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Haw Par Villa

Singapore

By Mundane Babble

June 9^th, 2019

Originally named 'Tiger Balm Gardens", it was built by a pair of Burmese-Chinese brothers Aw Boon Haw and Aw Boon Par who migrated to Singapore. The brothers were famous for making their fortune selling Tiger Balm and other Tiger brand related products. In the original concept of the park, it was a place to showcase Tiger Balm products. The garden was built on private property but was open to public whilst the private family villa sat on the top of the hill.

The accents of Chinese traditional architecture such as gateways, ponds and pagodas is found throughout the garden. It is known that 5 artisans (2 brothers from Swatow China, a pair of Singaporean brothers and one other Singaporean artisan) were responsible for the over 1000 statutes as well as 150 giant dioramas scattered throughout the garden. The majority of the sculptures were built between 1937 and 1954 with some newer sculptures added by the nephew of the Aw brothers after 1954.

In the days of yore, before the advent of television and the internet, entertainment and passing time entails a visit to Haw Par Villa. I am quite sure, those of us Singaporeans aged above 40, will have that one photo taken at Haw Par Villa in our childhood either in front of the two Sumo Wrestlers or the Laughing Buddha.

The park is a treasure trove of sculptures and depiction of scenes from famous Chinese folklore and mythology as well as Chinese values which are held in high regard such as loyalty and filial piety. Thrown in the mix are also Taoist and Buddhist stories. For those who are learned in Chinese literature and culture will be fascinated with the scenes from the stories we hear so often, coming alive in the many story boards with the intricate sculptures. This was as good as it got before television became a common place. Seeing something, you could previously only read and imagine in your head, in concrete form was quite a novelty. Hence the park was a really popular destination for locals in its heyday.

In 1986, the Singapore government acquired the park and made plans to develop it into a Theme Park. The Haw Par Villa Dragon Park opened to much fanfare in 1990 and was swarmed by visitors in its first 2 years of operation. But the 60-metre boat ride in the park proved gimmicky and underwhelming for most visitors to pay for an entrance fee, visitorship soon fell to the doldrums. The park made losses till 2001 when it finally closed.

Today, admission to the park is free but there are barely any visitors. The younger generation hardly find the static displays interesting. With many other more exciting tourist attractions, Haw Par Villa has also sadly been relegated to the bottom of any 'must visit' list of tourists.

A similar Tiger Balm Garden in Hong Kong was built by the Haw Par Brothers. However, in 2004, a large part of the park was bulldozed to make way for 4 condominium buildings. Today, only the Haw Par Mansion and its private garden in Hong Kong has been conserved.

Thankfully, here in Singapore, one of the conditions for the Haw Par Family to hand over the Tiger Balm Garden in Singapore to the government was that the place would be preserved. It is truly one of kind and unlike anything in the world. Now, even more so precious because the Tiger Balm Garden in Hong Kong is gone.

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Pagodas, Pond & Bridges

Entrance to Hell

The words on the boulder is a Chinese saying that it is never too late to mend your ways. However be prepared to face the consequences if you do not.

The Ten Courts of Hell

In Chinese mythology loosely based on Buddhist and Taoist beliefs, the dead are taken through the Ten Courts of Hell to face punishment for any wrong doings committed during their lifetime. Many of the central figures of Hell mentioned below are feared for obvious reasons - we will never get to meet them till we are dead.

Many who have been on the brink of death in hospitals swear that they have seen the Ox-head and Horse-faced guards standing by their bedsides waiting to take them away if they pass. Many of the sick and dying in their dishevelled state are also known to plead with the guards not to take them away.

Ox-head and Horse-face, the two guardians at the Gates of the Ten Courts of Hell. They are the escorts of the newly dead to the Underworld.

护法使者- Hu Fa Shi Zhe is the green faced monster who is the upholder of the laws of the Ten Courts of Hell.

地藏王- Di Zang Wang is the Buddhist Boddhisattva who is in charge of the Ten Courts of Hell.

FIRST COURT OF HELL

I would like to imagine Hell to be like a 10-storey building with elevators to bring you to the appropriate level for the corresponding punishments to be meted out.

The first stop would be a hearing with King Qinguang (秦广王) for him to decide if you should be rewarded or punished for the past deeds of your life. For those who have led a virtuous life, they would cross the Golden Bridge to paradise. Similarly, those who have done more good deeds than misdeeds would be led to paradise via the Silver Bridge. Bad news for those who have done evil deeds in their past life. They would be led to the appropriate Court of Hell where gory punishment awaits them. On the way they would be brought to the 'Mirror of Retribution' to repent for their sins.

Every court has a specific punishment for every sin. Sins range from stealing, prostitution, disrespect to parents, murder and so forth. Punishment range a gamut from dismemberment of body parts to freezing to boiling in hot oil. Not for the squeamish. the punishments border on sadomasochistic but it is what the Chinese Buddhist and Taoist believe will happen after death.

As a child, I remember my parents telling me that if I told lies, I would be punished by having my tongue pulled out and cut. That truly frightened the hell (literally) out of me for a while!

SECOND COURT OF HELL

THIRD COURT OF HELL

FOURTH COURT OF HELL

FIFTH COURT OF HELL

SIXTH COURT OF HELL

SEVENTH COURT OF HELL

EIGHTH COURT OF HELL

NINTH COURT OF HELL

TENTH COURT OF HELL

In the Tenth Court of Hell, when all the punishment is done for, a decision will be made on the next life of the sinners. Depending on the severity of the sins committed in their past life, sinners will be reborn as animals or humans. Some will be reborn into a life of ease and comfort while others will be born into sorrow and suffering.

The sinners will also be told to drink a cup of magic soup from a lady named Men Po (孟婆) to forget their past lives and all punishments that they have been through.

24 Filial Exemplars

At first look, one of the scenes depicted by a lady breastfeeding an old woman seems vulgar. However, it is actually a story from one of the 24 filial exemplars from a classic Confucian text. It is the story of Madam Tang who breastfed her mother-in-law for years because she was old and had lost all her teeth. Breast milk became her only source of sustenance.

Madam Tang breast-feeding her mother-in-law who was old and had lost all her teeth. The old lady could no longer eat solid food so breast milk became her sustenance.

Carousel Sculpture

This sculpture has been carefully restored but unfortunately there was no plaque explaining the scenes in the sculpture.

Aw Chu Kin Memorial

This is the tallest of 4 memorials in the park. It was built by Aw Boon Haw in memory of his parents Aw Chu Kin and Lee Kim Peck.

Fu Lu Shou

Tale of Madam White Snake

Journey to the West

Journey to the West is one of the Four Great Classic Novels of Chinese Literature. The 16th Century novel covers the epic journey of a monk called Tan Sanzang and his 3 disciples Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing as well as a dragon prince in the form of a white steed.

Virtues and Vices Tableaux

Each diorama tells a story revolving around friendship, loyalty, determination, hardworking, gratitude, religious piety and thriftiness. These are values which many Chinese still hold dear to today and try their best to practise.