Chay Yan street, was named after Tan Chay Yan (1870 - 1916), the great grandson of a famous Kapitan Cina Tan Tock Seng (1798 - 1850), was one of the businessman who pushed the development of the rubber industrial of both Malaya and Singapore.
Moh Guan Terrance, was named after See Moh Guan (? - 1879), the son of the influential Chinese leader of both Singapore and Malacca, See Hood Kee (1793 - 1847) (the photo below Moh Guan Terrance and See Moh Guan in Chinese Qing official uniform). The See family is one of the influential Hokkien families of Singapore before the families of Tan Tock Seng (1798 - 1850) and Tan Kim Seng (1805 - 1864).
Tan Tock Seng and Tan Kim Seng, both them and their families have big influence in Singapore other than See Hood Kee.
Kim Pong Road was named after a Chinese businessman, Chinese community leader and philanthropist, Low Kim Pong (1837 - 1909). In the early days, he opened up a Traditional Chinese Medicine shop which made him rich. He positively attended and helped the Chinese Affairs of Singapore. As he is also a devout Buddhist, he built a Buddhist Monastery located in Toa Payoh named Siong Lim Temple, which is now one of the landmarks of Singapore.
The Siong Lim Temple
Seng Poh Road, Seng Poh Garden and Seng Poh Lane, was named after a famous Teochew opium farmer, Tan Seng Poh (1830 - 1879), who is the son of the Kapitan Cina of Perak, Tan Ah Hun and was the brother-in-law of the inflential Teochew leader, Seah Eu Chin. He was once being offered by the then Johor Sultan Abu Bakar, the Kapitan Cina of Johor, but he rejected the Sultan's offer.
Yong Siak Street was named after a Teochew merchant named Tan Yong Siak (1835 - 1914). He became rich when his business of boats travelling between Indonesia and British Malaya and also involved in the agriculture of the Siam Rice and local products.
3. Queenstown
Sources: http://mycommunity.org.sg/demos/sync.html
The Origins of Queenstown
Queenstown was used to be known as Boh Beh Kang or as the river with no source. Queenstown was named after Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdon to mark her coronation in 1952 after the death of her father, King George VI. Queenstown is also the oldest and the first sattellite town in Singapore when the construction of Princess Margaret Estate in July 1952.
The Heritage sites of Queenstown
There are 40 heritage sites marked in Queenstown
The Tanglin Chap Lak Lao which means the 16 floors of Tanglin It was being called Chap Lak Lao by Hokkien speakers as they do not knew the English language of the road names there. As they saw that there are 16 floors from the HDB flat, they decide to call it Tanglin Chap Lak Lao.
The Block 85 & 86 Commonwealth Crescent. Some people will find a patch of garden behind the blocks of 85 & 86 similar and was once when one of the founding fathers of Singapore, Lee Kuan Yew, stood there as he was seeing the peoples' living in that area.
The Hang Jebat Mosque. The mosque was named after a legendary Malay warrior Hang Jebat that lived during the era of the Sultanate of Malacca and he was one of the greatest silat exponents of Malaysia. It was one of the few of the kampong generation mosque left and the mosque was iconic due to close proximity of the former Malayan Railway.
4. The importance of heritage
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So, why is heritage so important to us? It is because these heritage sites have overseen the growth of Singapore from the past till now. It also shows the rich heritage that Singapore has which like similar to both Penang and Malacca. The heritage sites show the identity and the culture of Singapore. We should cherish and be proud that Singapore had a rich heritage and also enriching our lives. There are also more heritage other then Bukit Brown, Tiong Bahru and Queenstown. Like Chinatown, Kampong Glam, Little India, Jurong, Katong and many other heritage trails. Do get to know more of them.
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