New York City Tourism in a Blink

By: Naveen Marasinghe
 

The Villa of the Tiger and Leopard or Haw Par Villa was built by ‘Tiger Balm King’ Aw Boon Haw as a residence for his younger brother Aw Boon Par. The two brothers had together amassed a fortune by creating an analgesic balm. The Tiger Balm King then proceeded to build an entertainment park to teach and preserve Chinese values.

To achieve its goal the Park features over 1,000 statues and 150 giant tableaux vivants representing Chinese folklore, legends, history and Confucian ideology. These depict morality tales featuring classic battles between good and evil as well as honouring Chinese cultural heroes such as the famous pugilist Wu Song and his famed feat of taming a tiger with his bare hands. Mythological characters like the Laughing Buddha and the Fu Lu Shou also make appearances.

One of the most vivid exhibits at Haw Par Villa is the Ten Courts of Hell. The exhibit depicts a detailed vision of the tens steps of judgment that must be passed before reincarnation. Other attractions include a scowling 7,0000 KG gorilla, a monstrous sumo wrestler, the statue of liberty, and Thai dancers.

Besides the main attraction the Haw Par Villa also houses The Jade House and the Tiger Car. The Jade house displays a collection of Jades that were collected by the Aw family over the years. However to enter the Jade House a token fee has to be paid.

The Tiger Car is a vintage car that has been modified to look like a tiger. This car is a replica of the one that was owned by Aw Boon Haw himself. Access to this attraction is free of charge.

The exhibits in Haw Par Villa immortalize Chinese moral values and cultural heritage and will continue to do so for generations to come. Visitors to Singapore should not miss this glimpse in to ancient Chinese culture and values.

The park is open daily from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm and admission is free except for The Jade House. The easiest way to get to the park if you’re staying at a hotel in Singapore is to use the Singapore MRT system. The Copthorne Orchid Hotel Singapore is one hotel that is near an MRT station.