Title
Dragon sculpture at Haw Par Villa
Year/Period
1950s-1970s
Region
Singapore
Dimension
Image size: 14.2 x 8.9 cm
Accession No.
2000-05972
Collection of
Originally called Tiger Balm Gardens, Haw Par Villa was built on Pasir Panjang Road by Aw Boon Haw in 1937, a prominent businessman and philanthropist who wanted to use the park to educate the public about Chinese culture. On display in the gardens are a wide range of sculptures and statues that showcase themes in Chinese legend, such as this dragon – very much a mythical creature in Chinese folklore – in the postcard. Together with his younger brother, Boon Par, the Aw brothers were synonymous with Tiger Balm, the renowned ointment for aches and pains, which they successfully marketed in Singapore and around the region during the early 20th century.
