haw par villa
went to haw par villa with my parents today. it was yesterday once more.
paid the $1 ticket to enter the gates of hell section. perhaps the cheapest ticket in s’pore. the change was given in coins of the 80s.
as i walk through this cultural wonderland of myths and legends. old tales come to life in the creative depictions from chinese folklore. though some tableaus have been repainted, much of the original paint has faded over the years. its creative juices however, are vividly fleshed out. alot of thought has been put into its artistry, most evident in the painstaking detail.
much of the tableaus r very direct and educational, rich in cultural references. reminding me of cathedral murals dat present complex theological doctrines in a simple visual manner.
the last time i came to haw par villa i was still a small kid n my father still carried my around on his shoulders. as i grew up, i wondered about the fate of haw par villa after f&n decided to throw in the towel. today many of the exhibits struck me as surprisingly familiar. i remembered posing with the sumo wrestler n the statue of liberty n the numerous statues of the buddha.
it was a nostalgic moment to once again discover the ever iconic laughing buddha still laughing and standing after all these years. though it still graces many postcards, the huge haw par villa dragon has been demolished n replaced wif a rather banal statue of guan yin.
many of the tableaus n moral fables remind me of the countless stories my chinese teachers told me in school.
back then, i was too uninterested to pay any attention to any of them. however, today’s visit made me realize the historical n cultural importance of haw par villa. many of these stories might have been familiar to the older generation, but they r certainly unknown to many youths today. our parents grew up with the likes of xi you ji and hong lou mong. today’s kids read disney fairy tales. if haw par villa is demolished, these stories, myths may soon be forgotten.
its hard to believe that haw par villa was a hotspot in the 70s n 80s, much like the IR they’re building now in sentosa not too far away. it gives me an idea of the popularity this place enjoyed in its prime. today its quiet and deserted. its surprising how much singapore has changed in 20 years. it seems we’ve grown out of a need for places like these, preferring air-conditioned shopping malls that offer material comfort.
its not that the values depicted in the tableaus have become outdated. rather, as the population gets more well-educated, n with the internet, people perhaps desire less of a need for such depictions of morality.
the graphic depictions of the courts of hell have a diluted effect on our conscience. perhaps we have been too desensitized. too caught up with our lives dat we lose track of our values and our roots.
alvin ong dozed and watched the sawdust trampled night @ 1:17 AM
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