Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Ethnic Quarters
The presence of the Ethnic Quarters in Singapore which include locations like the Chinatown, Kampong Glam and Little India are evidence of the island-nation’s richness in ethnic, culture and historical heritage.
Chinatown
The Chinatown’s local name is called Niu Che Shui. Its direct translation of it means Bullock Cart Water). It got its name this way as in the past in Chinatown, each household collects fresh water in bullock-drawn carts from the only fresh source of water which comes from the wells in Ann Siang Hill and at Spring Street.
Chinatown is a place where the first Chinese arrived from Xiamen, Fujian province in China. Despite renovations carried out recently, old traditions, culture and heritage prevails and still remains strong.
This 3 storied restored shop houses is the Chinatown Heritage Centre whereby visitors are virtually transported back to the olden times whereby there are showcases of how the early Chinese immigrants live, eat and work for their lives in search for a better life in Singapore. The gallery are dimly lighted to remind us all of the sufferings our ancestors faced and each level display different scenarios of the immigrants’ life.
The festive seasons in Chinatown can be felt at its strongest during the Lunar Chinese New Year when the Chinese celebrates the coming of the new lunar year and spends on Chinese new year decorations, food and clothing. Windows will be decorated with red coloured paper-cuts and couplets. Many Chinese would visit Chinatown just to make their New Year purchases and also to immerse in the festival’s spirit.
A stroll through Pagoda Street or Trengganu Street exhibits cultural arts like Chinese Calligraphy, antiques, crafts, wooden clogs, traditional herbal cures and any other more.
To be more involved in the Chinese culture, try visiting the teahouse and the Thong Chai Medical Institute, then take a peek into a typical middle-class Chinese home in the 1920s at the Chinaman Scholar Gallery.
Do also stop by Food Street for an alfresco meal and the various Chinese pastry shops for home-made tarts, cakes and the famous dim sum.
I have personally gone to Chinatown during the period before Chinese New Year to get an experience of the Chinese New Year atmosphere. It is especially crowded during that period of time as everyone goes to Chinatown to get last minute gifts and tidbits to celebrate Chinese New Year.
Getting there: Take the MRT to Chinatown station (NE4) and alight at the station.
Labels: Chinatown, Ethnic Quarters
♥Arts, Culture & Heritage
10:22 PM
