QingMing in Bukit Brown (26 March 2016)

Last month I joined a tour conducted by the Brownies to Bukit Brown again. It had been quite some time I last visited Bukit Brown. This was the first time ever since the old cemetery access was not available. From the Bukit Brown website, I noted there were actually 2 entrances to the cemetery. That day the meeting point was at a platform after passing through Lorong Halwa.

(credit: Bukit Brown)

As Qingming (in fact, the actual day was yesterday according to Chinese calendar) was around the corner and the cemetery is bustling with activity again.  I joined the tour because I wanted to have a close-up look of families visiting the graves of their ancestors with offerings, and tombkeepers busy themselves with sprucing up graves ahead of the descendants' visits. I have never been to a cemetery during Qing Ming period.

Upon arrival from the bus, immediately I smelt smoke, which reminds me of the haze we had last year. This smell is pretty common especially when joss papers and offerings are burnt. Upon navigating around, I saw smoke spiraling from one spot near the bridge over Lornie Road. Someone had already paid a visit to their ancestor.
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Besides visiting a new grave cluster, the family of Lim Chong Pang, I learnt something new on this trip.

Cars and vehicles were slowly getting into the cemetery. This road is pretty narrow. There was a jam right ahead.

Quite a number of families were seen in the cemetery that day.

2 Earth Deities?

Offerings to the ancestors, includes food, joss sticks and candles. Before these were done, the descendants have to pray to the Earth deity. This is located on either side of the tomb. (see the pair of candles on the side) Joss papers are burnt last.

I learnt, there are male and female  Earth deities (indicated by the arrow). Almost every tomb has a Earth Deity. (either the male or the female)

The male Earth Deity

The female Earth Deity

Mass Grave?

During the Japanese Occupation, it was told that there was mass grave for civilian bodies near this stream.  I don't think these bodies could survived under such a condition, unlike the those on the hills.

Busy Tomb keepers 

This period of time is the busiest time for the tomb keepers. The services they offer are quite a handful. However, during this period, they would be offering cleaning or grass cutting services before the descendants come to pay their ancestors a visit. There are families who engage their services to maintain the tombs throughout the year for a fee.

Tomb keepers in action

One of the permanent makeshift tent for the tomb keepers.

Nature

This morning, it was the first time I spotted lots of living things besides the horses. Below are just some. One of the group member pointed out there are curry leaves too!

Red dragonfly

Black butterfly

The appearance of horses made some children squealed in delight

Other offerings

Flowers such as chrysanthemum is being offered

A more elaborated offering.

Orchid and drinks as offering. 5 colour paper on the graves are not meant to be burnt.
过 路钱,a small stack of beige rectangular shaped paper with three holes punched onto them.are being thrown around too. It is believed to be the ‘money’ used by the deceased when they travel from places to places in the underworld. Sometimes, these were scattered on the trees. These are meant for the wandering spirits. I forgot to ask why these aren't burnt.

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Swiftlet Nests in Singapore

Yes, you heard me right! There are real Swiftlets' nests, commonly known as Bird's Nest ( made by the swiftlets using solidified saliva), in Singapore! I happened to stumbled upon one such area during the last weekend to visit Mt Imbiah Battery. I had signed up some tours for Battle for Singapore and this trip was one of it. What I had not expected is to find intact bird's nests in the battery.

Upon arrival, I joined a group of history enthusiasts. We were told current status of Mt Imbiah, stories of WW2, the history of the battery, and the suspected use of each rooms. Although the place was decomissioned prior WW2, this battery is the only intact battery in Singapore that remained relatively untouched after the British army left Singapore. The rest of the batteries (Fort Siloso and Fort Connaught) in Sentosa had been bombed. The underground rooms were where the infantry used to store weapons was flooded and almost suffered the fate of being buried away as a result. Luckily, that idea was being abandoned and measures were made to drain away the water. Otherwise, we will not get the chance to visit and experience how it was like in such a battery. 

We were also brought through a very narrow passageway (basically the passageway is the perimeter of the underground magazine), we were told that this passage will help to keep the ammunition that were stored next to it dry. It is also in this passageway, we found the swiftlet nests. We were told the swiftlets are Jin Si Yan and the nests found here are poisonous, not for human consumption. Walking though the narrow passageway in a dark and groomy environment is pretty scary if you asked me. We were told to switch on our torchlight in our phone but I don't know how to operate mine. Luckily, majority of the members of the group had their lights on, so I followed behind. From their lights, I managed to see 2 rows of bird nests near the ceiling on the both sides of the corridor and snapped a picture of 2 nests next to each other (below). You can imagine the excitement I had because I had never seen any bird nests of any kind in my life before. What an experience it was! The swiftlets were probably frightened by us as we were making quite a commotion and they flew all over the place. Luckily, we were told there were swiflets in the passageway, otherwise I may have thought they were bats. One of the birds even bumped into my hand. In the innermost of the passageway, I felt the floor soft beneath my shoes. I could not see what it was. I believe they are feathers. When we were finally out, one of the guides asked whether we saw any big fat cockroaches! Eeewwww... Yes, these are some of the creatures you can find here, much to my amusement. I am sorry to tell you that the magazine is not open to public except in tours like this. Plans are made to preserve the site. I do hope in future, it will be open to public, including the magazine.

Bird nests in Mt Imbiah Battery

In the next photo collage, I am pleased to tell you that you will be able to visit and know more about swiftlets in Swiftlet Garden Museum. This particular museum is located at D'Kranji Farm Resort. When we first saw this museum during our farm hop last December, I was pretty excited to know more. It is not a very big museum but with the guided tour, you will be able to know the history of Bird's Nest and how it was harvested. It was Admiral Cheng Ho who brought them back as delicacy for the royal family from the South East Asia. You will also learnt that swiftlets are  monogamous and not all swiftlets are able to produce edible bird nest, only a few species do. You get to know how despicable some manufacturers are to the extent of bleaching bird nest to make them white so that they are be sold as premium bird nests.

You also get to learn how this particular plant, Swiftlet Garden Group of companies , harvest their own bird nests in swiftlet houses without harming the swiftlets and how these nests were processed. Essences ( glycoprotein extracts to produce food supplements for anti-cancer -SGBx, and stem cell therapy-NUSGx) of bird nest were extracted to make cookies, chocolates and coffee. To find out more, you may want to visit their homepage. The items can be purchase from their visitor's centre. Although I believe in consuming whole food rather than extracts (which were made into products), I bought the oats and blackcurrent cookies because Little One likes them.  

We do hope to visit the musuem again. Hopefully if we are not rushing for time so that we can stay and read the boards in the museum. At that time, I also wished to visit their farm in Malaysia. Currently, their farm does not have open farm tours available but I do hope that they conduct some day. I am sure plenty of people, especially the Chinese, would be interested.

Swiftlet Garden Museum
Left: Harvesting in swiftlet houses
Bottom Right: Mock up of Bird's Nest in swiftlet house
Top Right: Harvesting naturally in a cave

PS: I am in not affiliated or associated with the above mentioned company. 

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Gem near Orchard - Emerald Hill

I had always wanted to go to Emerald Hill. It is funny that I had never been because it is extremely accessible. What makes it even more unbelievable is that it is located near Orchard Road, Singapore’s busy central shopping district! 

Formerly Emerald Hill was a plantation land, the area was subdivided and developed into a idyllic residential estate for wealthy Chinese and Straits-Chinese merchants and their families at the turn of the 20th Century.

"Their dwellings comprised of terrace houses of a variety of architectural styles (ranging from Transitional, Late to Art-Deco) as well as independent mansions (now demolished). Many feature ornate pintu-pagars and have ground floor facades decorated with attractive ceramic tilework. Elaborate plaster work and wood carvings combine to create an architectural hybrid that is also referred to as ‘Chinese Baroque’.

In 1985, the URA announced that Emerald Hill would be a conservation area, the first in Singapore, in order to conserve some of the best examples of Straits Chinese style of dwellings. The conservation area also includes the development known as ‘Peranakan Place’, which is a row of 6 two-storey shophouses (circa 1902) fronting Orchard Road. This was a pilot restoration and development project carried out by the URA in 1985.
The area today is an attractive and quiet residential area with several commercial units in the main shopping zone near Orchard Road."

quoted from URA

Emerald Hill finally received formal conservation status on 7 July 1989. It also has a number of high-quality restoration projects that have won the URA Architectural Heritage Award.

These photos are taken during my first trip in January this year.

As you can see, hidden next to our bustling shopping district, which is full of tall high rise buildings, is this quiet little enclave. Pretty cosy, I would say. Usually, you would see a few photographers taking photos around the area.

Does this area reminds you of Katong? It is quieter here as it is mainly residential area. Some of the shophouses are converted to pubs. They are nearer to Orchard Road near Peranakan Place. I particularly love this row of terrace houses.

I love to look at the gates and the windows. Each unit has different looking shuttered windows. 

This has an elaborated Chinese gate. Reminds you of a temple

Love these walls

These windows are lovely!

Floral tiles can be found here too. 

Old house against the modern backdrop of Heeren

Wow! A tiled house number! And a stone lion. 

door knobs on gates

The trees and plants add a little rustic feel to the neighbourhood

5 foot way is another area I love capturing on my lens especially places as old as this

Pintu pagar is another object that fascinates me. The craftmanship is fascinating

The 2 different coloured benches and the 2 pillars catches the attention of my eyes

Although these houses on Emerald Hill are similar to those found in Joo Chiat and Katong, they are in fact, older.

Some beautiful lamp

I particularly like this address plaque. This has a Peranakan feel.

Somehow I am attracted to this store but it is not open

Look at the old school gate

Although not much can be found from the internet about Emerald Hill,  I found 2 articles related to the area.

Singapore Chinese Girls School used to be located here. The premise on Emerald Hill was declared a significant historical site by the National Heritage Board.

The story, Emily of Emerald Hill, was inspired by the author, Stella Kon's grandmother. A thing to note, Stella's great  grandfather was Dr Lim Boon Keng, who was the founder of Singapore Chinese Girls School.

Have you been here? If you do, do you have any stories to share?

This quiet little gem is a quick getaway if you want to relax or to be away from the crowd.

How to get there?
It is near Orchard Road. Just walk in the lane between Peranakan Place and Orchard Gateway@Emerald.

Resources:
https://www.ura.gov.sg/uol/conservation/conservation-xml.aspx?id=EMHL
http://www.emilyofemeraldhill.com/#!/c2te

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