One might not-so fondly recall the intimidating statues and colourful depictions of the Ten Courts of Hell of Chinese mythology as they walk through the exhibition at Haw Par Villa.
Built in 1937 on a hill in Pasir Panjang, Haw Par Villa was once named Tiger Palm Gardens. The captivating theme park was built by Burmese Businessman Aw Boon Haw for his younger brother, Aw Boon Par, and the park got named after the brother’s father creation: Tiger Balm medical ointment.
From the park’s construction to the present, visitors can spot hauntingly vivid sculptures depicting Chinese folklore and stories conveying religious moral messages from Taoism and Buddhism.
Boon Haw was an advent enthusiast for Chinese mythology and personally inspected the art sculptor’s work each time he visited Singapore, meticulously surveying changes to be made to the statues to ensure the park’s incorporation of traditional Chinese folklore would educate visitors about the moral values and beliefs in Chinese culture such as filial piety, resisting temptation and evil-doing, judgement in one’s afterlife, and more.
After the war, Boon Paw returned to Singapore from Hong Kong and rebuilt much of the garden. He transformed the areas used for his family’s leisure activities (swimming pools, tennis courts and lawns) with more sculptures. After the death of Boon Haw in 1954, his nephew Aw Cheng Chye added new fixtures to the garden. One of his additions was called “International Corners”, which has sculptures that commemorates the cultures of the world which most notably has sculptures of a Thai dancer, a Sumo wrestler and a Statue of Liberty replica. Cheng Chye also promoted the family’s business with sculpture replicas of Tiger Palm products.
In 1985, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) took over the management of Haw Par Villa after the acquisition of the villa from Aw’s family via the Land Acquisition Act. The Aw family made a deal to donate the statues in the garden to Singapore if the name of Haw Par and family memorabilia within the park grounds were retained. STB then leased the Villa to International Theme Parks Ltd to develop as a theme park in 1988.
Haw Par Villa is home to over 1000 statues and 150 dioramas. The park is most famous for its whimsical exhibitions that have extravagant sculptures that depict the Ten Courts of Hell, Journey to the West, the Eight Immortals’ Crossing the Sea, Monkey Mountain, and Virtues and Vices Tableaux.
Haw Par Villa underwent a nine-month closure for upgrading and reopened in 2021 with restored sculptures and enhanced night lighting.
If you’re thinking of seeing the star attraction, Ten Courts of Hell, you’re in for a treat! The exhibition is now fully air-conditioned and can be found as part of Hell’s Museum, a brand new place that showcases global traditions and beliefs about death and the afterlife.
Haw Par Villa also hosts exciting and revitalising events such as the first in person ASEAN Music Showcase Festival happening on 10-11 September 2022! The showcase will feature regional artists and help them stay connected to their fanbases while gaining new fans globally.
Be sure to grab your tickets here!
Address:
262 Pasir Panjang Road,
Singapore 118 628
Operating hours:
Haw Par Villa Park:
9am – 8pm daily, including weekends and Public Holidays.
The last entry is at 7.30pm.
Admission: Free
Hell’s Museum:
10am – 6pm Wednesday to Sundays and Public Holidays.
The last entry is at 5pm.
Admission: $18 for adults, $10 for children, free from children under 6 years old.
Get your tickets now!
