ROAM Magazine

Magazine for the free-spirited travellers • Dec 2022 Big Trails & Thrils: Little India! The Glam That Hasn’t Lost Its Shine Always Buzzing, Always Chinatown

p2 • foreword The” “WondMeYroorueTWYheoMaunodreer

Contents p4. Big Trails & Thrills: Little India! p12. The Glam That Hasn’t Lost Its Shine p18. Always Buzzing, Always Chinatown contents • p3

Big Trails & Thrills: Little p4 •

India The distinctive Little India precinct melds the old with the new, hosting trades from the past beside modern businesses, old conserved shophouses next to high rise buildings. In this precinct, you can find flower garland vendors next to restaurants serving both traditional and fusion meals, small traditional businesses alongside multi-storey departmental stores. And these are just some ways in which the precinct retains aspects of its history within today’s modern context. Source: NHB Little India Trail Booklet 2018 Photos: Fiona Lay • p5

It is interesting to note TRAIL 1: SERANGOON IN THE 1900s that Little India was never 40 Minutes designated by Sir Stamford Raffles as an area for the The early 20th century was a defining period Indian community. This that shaped today’s Little India as migrants from is unlike Chinatown or India, China and Britain settled in the area and Kampong Gelam, which were established a diversity of trades and institutions. designated for the Chinese Follow this trail and explore the rich history of the and the Malays respectively Little India precinct. in the Raffles Town Plan of 1823. Before Little India Begin your journey at the Indian Heritage Centre got its current name in the and obtain an overview of the history of the 1970s-80s, it was just known Indian community in Singapore. Then walk down as Serangoon, after one of the Serangoon Road and cross over to Kerbau Road, earliest roads in Singapore whose name refers to the buffaloes that were kept and indicated as the “road here in the 1900s. leading across the island” on an 1828 map. Through the Little India (Deepavali decorations against shophouses) Heritage Trail, discover how this once swampy, rural Walking along this road, you area transformed itself into will come across the colourful the colourful and culturally Former House of Tan Teng diverse precinct of today. Niah. The only remaining This self-guided trail consists Chinese villa in Little India, of a Trail Booklet, a Trail Map this is a legacy of the time and onsite Trail Markers. when small Chinese cottage The Trail Booklet provides industries thrived alongside a history of the area, as well the Indian-dominated cattle as information about the trade in this area. places of heritage, social and cultural interest. The Turn around and walk accompanying Trail Map towards Belilios Lane where offers three thematic sub- you will spot the large mural trails with translations in Mandarin, Malay and Tamil while the Trail Markers showcase old photographs of the site along with further information. We hope you enjoy your journey! p6 • Big Trails & Thrills: Little India!

working class immigrants from Foochow, China, such as rickshaw pullers and coolies. (Former house of Tan Teng Niah) Continuing along Race Course Road, keep a lookout Traditional Trades of Little India by Psyfool. on the left for a small Continue towards Belilios Road and turn right to unnamed street where you the Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple which was built will encounter the origins of as a shrine by Tamil workers from the lime pits in this road name in the form this area. From here, turn left onto Serangoon Road of a mural entitled A Ride and left again onto Race Course Lane. Through Race Course Road by Jaxton Su. The Former At Race Course Lane, you will encounter a Racecourse was at the number of Chinese Clan Associations which were location of the current Farrer established to provide social and economic support Park Field just opposite. for Chinese immigrants from the same clans. Turn left onto Race Course Road and you will come Along Hampshire Road across the Foochow Methodist Church at the corner beside the field, you will of Rotan Lane. The church was see the Former Kandang established in 1897 as a Christian mission for Kerbau Hospital (now the Land Transport Authority building) which served as general hospital in the 1900s. In the background, you can also spot the distinctive shape of the new KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital building. (Traditional Trades of Little India by Psyfool) Big Trails & Thrills: Little India! • p7

If you are hungry or wish to rest your feet, TRAIL 2: WALK OF walk straight down to Tekka Centre, which is the FAITHS new incarnation of the Tekka Market that was 1 Hour once located across the road and considered the “people’s market”. Here you can enjoy local hawker fare, or purchase fresh meat to cook at home. Then it’s a short walk to Little India MRT station for a ride home. (Mural of an elephant on the temple) The Little India precinct contains a great number and Start off at the beautiful Abdul Gafoor Mosque diversity of religious spaces. at Dunlop Street which is one of Singapore’s These institutions span across oldest mosques and a National Monument. You all the major ethnic and may wish to enter the mosque for a visit and if so, religious groups in Singapore. do remember to dress respectfully and take off This trail provides insights your shoes. From here, head down Perak Road into different religious spaces, to the Anglican Church of the True Light which architecture and practices catered mainly to Chinese trishaw riders during found in Singapore. its beginnings. At the end of Perak Road, turn left (Note: Most of these onto Upper Weld Road and then right to Kampong institutions are open to Kapor Road. Here you will see the architecturally the public but be sure to different Kampong Kapor Methodist Church which follow any instructions on started around the same time but catered to the appropriate behaviour Straits Chinese or Peranakans. and clothing.) Walk up Veerasamy Road and across Serangoon Road to the Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple (Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple) which was originally built as a shrine by Tamil workers from the lime pits in this area. Another Hindu temple and the only North Indian temple in Singapore, the Shree Lakshminarayan Temple is located down the next street at Chander Road. p8 • Big Trails & Thrills: Little India!

str“aIifgyhotudoawrenhtuonTgerkykoarCweinshtreto,”rest your feet, walk (Mural in Tekka Centre) Big Trails & Thrills: Little India! • p9

Then venture up Rotan Lane to view the Foochow Methodist Church which developed from a mission started in 1897 for working class immigrants from Foochow, China. After this, walk back down to Serangoon Road and head towards the Angullia Mosque to take a look at its conserved 19th century entrance gatehouse. Along the same road, you (Bell decoration along Veerasamy Rd) will encounter yet another National Monument, Next head up Beatty Road on to Race Course Road the Sri Srinivasa Perumal to view two Buddhist temples built in a completely Temple, with its intricately different style. The Sakya Muni Buddha Gaya carved gopuram (entrance Temple, popularly known as the “Temple of a tower) depicting a story from Thousand Lights”, houses a monumental 15-metre Hindu mythology. Further tall Buddha statue while the Leong San See Temple, down the road is the Sri meaning “Dragon Mountain Temple”, is dedicated Vadapathira Kaliamman to Guan Yin, the Goddess of Mercy. Temple with its stepped vimana (pyramid-shape tower over the main shrine) adorned with Hindu deities. (Deities along the temple) p10 • Big Trails & Thrills: Little India!

TRAIL 3: SHOP TILL YOU DROP! 30 Minutes (not inclusive of shopping time) Little India is home to many traditional businesses that offer experiences that cannot be found elsewhere in Singapore. This trail offers a chance to try authentic Indian food, purchase traditional clothing and hunt for bargains at various shops in this area. Start along Campbell Lane and experience the (Campbell Lane) kaleidoscope of sights, sounds and smells along this street. You can visit the Little India Arcade and After your break, walk down enjoy some Indian sweets or have a henna design the five-foot way (or covered drawn on your hands. Or you can head to the pedestrian walkway) along Jothi Store & Flower Shop where locals shop for Serangoon Road and enjoy everyday Indian goods ranging from incense sticks a variety of traditional to copper utensils. and modern shops selling everything from clothes to One street down at Dunlop Street is Haniffa Textiles knick-knacks. Feel free to which is famous for its saris and Indian clothing, stop and pick up a bargain and further down Serangoon Road is where you will or just window-shop along find Komala Vilas, an Indian vegetarian fast-food this stretch. restaurant established in 1947. Try their refreshing lassi or have a meal here if you’re hungry! (Garland shop) Ahead you will see the (Little India Arcade) expansive Mustafa Centre, Singapore’s first 24-hour department store which offers everything from diamonds, watches, electronics, clothing, confectionery and fresh foods. Shop to your heart’s content here, and when you start to feel tired, head across the road to Ananda Bhavan, Singapore’s oldest Indian vegetarian restaurant, for a snack or meal. Big Trails & Thrills: Little India! • p11

The story of Kampong Glam began in 1819 when Sir Stamford Raffles (1781–1826) established a treaty between the British East India Company, The Glam Lost Its p12 • The Glam That Hasn’t Lost Its Shine

Temenggong Abdul Rahman (d. 1825) and Sultan Hussein (1776–1835) to set up a trading post in Singapore. Source: NHB Kampong Glam Trail 3 Brochure Photos: Fiona Lay That Hasn’t Shine The Glam That Hasn’t Lost Its Shine • p13

Did you know that the stretch of These are just some of the stories Bussorah Street near Masjid Sultan was behind Kampong Glam’s streets and once known as Kampong Kaji (Pilgrim lanes. Steeped in history, culture and Village) and the stretch nearer Beach memories, Kampong Glam is one of Road was Kampong Tembaga (Copper Singapore’s most colourful districts. Village)? Or that Arab Street was called It was where the Malay royalty once Jawa Koi (Java Street) by the Chinese resided, and where one of the most and Pookadai sadakku (flower street) by significant and important mosques in the Tamils? Sultan Gate was lined with the country, Masjid Sultan, is located. It blacksmiths and Baghdad Street with was where many diverse communities, diamond craftsmen and traders. Where such as the Javanese, Sumatrans, a car park now stands along Kandahar Baweanese, Banjarese, Arabs, Chinese Street, there was the Pondok Java which and Indians once called home. Though housed Javanese migrants and was Kampong Glam is no longer a residential famed for the Javanese theatre and arts area today, these communities have performances it left their mark in different ways, from used to host. the buildings in the area and long-time businesses to vernacular place names. (Malay Herritage Centre) p14 • The Glam That Hasn’t Lost Its Shine

MALAY HERITAGE CENTRE 85 Sultan Gate The building housing the centre was once the residence of Malay royalty in Singapore and also referred to as “Istana Kampong Gelam” (Kampong Gelam Palace). It was preceded by at least two istana buildings which were part of a larger walled compound that has been referred to as the kota raja (royal citadel). The first istana in the compound, a large timber palace with attap roofs, was completed in 1819. Sultan Hussein stayed there for some years before moving to Melaka, where he passed away in 1835. His son, Tunku Ali (1825–1877) returned to (Malay Herritage Centre) Singapore in 1840 and commissioned the current building, which combines traditional Malay motifs with the Palladian style – a style derived from the architecture of Italian architect Andrea Palladio (1508-1580) which was popular in England in the 18th and 19th centuries. For years, the British refused to acknowledge Tunku Ali as sultan. In 1855, the Governor of the Straits Settlements William Butterworth (1801– 1856) negotiated a treaty between Tunku Ali and Ibrahim (d. 1865), son of the late Temenggong. Ali acquired the title of Sultan and received a fixed allowance from the government, while acknowledging Ibrahim as the ruler of Johor with the exception of Muar. When Sultan Ali passed away in 1877, his eldest son, Tungku Alam (d. 1891), was not recognised by the British as Sultan. However, the Malay community organised a ceremony in 1879 proclaiming him as “Sultan Ala’u’din Alam Shah al Mulak (Ruler of) Johore and Muar”. In 1897, the court decided in a dispute between members of the royal family that the Kampong Glam property belonged to the Crown. An ordinance was then enacted by the British government in 1904 to provide an incomefor Sultan Hussein’s descendants. The building continued to serve as a residence for the family. For a period of time during the 20th century, it even housed a (Exterior of Malay Heritage Centre) (Gate of Sultan Mosque) The Glam That Hasn’t Lost Its Shine • p15

club, Kota Raja Club, which regularly and a new scheme of payment to the organised leisure activities for twhe beneficiaries was introduced. Restoration community in Kampong Glam. works were undertaken and the Malay Heritage Centre opened in June 2005. In 1999, the government announced Further renovations were carried plans to develop a Malay Heritage out between 2011 and 2012 and the Centre, which would involve conserving redeveloped centre was launched in and redeveloping Istana Kampong September 2012 by the Prime Minister of Glam and the adjacent Gedung Kuning. Singapore, Mr Lee Hsien Loong. This required the residents to relocate (Building along Arab Street) p16 • The Glam That Hasn’t Lost Its Shine

ARAB STREET (Mural Arab Street is one of the few streets in (Mural along Arab Street) Kampong Glam that has retained its original name from the early 1800s. It \"To locals, this road was more was probably named as such as the area commonly referred to as was designated for the Arab community Kampong Java by the Malays in the 1822 town plan of Singapore. or Jawa koi (Java Street) by the The community here, however, has Chinese. \" always been diverse. A busy commercial area, Arab Street has been attracting traders and entrepreneurs from places such as present-day Indonesia, India, China and the Middle East since its early days. They started businesses ranging from eating houses, rattan shops and goldsmiths to textile shops, money changers, bookshops and printing presses. Today, a number of shops on this street, such as H. Hashim bin H. Abdullah, a bookstore opened in the early 1900s, are still run by the descendants of pioneers who came here decades ago. To locals, this road was more commonly referred to as Kampong Java by the Malays or Jawa koi (Java Street) by the Chinese. For a long time, Arab Street was largely populated by the Javanese. They were engaged in various occupations such as running eating houses and food stalls, and selling goods s(uBucildhingassalofnrguAriatb Street) and Javanese leaf cigarettes. Javanese women also set up stalls to sell flowers along the five foot way, giving rise to the Tamil nickname, pookadei sadakku (flower street). Over time, however, the Javanese presence gradually diminished in this area due to factors such as the redevelopment of Kampong Glam, leading to resettlement of the original residents. The Glam That Hasn’t Lost Its Shine • p17

Always AlBwuazyzsing, Chinatown The Historic District of Chinatown comprises four distinct sub-districts: Telok Ayer, Kreta Ayer, Bukit Pasoh and Tanjong Pagar. Together with the other precincts south of the Singapore River, they made up what was known colloquially as the Greater Town (or Da Po) of Singapore. Because of its architectural, historical and social importance, the area was given conservation status on 7 July 1989. Take a walk and learn why this area is cherished by so many Singaporeans! Source: URA Chinatown Trail Brochure 2017 Photos: Fiona Lay p18 • Always Buzzing, Always Chinatown

• p19

The origin of Chinatown is linked to Sir Stamford Raffles. In 1822, he formed a Town Planning Committee to plan Singapore Town according to ethnic groups. The area south of the Singapore River was allocated by sectors to Chinese and Indian immigrants of the same provincial origin and language groups. The Chinese immigrants came mostly from the south-eastern coastal provinces of China. Hokkiens formed the majority, followed by the Teochews, Cantonese, Hainanese, Hakkas and Foochows. The South Indians also found their niche in this area, though subsequently the centre of Indian commercial and cultural life moved to Serangoon Road. Each group has left its mark on street names and places of worship. KRETA AYER The Malay name Kreta Ayer (or Niu Che Shui) comes from the ox-drawn water carts that used to deliver water to the area. In the 19th century, this predominantly Cantonese area was known for round-the-clock entertainment with a concentration of teahouses, opera theatres and brothels. Today it is best known for its Chinese New Year and Mid-Autumn celebrations, street market and bustling atmosphere. 1. Former Great Southern Hotel 70 Eu Tong Sen Street This former hotel was designed by architectural firm Swan & Maclaren and was once regarded as the Raffles Hotel of Chinatown. Popular with high society including celebrities from Hong Kong and China, it was once the tallest building in the area and was the first Chinese hotel in Singapore to boast |a lift service. 2. Former Majestic Theater 80 Eu Tong Sen Street This was originally a Cantonese opera house built by philanthropist Eu Tong Sen in 1927 for his wife after she was reportedly refused admittance to an opera performance elsewhere. A highlight of this Art Deco building is its decorated façade of hand-painted tiles depicting opera characters and flying dragons. p20 • Always Buzzing, Always Chinatown

3. Former S.I.T. Government 5. Sri Mariamman Temple Quarters 242 South Bridge Road 42 to 50 Mosque Street, 175 to Established in 1827, this is Singapore’s oldest 189 New Bridge Road and 38 Hindu temple. It was founded by Narayana Pillay, to 64 Upper Cross Street the Tamil pioneer who accompanied Raffles to The predecessor to the Singapore. The temple is dedicated to the goddess Housing and Development Mariamman and the original statue of the deity Board was the Singapore installed by Pillay still stands in its principal shrine. Improvement Trust (SIT), This temple gave name to Temple Street and set up in 1927 by the Pagoda Street, and was gazetted as a National colonial government to solve Monument in 1973. Singapore’s chronic housing problems. These four-storey 6. Former Coolie Quarters reinforced concrete buildings 37 Pagoda Street were built in the 1930s to Most coolies came from southern China in search house Customs workers. of better job prospects but upon arrival were sold Take a close look at the timber off as indentured labourers. Those who were not parapet behind each window; immediately auctioned off were kept in cramped on each are two heart-shaped and sordid quarters. This shophouse is believed to cut outs. be the former premises of Kwong Hup Yuen, one of the most infamous coolie firms. 4. Jamae (Chulia) Mosque 7. Former Lai Chun Yuen 218 South Bridge Road 25 Trengganu Street One of the oldest mosques Built in 1887, this three-storey former theatre in Singapore, Jamae Mosque building with unique cantilevering wooden balconies was the centre of entertainment in Kreta was completed in 1835 by the Chulias who hailed from Ayer until it was badly damaged during World War southern India’s Coromandel II. Its popularity was such that surrounding streets Coast. It boasts an eclectic mix were colloquially named after the theatre itself; of Chinese, Anglo-Indian and Smith Street was Theater Street, Temple Street Malay architecture, of which was Theater Rear Street, and Trengganu Street was the most significant feature Theater Side Street. is its South Indian style front entrance comprising of two minarets flanking a miniature palace façade. It was gazetted in 1974 as a National Monument. Always Buzzing, Always Chinatown • p21

(Lucky Chinatown building) 9. Clan and Trade Associations Ann Siang Road and Club Street TELOK AYER Clan and trade associations were important institutions for mutual assistance in 19th and Telok Ayer, Malay for early 20th century Singapore as they helped new Water Bay, is the oldest immigrants from China settle down and looked after sub-district. It started to their welfare. Along Ann Siang Road and Club Street develop in the 1820s and are numerous clan and trade associations where remained as the key Chinese stepping into one, time seems to stand still. commercial district until Some still retain their meeting halls filled with the late 19th century. The portraits of members from the past and centuryold population in this area was furniture. Some of these associations can be found predominantly Hokkien. The at 17 (Ching Yoon Wooi Kwoon) and 25 Ann Siang area is often associated with Road (Kwong Wai Siew Li Si She Shut), and 84 Club the laid-back atmosphere Street (Nam Sun Wui Kun). of Ann Siang Hill, and the religious buildings along 10. Siang Cho Keong Telok Ayer Street. 66 Amoy Street This temple was completed in 1869 and built in the 8. Eu Yan Sang Hokkien style, where the ends of the curved roof 267 to 271 South Bridge ridge sweeps outwards like swallow tails and the Road clay roof tiles are not glazed. Its foundation plaque Built in 1910, this is the records that it was located on this site because of its first Eu Yan Sang outlet in good feng shui (geomancy) properties as it used to Singapore set up by Eu Tong front the sea and behind it stands Ann Siang Hill. Sen. Besides dealing in the retail of traditional Chinese 11. Nagore Dargah Indian Muslim Heritage Centre medicine, it used to offer 140 Telok Ayer Street money remittance services Originally known as Shahul Hamid Durgha and to China. The building dedicated to the memory of a holy man, Shahul was designed by Alfred Hamid of Nagore, the former shrine was built by Bidwell from the firm Swan Chulias from southern India between 1828 and & Maclaren. He was also responsible for the design of the Raffles Hotel and Victoria Memorial Hall. (Pavillion roof at Chinatown Point ) p22 • Always Buzzing, Always Chinatown

1830. On the upper part of the façade are niches, where oil lamps can be placed within them to illuminate the building on festive days. It was gazetted as a National Monument in 1974. 12. Thian Hock Keng 158 Telok Ayer Street This is one of Singapore’s oldest and most important temple for immigrants from southern China’s Fujian province. Completed in 1842 and standing on what used to be the shoreline, it is dedicated to the worship of Ma Zu Po, the Goddess of the Sea. While most of the building materials came from China, the temple incorporates cast-iron railings from Scotland and tiles from England and Holland. In 1973, it was gazetted as a National Monument. Its restoration in 2001 gained an honorable mention from UNESCO. 13. Al-Abrar Mosque 192 Telok Ayer Street Also known as Kuchu Palli, Tamil for Mosque Hut, it was originally a thatched hut believed to have been erected not long after 1827. The present building was built between 1850 and 1855 and declared a National Monument in 1974. Unlike the Jamae Mosque along South Bridge Road, this mosque is able to conform to the street grid while facing Mecca. 14. Telok Ayer Chinese Methodist Church 235 Telok Ayer Street Designed by Swan & Maclaren and built by a French firm, Bross & Mogin in 1924, this was the first Chinese Methodist Church in Singapore. It features upturned roof eaves; a reference to traditional Chinese architecture and the community that it serves. In 1989, the church was gazetted as a National Monument. (Buildings along Chinatown streets) Always Buzzing, Always Chinatown• p23

BUKIT PASOH Bukit Pasoh was developed at the turn of the 20th century as an extension of the already densely populated Telok Ayer and Kreta Ayer areas. Its name means Pot Hill in Malay, referring to its origins as a place where earthen pots were made. Its charm lies in its gently sloping and curving streets fronted by shophouses that house a mixture of institutional and commercial activities. (Buddha Tooth Relic Temple) 15. Poon Yue Association “Its charm lies in its gently 281 New Bridge Road sloping and curving streets The association was founded in 1879 at Upper Cross Street with financial assistance from Hoo Ah Kay, a well known community leader from Whampoa district in Guangdong province. The association relocated to New Bridge Road in 1917. The building is a hybrid of Neo-Classical and Art Deco styles which were popular with Chinese developers in the past who wanted to project a modern image. To the Chinese, New Bridge Road was colloquially referred to as Da Po Er Ma Lu, Mandarin for Greater Town’s Second Road. The first road referred to in this instance was South Bridge Road. p24 • Always Buzzing, Always Chinatown

16. Sri Layan Sithi Vinayagar Temple 73 Keong Saik Road This Hindu temple was built in 1925 by Nattukkottai Chettiars, a noted money lending community from Tamil Nadu and dedicated to Ganesha, the elephantheaded god. It is an important stop for the annual Silver Chariot Procession where the deity Murugan is taken on a procession from the Sri Thendayuthapani Temple in Tank Road. The temple was given the name Layan Sithi as it was originally located at the old Sepoy Lines where Indian soldiers, known as Sepoys, used to be housed. 17. Kong Chow Wui Koon 321 New Bridge Road This Cantonese clan association was established in 1839 at Upper Chin Chew Street and moved in 1924 to the present building, designed by Westerhout & Oman. During the Japanese Occupation, the custodians volunteered the building as a clinic and hence its antique interiors remained intact. (Chinatown Street Markets) The association is well known for its lion dance troupe and martial arts. This is one of Chinatown’s first community museums and entry is free. fronted by shophouses that house 18. Cundhi Gong a mixture of institutional and 13 Keong Saik Road commercial activities.” This was founded in 1928 for the worship of the 18-arm Cundhi Bodhisattva. It is a purpose-built temple built in the Nanyang style which is a hybrid between Chinese and shophouse architecture. On the roof ridge, cut porcelain pieces are used to form dragons, phoenixes, birds and flowers. The timber trusses over the five-foot way feature traditional paintings and its exterior walls are adorned with hand-painted tiles. (Shophouses along Chinatown street) Always Buzzing, Always Chinatown • p25

(Traditional building in Chinatown) 19. Ee Hoe Hean Club 43 Bukit Pasoh Road 20. Chin Kang Huay Kuan The club was founded in 1895 by a 29 Bukit Pasoh Road group of Hokkien community leaders This association was established in 1918 for the wealthy Chinese elite. More than by immigrants from Jinjiang County a social and business club, its members in southern Fujian, China. The current were actively involved in the political building contrasts with its ornately development of China in the early 20th decorated neighbours. The use of straight century. It supported the 1911 Xinhai lines, concrete ledges and mild steel Revolution which overthrew the Qing framed windows is typical of the Modern Dynasty, leading to the establishment style that was popular from the 1950s to of the Republic of China. During the early 1970s. During World War II, World War II, it was the headquarters the building was used by the Overseas of the anti-Japanese China Salvation Chinese General Mobilisation Council Movement in Southeast Asia. The ground which helped the British in supplying floor Pioneers’ Gallery is open for visit labourers and volunteers for the defence and entry is free. of Singapore. (Man walking along Chinatown street) (Paper dragon decoration) p26 • Always Buzzing, Always Chinatown

TANGJONG PAGAR 21. Jinrikisha Station 1 Neil Road The building was built in 1903 by the Municipal Council as the administration centre for rickshaws, a form of transportation imported from Japan via Shanghai in the 1880s. It is of the Edwardian style, where the exposed brickwork is contrasted with white plaster mouldings. Look out for the crest of the Municipal Council at the front of the building, featuring a lion standing on an island with a palm tree. 22. Former Jing Hwa Cinema 1 Tanjong Pagar Road Together with the Majestic and the Oriental, Jing Hwa Cinema, built in 1958, was one of Chinatown’s three famous cinemas. It was designed by local architect Wong Foo Nam in the Modern style and was the first to have a basement carpark and extensive floor-to-ceiling windows. It is remembered fondly by many as the venue of romantic first dates and holiday treats. (Elderly resting outside Buddha Tooth Relic Temple) Always Buzzing, Always Chinatown • p27

P2105387 Fiona Lay Shu Ting DMAD/FT/1B/DC01