Chinatown Historic District
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CHINATOWN HISTORIC DISTRICT The Historic District of Chinatown comprises four distinct sub-districts: Telok Ayer, Kreta Ayer, Bukit Pasoh and Tanjong Pagar. This guide introduces the history and character of the area and explains its growth from the 1820s, when it began as the first settlement of immigrants from southern China and southern LEGEND India, until the immediate post-World War II period. Together with the other precincts KRETA AYER MRT STATION south of the Singapore River, they made up what was known colloquially NE4 DT19 as the Greater Town (or Da Po, 大坡) of Singapore. Because of its CHINATOWN WASHROOM architectural, historical and social importance, the area was CAR PARK given conservation status on 7 July 1989. A 1 2 A. PEOPLE’S PARK COMPLEX Take a walk and learn why this area is B. CHINATOWN POINT cherished by so many Singaporeans! B C. CHINATOWN HERITAGE CENTRE NE4 DT19 CHINATOWN D. KRETA AYER PEOPLE’S THEATER BUKIT PASOH 3 E. BUDDHA TOOTH RELIC TEMPLE C F. MAXWELL FOOD CENTRE 15 G. SINGAPORE CITY GALLERY EW16 NE3 TS17 OUTRAM PARK 17 16 H. RED DOT DESIGN MUSEUM D 6 19 7 4 20 E 5 18 8 22 23 TO CHINA SQUARE TO BLAIR PLAIN 21 CONSERVATION AREA CONSERVATION AREA F 9 DT18 24 TELOK AYER G 25 11 10 13 12 TANJONG PAGAR H TELOK AYER More information on Singapore’s 14 built heritage can be found on EW15 A joint project by TANJONG PAGAR EW15 26 TANJONG PAGAR SCAN HERE! THE ORIGIN OF Chinatown is linked to Sir Stamford Raffles. In 1822, he formed a Town Planning Hokkiens formed the majority, followed by the Teochews, Cantonese, Hainanese, Hakkas and Foochows. Committee to plan Singapore Town according to ethnic groups. The area south of the Singapore River was The South Indians also found their niche in this area, though subsequently the centre of Indian commercial allocated by sectors to Chinese and Indian immigrants of the same provincial origin and language groups. and cultural life moved to Serangoon Road. Each group has left its mark on street names and places of The Chinese immigrants came mostly from the south-eastern coastal provinces of China. worship. COURTESY OF NATIONAL MUSEUM OF SINGAPORE, NATIONAL HERITAGE BOARD The Jackson Plan of 1822. View of Kreta Ayer from Pearl’s Hill in the early 1860s. Chinatown in 1970 with Shenton Way in the foreground. The Chinatown in 2010. Most of Chinatown’s conserved The gopuram of Sri Mariamman Temple at South Bridge low-rise shophouses were overcrowded and dilapidated due buildings have been restored to their former glory. Road is visible. Ann Siang Hill at Telok Ayer was still to decades of neglect. undeveloped. THE ARCHITECTURAL STYLES OF SHOPHOUSES Chinatown’s shophouses can be grouped into six general styles. The styles are roughly chronological and are the result of changing economic and technological circumstances, tastes and fashions. TRANSITIONAL TRANSITIONAL ND ST EARLY (1840 - 1900) EARLY (1900 - 1940) LATE 2 (1930 - 1960) DECO ART (1950 - 1970) MODERN 1 9 Erskine Road 120 Telok Ayer Street 21 Bukit Pasoh Road 10 Stanley Street 30 Bukit Pasoh Road 285 New Bridge Road • Low, two storeys with minimal • Taller and more decorated • Highly decorated • Combination of the Chinese • Geometric designs and pre-cast • Functional and simple as a plaster ornamentation in a Chinese style due to • Due to an increase in and European styles elements used reflection of the post-war • Locally-sourced construction the influx of skilled labour exposure to European • Simpler than the Late-style • Special emphasis given to situation materials used and rising affluence tastes and fashion of the and more streamlined street corners with the year • Industrial materials like steel • Usually one or two timber • Usually two windows on time, ornaments used • The third floor was often of the building’s construction and reinforced concrete used windows on the upper storey the upper storey façade include moulded plaster added on to an existing usually displayed on the façade • Common features include façade festoons and imported two-storey building thin sunshade fins and air hand-painted tiles vents that are both functional • Usually three windows on as well as decorative the upper storey façade for maximum ventilation The Malay name Kreta Ayer (or Niu Che Shui, 牛车水) 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. FORMER Great SOUTHERN Hotel 旧南天大酒店 FORMER Majestic Theater 旧大华大戏院 FORMER S.I.T. GOVERNMENT QUARTERS 1 70 Eu Tong Sen Street 2 80 Eu Tong Sen Street 3 42 to 50 Mosque Street, 175 to 189 New Bridge This former hotel was designed by architectural firm This was originally a Cantonese opera house built by Road and 38 to 64 Upper Cross Street Swan & Maclaren and was once regarded as the Raffles philanthropist Eu Tong Sen in 1927 for his wife after The predecessor to the Housing and Development Board Hotel of Chinatown. Popular with high society including she was reportedly refused admittance to an opera was the Singapore Improvement Trust (SIT), set up in 1927 celebrities from Hong Kong and China, it was once the performance elsewhere. A highlight of this Art Deco by the colonial government to solve Singapore’s chronic tallest building in the area and was the first Chinese hotel building is its decorated façade of hand-painted tiles housing problems. These four-storey reinforced concrete in Singapore to boast a lift service. depicting opera characters and flying dragons. buildings were built in the 1930s to house Customs workers. Take a close look at the timber parapet behind each window; on each are two heart-shaped cut outs. PHOTO CREDIT: LIEW TONG LENG JAMAE (CHULIA) MOSQUE SRI MARIAMMAN TEMPLE FORMER COOLIE Quarters FORMER LAI CHUN YUEN 旧梨春园 4 மஸ்玿鏍 ்ாம玿ஆ (毂ல玿யா) 5 ஸ்ரீ மா쎿யமம க�ாவி쯍 6 37 Pagoda Street 7 25 Trengganu Street 218 South Bridge Road 242 South Bridge Road Most coolies came from southern Built in 1887, this three-storey former theatre One of the oldest mosques in Singapore, Established in 1827, this is Singapore’s China in search of better job building with unique cantilevering wooden Jamae Mosque was completed in 1835 oldest Hindu temple. It was founded prospects but upon arrival were balconies was the centre of entertainment in Kreta by the Chulias who hailed from southern by Narayana Pillay, the Tamil pioneer sold off as indentured labourers. Ayer until it was badly damaged during World War India’s Coromandel Coast. It boasts an who accompanied Raffles to Singapore. Those who were not immediately II. Its popularity was such that surrounding streets eclectic mix of Chinese, Anglo-Indian and The temple is dedicated to the goddess auctioned off were kept in cramped were colloquially named after the theatre itself; Malay architecture, of which the most Mariamman and the original statue of the and sordid quarters. This shophouse Smith Street was Theater Street, Temple Street significant feature is its South Indian style deity installed by Pillay still stands in its is believed to be the former was Theater Rear Street, and Trengganu Street was front entrance comprising of two minarets principal shrine. This temple gave name to premises of Kwong Hup Yuen, one Theater Side Street. flanking a miniature palace façade. It was Temple Street and Pagoda Street, and was of the most infamous coolie firms. gazetted in 1974 as a National Monument. gazetted as a National Monument in 1973. AYER KRETA Telok Ayer, Malay for Water Bay, is the oldest sub-district. It started to develop in the 1820s and remained as the key Chinese commercial district until the late 19th century. The population in this area was predominantly Hokkien. The area is often associated with the laid-back atmosphere of Ann Siang Hill, and the religious buildings along Telok Ayer Street. EU YAN SANG 余仁生 CLAN AND TRADE Associations SIANG CHO KEONG 仙祖宫 8 267 to 271 South Bridge Road 9 Ann Siang Road and Club Street 10 66 Amoy Street Built in 1910, this is the first Eu Yan Clan and trade associations were important institutions for mutual This temple was completed in 1869 and built Sang outlet in Singapore set up by Eu assistance in 19th and early 20th century Singapore as they helped new in the Hokkien style, where the ends of the Tong Sen. Besides dealing in the retail immigrants from China settle down and looked after their welfare. Along curved roof ridge sweeps outwards like swallow of traditional Chinese medicine, it used Ann Siang Road and Club Street are numerous clan and trade associations tails and the clay roof tiles are not glazed. Its to offer money remittance services to where stepping into one, time seems to stand still. Some still retain their foundation plaque records that it was located China. The building was designed by meeting halls filled with portraits of members from the past and century- on this site because of its good feng shui Alfred Bidwell from the firm Swan & old furniture. Some of these associations can be found at 17 (Ching Yoon (geomancy) properties as it used to front the Maclaren. He was also responsible for Wooi Kwoon) and 25 (Kwong Wai Siew Li Si She Shut) Ann Siang Road, and sea and behind it stands Ann Siang Hill. the design of the Raffles Hotel and 84 Club Street (Nam Sun Wui Kun).