Wall Mural By Mural Artist Yip Yew Chong @ Chinatown

Letter Writer 

336 Smith Street

Singapore 050336

Mid-Autumn Festival

83 Pagoda Street

Singapore 059242

Dreams Of Chinatown

30 Temple Street

Singapore 058575

Coffee Shop

30 Temple Street

Singapore 058575

Wet Market

30 Temple Street

Singapore 058575

30 Temple Street

Singapore 058575

My Chinatown Home

30 Smith Street

Singapore 058944

Cantonese Opera

5 Temple Street

Singapore 058556

The Window

227 South Bridge Road

Singapore 058776

Lion Dance Maker

227 South Bridge Road

Singapore 058776

The Window

227 South Bridge Road

Singapore 058776

Mamak Stall

227 South Bridge Road

Singapore 058776

Paper Mask & Puppet Seller

227 South Bridge Road

Singapore 058776

Detective Conan In Chinatown

266 South Bridge Road

Singapore 058815

Thian Hock Keng Temple @ Telok Ayer Street

During the previous Car Free Sunday, I made a return trip to Telok Ayer Street to take photos of Thian Hock Keng Temple as well as the mural on the rear wall behind it by mural artist Yip Yew Chong.

Did you know that Thian Hock Keng Temple is Singapore's oldest Hokkien temple? Built between 1839 - 1842, many had contributed towards the building fund of the temple but the biggest donor is Philanthropist Tan Tock Seng.

The temple was designed and built according to Chinese temple architectural traditions by skilled craftsmen from China but what's amazing is that not a single nail was used in the construction. It has even received a plaque from Emperor Guang Xu (光緒帝) of the Qing Dynasty!

Imagine that! The great Qing Emperor knew of the existence of our tiny temple far away in South East Asia!

The temple was gazetted as a national monument on 28 June 1973 and among the many awards it has won throughout the years, it's latest win was an honorable mention in the 2001 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards.

Wall Mural By Mural Artist Yip Yew Chong @ Thian Hock Keng Temple

After my visit to the Fuk Tak Chi Temple, I proceeded to Thian Hock Keng Temple which is situated along the same street. 

I was not too happy with my shots at the 178 years old temple that day as my new lenses were not suited for wide angle shots. As I figured what to do, I took a walk around the perimeter of the temple when I realized that mural artiste Yip Yew Chong has been commissioned by the Hokkien Huay Kuan to draw a 40m mural at the rear wall behind the temple. 

For the uninitiated, Thian Hock Keng Temple is managed by the Singapore Hokkien Huay Kuan (Huay Kuan = Clan Association).

I thought I could take photos of the mural instead since my shots of the temple were not satisfactory. However, my view of the murals were obstructed by the vehicles parked alongside the wall.

Yip Yew Chong's Mural Hunting At Tiong Bahru

After visiting the goats at Tiong Bahru Market, I went in search of some other wall murals around the vicinity by another talented artist Yip Yew Chong.

The murals done by him were scenes from the old Tiong Bahru which really brings back fond memories for me as my grandparents used to stay at the already demolished Blk 30 Jalan Membina - the biggest HDB in Singapore at that time (the current site of that four storeys building opposite Tiong Bahru Plaza now).

As a small boy, the old Tiong Bahru Market and the bird singing corner were places where I frequent when we visit my grandparents every weekend.