Chinatown in 1938

Wow, this is before my time, but I thought some of you might be interested. And it reminded me of my childhood days when Grandpa would bring me to visit his Tua-Kow (lighter) moored in the Singapore River. Jumping from Tua-Kow to Tua-kow was no joke, when I was probably about 6 years old. On one side was the dirty water of the river (this video showed much cleaner water) and the other was like three storeys into the depth of the empty Tua-Kow.

Grandpa took care of one Tua-Kow which was one of the many that could be linked from one to another, pulled by a small motor boat from Singapore River to the Outer Roads (meaning the outer part of the sea just out of the Singapore River mouth, which then had a long bund to keep the waves from crashing into the Inner Roads). Loads of rice, flour, copra and many things were transported this way from the ships to the godowns (warehouses) through the Tua-Kows and back to the ships. Singapore was an active entreport trade then, and I guess now too, except that they use containers.

Grandpa died on one stormy night when he tried to cover the goods in his Tua-Kow and was knocked off the Tua-Kow when wind blew the huge cover into him. That was in 1960. Since then, there was no more Tua-Kow jumping, no more trishaw rides and no more kopi in a saucer from the Chinese Sarabat Stall (roadside coffeeshop stall) in the Hokkien part of Chinatown, known as Giao-Keng-Kao (Outside the Gambling Den).



From youtube.com: A tour of the British colony of Singapore in 1938.Footage from this film is available for licensing from www.globalimageworks.com

Thanks to the alert from http://groups.yahoo.com/group/singaporeheritage -

Plucking the greens to bring in luck afresh

If there is a period when the lion dance troupes are out by the prides and most active, it must be during the Chinese New Year. While it is a good time for fund raising for the lion dance troupes, it is an important times as businesses and even households welcome the lions to come and bring in renewed energies so as to bring in new prosperity and luck.

This is represented in the plucking of the greens known as Cai Qing 采青. 

In Singapore Chinatown

In the old days, there would be a bunch of Shang Choy 生菜 (Sheng Cai or Chinese Lettuce) with an angpow (red packet, containing money) being hung up for the lion to find its way up to pluck the greens and be rewarded with the angpow. At times, the shops might place the greens as high as in the second storey for the lion to try to get them. The lion would have to consider if it could get to that height by having a pile-up of their guys balancing on the shoulder, one on top of the other. Others might have to resort to more mechanical means.

I was in Sydney during part of this Chinese New Year and was fortunate to see the traditional Lion Dance with the lion trying to pluck the green from the ceiling of a restaurant. Ah, such scenes are hardly seen in Singapore these days. In the Sydney Chinatown - which is like a one-street but very Chinese Chinatown (but of course) - every restaurant or shop welcomed the lions but it was not an easy task for them just to pluck the green.

In Sydney Chinatown

They came armed with harden bamboo poles fixed with metal "steps" to help the main lion head holder to climb up to the top of the pole. Interestingly, when they came to this part, it was the job of an older man (maybe in his 50s or 60s). It still needed gungfu! 

In Singapore, apart from the greens, the lions learned to peel mandarin oranges and make Chinese characters. Important words such as Wang (Prosperity) are important to the business people. Maybe, in the homes or the temples, they might give a hint of some numbers, for the 4-D (lottery) inclined.

Welcoming Chinese Lunar New Year

It was about 11.30pm, away from the bustling "Chinatown" where the modern world twirled around, quietly (not so really) in the temples, many Singapore Chinese went to renew their ties with their heritage.

At Thian Hock Keng 天福宫, along Telok Ayer St, many came to join the 

monks in prayers to Mazu, welcoming the new year of the Bull. Many brought along their children, showing them how to worship. Unknown to these kids, this temple, some hundred years ago, was the place where many grateful Chinese came to pray to Mazu, thanking her, upon having reached shore safely. Many did not.

I remembered vividly when I was very young, some fifty years ago, with my mum, we took the trishaw to this Ma Chor Keng 妈祖宫 (as it was more popularly known then) to pray to Ma Chor Po (again, a fond term calling her the old grand aunt Ma Chor in Hokkien)

On this night, lions and a dragon pranced and twirled around the temple, bringing renewed energies to this grand old dame. Probably the most famous temple, to the locals as well as to the tourists, tonight saw more locals than tourists. As they prayed to Ti Kong (Tian Gong - Jade Emperor) facing the sky and then to Mazu, their children followed. For a challenging new year, this moment couldn't have been better asking the Gods for guidance.

The original place where the opera stage used to be, but now a tall Hokkien Huay Kuan building, was once again the place for a String Puppet (Marionette) show for Mazu and the resident deities. It's been years since when the last puppet show was shown here.

Further down the road, the GuangDong temple (worshipped by Teochews and Cantonese in the old days), Wak Hai Cheng Beo 粤海清庙 (Yue Hai Qing Miao), in its traditional form, had many giant joss sticks burning in the courtyard while queues formed inside to get the prayer-sets to pray to the two main resident Deities, Tua Lao Ya (Xuan Tian Shang Di) and Mazu.

A much longer walk, no we drove, at the other end of the town, where there used to be an older civilisation (^^), stood the Hakka Tua Pek Kong Temple dedicated to Fu De Ci Wang Ha Da Bo Gong 福德祠望海大伯公 . It was almost 1.45am when we arrived. At this time, the crowd had thinned out, but the burning candles and joss-sticks told us that many had come to offer their first joss-sticks to Tua Pek Kong or Dai Pak Kong, as the Cantonese or Hakkas call him.

As the worshippers connect with the Deities, they brought forth the hundred years (or more) of the relationship of the Singapore Chinese with China, where their ancestors came from. One of the many untold stories of the Chinatown.

Happy 牛 Year

The year of the Ox is arriving soon. And the Chinatown in Singapore prepares to usher in the Ox.

The Ox is often associated with hardwork (honest living, I might add), as one could see in the rice fields of Asia, this year, we need it all the more to help many of us pull through an anticipated challenging year.

The year of the Ox, Bull, Buffalo or Seladang as it might be, will remind us of the humble beginning of the Singapore Chinatown, where it was a hub for the bullockcarts delivering water, hence Niu Che Shui 牛车水.

Chinese New Year goodies arriving

A quick inspection of Chinatown this evening revealed the preparations for the big sale. The typical Chinese goodies like the sausages and waxed ducks were already hung.  It must have been shortage of advantageous places or was it a kind of double attraction, when I saw sausages and waxed ducks being sold outside the sex shop!

Ah, humour always wins the day. Here was one lion that has a sign hung around it that it (or the owner) would not be held responsible if someone has been bitten by it. I would bet that many would attempt to put their hands inside its mouth. (^^)

All kinds of delightful stuff, mainly in red, were on sale to help one hang them in the home to brighten up the place. Possibly to chase away the "Nian" who might come a-calling. That and perhaps some loud music or taped music (or techno?) of fire-crackers to chase it away.

The fresh flowers have yet to arrive, a little too early. And so the fake flowers have their advantage. For now.

Chinese Lunar Year is coming soon! Lights Up on 3 Jan 09

Yes, on 26 Jan 2009, to be exact. That will be the 1st day of the 1st Chinese Lunar month for the Ji Chou Year - 己丑年.

And Chinatown is preparing to usher the new year of the Ox, which comes early in this coming year. Barely has the shopping been done in the Orchard Road area (a must go place for Christmas shopping)  when shopping for the Chinese New Year will start.

Pre-Chinese New Year shopping is a must as there are gifts to be given to the in-laws, ingredients to be bought to make kueh-kueh (cakes, pastries and tidbits to entertain visiting relatives, friends and colleagues during Chinese New Year celebrations which span 15 days), food for Reunion dinner (many have opted for family reunion in restaurants, but it will never be the same) and there's drinks of all kinds - from soft to hard and yes, new clothings too!

Chinatown has been a traditional place for most of these shopping. Despite the changing landscape within Chinatown, it is still the place to come, at least once, to see what is available for Chinese New Year celebration preparation. With additional cultural activities planned by the Chinatown residents, it would be even more exciting.

Cantonese Rice Porridge

Chinatown has streets and streets offering foods, of all kinds. And yet, we could not seem to decide on one that the whole family could agree. Temperature, humidity, state of mind, environment - all contribute towards a state, and it is when each is different states, it is tough to come to a concensus. Ah, there is this particular food that we have yet to really try as a family. 

Because Papa is a Hokkien (minnan), it is muay or beh (depending it is Xiamen, ZhangZhou, QuanZhou or for that matter Teochew/ChaoZhou dialect). Jok (in Cantonese) or Zhou is Cantonese and since Mama is Cantonese (although Zhong Shan would be more accurate), it would be great to explore this side of the cuisine.

Until "Superbowl" came to Singapore, Jok was just a street stall food. Of course, the 1970s' rave of HongKong Tim Sum (Dim Sum) brought along the pei-tan (pitan or century egg) jok. 

In my early working days when I could afford just enough to have jok for dinner, enroute to night classes, the jok stalls along Smith Street was almost like a default to me. The cooling evening air helps in taking away the perspiration gathering on my forehead as I "wallowed" into the porridge. My favourite was with a Yi-Tao Jok (Fish head porridge) or a Yi-Nam (Fish belly porridge) Jok. And there is the inevitable plate of Yi-Sung (raw fish).

Eating on the streets with pass vehicles, cars and bicycles, pedestrians - many looking for dinner and many were often influenced by watching how the diners were enjoying the jok - was almost like being an exhibitionist. (^^) Distractions apart, I had to make sure none of the fine fish bones escape and sink them into my throat.

Ah, those came rushing back as I sat with the family waiting for our jok. This is no joke, this porridge stall at the corner coffeeshop (of the Ang Kuei Association Building) between Keong Saik St and New Bridge Rd, actually includes GST in the bill. The queue seemed endless, but the movement was fast. No tempers. They had perfected a system. The diners queued up to make their orders - which is quite an array to choose from, from liver to cuttlefish to fish head and fish, chicken to the specialty, frogs in the pot, clay pot. Within minutes, no more than 10 minutes, the bowls of steaming hot porridge arrived. One has to be extremely careful with the boiling porridge. I could almost swear that they are more than 100C!

The art of enjoying a good bowl of porridge is to eat it slowly and not breaking into a sweat! Ah, it is a tough call, but it does not prevent anyone from enjoying such a hot bowl in a hot and humid evening.

The days of 70 cents or S1.00 porridge are gone, but the wonderful memories remain. Except for wonderful Pig Liver porridge which seemed different - somehow I find those in HongKong the best - the rest seemed to help us keep the food and tradition in a standstill.

Nanyin Concert in Thian Hock Keng

Each year, for the past decade or more, Siong Leng Musical Association has performed a Nanyin and sometimes Li Yuan Opera performance in the Thian Hock Keng in commemoration of the three celebration days of Guan Yin, 2M19, 6M19 and 9M19.

And it did on 17 Oct 08 which in the Chinese lunar calendar is 19th of the 9th Lunar Month. Without fail, its faithful fans turned up to watch the performance. It is one of those Hokkien operatic performances that is getter rare these days.

While most of the younger people might enjoy these performances with the aid of the Chinese lyrics being shown, the older ones apparently didn't need them.

My favouriteTeochew Fish Porridge (Broth)

This must have been in the mid 1970s. That was when I had started working for a few years. I was working late and getting involved in work related activities. It meant late dinner. I could not remember how I came across these food stalls on the street, but I did find them. Since then, it was like my open air dining place.

There were two stalls lined up side by side at Carpenter St. Like many hawkers of yesteryears, these stalls just appeared when the sun set. They sold the same things, fish - pomfret (chiew heu) and Ikan Batang (tabang heu or heu-kao in Teochew). They had their loyal clients. Both sides had their tables always occupied.

For whatever reason, I always had dinner by the stall that was nearer to South Bridge Road. It was almost like my orders had been carved on stone (they don't have PCs in those days). I would always have my bowl of Heu Kao (must have been 70 cents I think) with a plate of duck meat cooked in soya sauce (I have been going around to look for this dish and have never found the same one again). There are other extras such as fish roe. Now earning much, I stuck to my standard pair.

The fish was always fresh. Although the pomfret is the more expensive fish, I preferred the batang heu (Ikan Batang) with its coarse and yet still oily meat. Cooked in teochew style, there was always a piece of the dried fish or two (known as ti-porh) that added the flavour.

Teochew fish porridge or broth (I think the Japanese Zosui might be the nearer description) is not like the Cantonese porridge (jok in Cantonese) or Muay in Teochew (Beh in Hokkien). When one orders the fish porridge, the chef would put his pot on the gas-stove, using a big scoop, he would take one scoopful of the "arm" (the cooked rice water) and put into the pot, and another scoop of cooked rice. When the rice in the water comes to a boil, he then throws in the slices of the fish and let it boil for a few times. And with the ti-porh and other condiments, it is ready for eating. Probably less than 5 minutes' work, or even less. Dipping the freshly cooked fish into a small saucer of light soya-sauce with cut chilli, it was sedap (delicious).

With the stalls having one or two of the pressured kerosene lamps and depending on the street lights, we sat and ate, enjoying the warm night air. People from all walks of life dropped by, probably for supper, unlike me. Towkays in Mercedes dropped by with their girlfriends (I think) or even their "barbers". There were two (maybe only ones in town) barber shops manned by ladies nearby and was a hot favourite with the Towkays. Some could be passerbys and yet some who went pat-tho (dating in Cantonese) who might ended up here for makan (food) before going home.

Alas, such a wonderful place was just too good to be true and soon, the stalls were no longer to be found. And I have lost a good place that saved me from gastric problems. Fish porridge or Heu Muay will never be the same again.

Sri Mariamman Temple celebrates Navarathri

On the evening of 1 Oct 08, with friends, I visited the Sri Mariamman Temple at South Bridge Road, said to be the oldest Hindu Temple in Singapore. The temple is celebrating the 9 days of Navarathri. And on this night, there were dances performed by various students from different Indian Classical Dance schools.

I was there partly because Arul Ramiah was going to dance. (^^)

It was an evening of the community of devotees of the Sri Mariamman Temple. One could feel the energies and atmosphere sitting on the canvas covered ground with a small stage placed at the corner of the temple courtyard.

Indian Classical Dance and the temple have a very strong symbiotic relationship and I could sense the story and devotions by the dancers as they depicted stories of the Hindu deities. Alas, my lack of understanding of the Tamil language deprived me of a deeper understanding of the dance with the songs being sung. But still, the hand gesture, the eye movements and the movements of the body did give much for visual and audio appreciation.

The final performance must be, for me, the grand finale as Arul Ramiah performed a series of dances, some with two lovely girls who had undergone just six weeks of intensive training in Indian Classical Dance! What a typical cosmopolitan Singapore in display as Arul's Chinese friend did the introduction and two Dutch girls dancing with her!

The opening dance to the Shiva Chant was, to me, the most powerful with the song, music and movement synchronised to tell a story.