I think, candidly, the reason why I remember Chinatown so
clearly, is because of the days when my lecturer took my class out for outdoor
painting. But this time, the purpose of the trip was entirely different. Much
more exciting I daresay! And of course, I was elated when my group came to an
agreement of selecting Chinatown as the place for our heritage trail.
My understanding of Chinatown’s history was solely based on
what I was taught during the Learning Journeys back in primary and secondary
school (much of which I am not able to recall!) and from the insubstantial
information given to us from the history textbooks. Though prior to visiting
Chinatown, I had frequented the place for my outdoor painting lessons but it
did not occur to me to find out about the place I would be painting of. So,
when I studied the heritage package given to us, I was overjoyed to discover
that we would be visiting some of Chinatown’s old buildings. I have always been
so fascinated about the shophouses situated all over Chinatown!
Being on this trail, I made some new interesting discoveries
of Singapore’s past. As my group and I explored the Telok Ayer district, I learned
that this was the area where the newly arrived immigrants from Malacca and
China first set foot in the early nineteenth century! When Sir Thomas Stamford
Raffles declared Singapore a free port, hundreds of Chinese arrived from
Malacca and China. In 1822, Raffles conjured up the Town Plan and allocated
different sections of Chinatown to the Chinese immigrants of different
provinces. It was also interesting to note that many temples and mosques were
constructed here on Telok Ayer. We visited the Nagore Durgha Shrine, which was
built by the Southern Indian Muslims sometime between 1828 and 1830. There was
also the Al – Abrar Mosque, which was a thatched hut in the 1820s. I was more
delighted when we visited the Thian Hock Keng Temple. I have never actually set
foot in a Chinese temple so this was a new experience for me. The Thian Hock
Keng Temple (also known as the Temple of Heavenly Bliss) is the oldest Buddhist
temple in Singapore. It was built by the Chinese immigrants in honour of
Goddess of the Sea, Ma Chu Poh. And we learned about Goddess Ma Chu Poh in our
Asian Civilization history class. And I am grateful for my group members who
patiently answered my questions. I also took the opportunity to learn about the
different Chinese Gods and Goddesses. But it was a pity that we could not take
photographs of the interior.
Besides the places of worship, this trail has provided me
with new perspectives of how I look at the architectures now. Before
conservation and urban renewal, Chinatown was known for its tightly packed rows
of shophouses. Back in the past, the shophouses underwent transformations. This
is the result of baroque style, with arched windows, pilasters, columns,
cravings and vibrant colours. As we ventured from districts to districts, I
could not help but observe the distinctive styles of the various shophouses. You
must know that these shophouses were built between 1900 and 1941! Shophouses
these days bear the Peranakan style. They are rich in detail and are greatly
influenced by the Portuguese architecture of Malacca.
However it is a pity to note that not many of the earliest
shophouses are left, due to the urban renewal in the 1960s and 1970s. But I was
contented as I managed to catch a glimpse of the old shophouses along Amoy
Street and Telok Ayer. The later shophouses that bears the Peranakan style are
found in Club Street and Bukit Pusoh.
With all that mentioned, I am glad that this heritage trail
has provided me with opportunities where I can take my learning into a new
perspective. It has given me an immense amount of knowledge about Singapore’s
past. Furthermore, I strongly believe that it is crucial for us future history
teachers to teach our pupils the connection of Singapore’s past to the present.
This would give our pupils a sense of identity and also strengthen the values
and attributes that would make them good citizens of Singapore.
And lastly, I am so thankful for working in a great team!
