Haw Par Villa

Lesson Slides

By Team RCH

Places of Haw Par Villa

➢ Arch Entrance

➢ Madam White Snake

➢ Madam White Snake and Her Filial Son

➢ 10 Courts of Hell

➢ Confucius

➢ Laughing Buddha

➢ Hua Guo Shan

➢ Lin Zexu

Places of Haw Par Villa

➢ Tiger Cars

➢ Sakyamuni

➢ The Eight Immortals

➢ Pond of Legacy

➢ Journey To The West

➢ Aw Memorials

➢ Saga Of The Immortals

➢ Fu Lu Shou

➢ Virtues and Vices Tableaux

Objectives

recognise it is an inheritance from

previous generations

appreciate the fine craftsmanship

appreciate its historical value

relish folktales and legends

Arch Entrance

1. Meant to protect people from vices as shown in the Virtues and Vices Tableaux

2. Symbol of tiger representing legacy left behind by the Aw family

Madam White Snake

- love story between a woman transformed from a white snake and her husband Xu Xian

- courage, determination and filial piety- jealous monk was envious of the couple’s happiness- trapped Xu Xian in the dungeons of Gold Hill Temple- Madam White Snake displayed true love and bravery by rescuing him

as the battle was fierce and difficult- help from the water spirits who flooded the temple and helped in the

attack- Xu Xian was eventually reunited with his wife but many innocent lives

were lost

Madam white snake and her filial son

- gave birth to a boy Meng Jiao- When he was barely a month old, Fa Hai returned to capture and cast

her into and enchanted pagoda- Sentenced to imprisonment due to innocent lives- Meng Jiao grew up to be clever, diligent and filial- immediately went to the pagoda and prayed for mercy- The Heavens were touched by his sincerity and destroyed the pagoda

to free Madam White Snake- importance and power of filial piety

Ten Courts of hell

1. realm of the dead or Hell in Chinese mythology2. loosely based on a combination of the Buddhist concept of Naraka3. typically depicted as a subterranean maze with various levels and

chambers4. souls are taken there after death to atone for the sins they committed

when they were alive.

Ten courts of hell

Ox-Head and Horse-Face- guards or escorts of the Nether World- ferocious features and are stern executors- Ox-Head is hell soldier- Horse-Face is Lousha, a wicked ghost who act as guardsmen at the

gates of hell- chase spirits into a gate of hell with a steel spear and ivory stick- to face various punishment given by the Yamas (Emperors of Hell)

Ten courts of hell

First Court of Hell- King Qingguang conducts preliminary trials- each prisoner is judged according to his deeds in his past life- good are distinguished from the evil- the King recommends appropriate reward or punishment- punishments out in the various courts- virtuous conduct in their past life led over the Golden Bridge

to reach paradise- good deeds outweigh crimes committed Silver Bridge to reach

paradise- evil doers in their past life will be sent to repent before the Mirror of

Retribution

Ten courts of hell

Tenth Court of Hell• Wheel of Reincarnation and the Pavilion of• King Zhuanglun passes his final judgement• Prisoners brought to the Pavilion of Forgetfulness where an old lady named

Men Po gives them a cup of magic tea which makes them forget their past lives• go through the Wheel of Reincarnation• either be reborn as an animal or a human• some would be reborn into a life of ease and comfort whereas others into

sorrow and suffering

Fu Lu Shou

1. commonly referred to as the Gods of Blessings, Prosperity and Longevity

2. one of the most popular gods/deities in Chinese history3. countless legends of the Fu Lu Shou aiding and bestowing kindness on

worthy mortals throughout the lands4. originally astrological stars5. showed the traditional culture of the Chinese people who long for:

happiness, prosperity and longevity.

Gods of Happiness, Wealthand Longevity

Representing the top three desires of man: happiness, wealth, longevity1. God of Happiness, Fu Xing• said to bring blessings and happiness• usually seen as a scholar with either a baby or scroll in his arms• signifies family bliss or the abundance of descendants

2. God of Prosperity, Lu Xing• symbolises wealth• reward for one’s hard work and determination which brings honour and respect• usually seen as a court official with opulent-looking robes

3. God of Longevity, Shou Xing• symbolises longevity• usually seen with an extraordinarily large and bald forehead, holding the Peach

of Immortality and a peach wood staff

Eight Immortals

1. Tie Guai Li: Guardian of the poor, disabled and ill. Seen holding an iron crutch and a gourd of medicines.

2. Han Zhong Li: Patron of the poor who carries a magical fan which can revive the dead. Was once a Han general with the surname Zhong Li.

3. Lan Cai He: Patron of performing artistes. Usually seen as a boy carrying a basket of flowers which grants youth, beauty and longevity.

4. Cao Guo Jiu: Patron of hermits. Holds a jade tablet for the courts that purifies the environment. Was the uncle of the Emperor, and thus his name which means Royal uncle.

5. Zhang Guo Lao: Symbol of procreation. Holds a tube of phoenix feathers.6. Lu Dong Bin: Patron of those in distress. Said to be the leader and the most

popular of the group. Usually seen as a scholar dressed in white robes with his sword.

7. Han Xiang Zi: Patron of scholars and clairvoyants(person who is psychic). Usually seen with a flute and can make flowers grow and bloom at will.

8. He Xian Gu: Patron of women. The only female of the Eight Immortals. Her lotus flower allows her to improve one’s health in all aspects.

Pond of Legacy

This pond forms the shape of the ancient calligraphic character for 'Aw'. The legacy of the Aw brothers lives on, not only in Haw Par Villa, but also in the little jar of Tiger Balm ointment that can be found in many households today.

➢ Waterless pond which houses a mini village complete with tiny structures such as bridges, houses, shops and is decorated with lotus flowers

➢ One side of this ponds sits a square pagoda for visitors to climb in to crawl and take pictures

Journey to the west

Monkey God- hatched from a stone egg shaped like a monkey which magically came to life- he was a natural leader and soon commanded the respect of his fellow monkeys

and was destined to be their king- The monkeys and him lived in a beautiful mountain named Hua Guo Shan which

had a variety of fruits for them to eat- One day, Monkey God travelled to the Cave of the Curved Moon and Three

Stars where he moved the Taoist immortal with his sincerity to learn martial arts

- Sadly, he was very naughty and grew bolder when he acquired the skills. He disrupted a feast in the heavens, ate up the divine peaches and caused so much havoc that even the Buddha was angered and punished him by trapping him under the mountains till Tripitaka came along.

Virtues and Vices

• most important set of moral rules to follow• strictly upheld and usually related to religious and moral teachings such

as Confucianism• ”The act of giving is the reward itself.” • provide practical lessons for all ages on how to behave• the Chinese believe in retribution, should the vices be adopted.• lessons are always relevant and useful in all societies and walks of life.

Virtues and Vices

Virtues : - Importance of hard work Vices: - Laziness- Thrift not theft - Gambling- Generosity - Drugs- Knowing right and wrong- Filial Obedience- Religious Piety- Loyalty- Humility- Value of Friendship

Virtues and Vices

Thriftiness and Wealth:

➢ Being thrifty and saving up for a rainy day

➢ if one is poor he/she has to stay away from stealing

➢ The Chinese belief in retribution for misdeeds is depicted in this case of

the police catching thieves trying to run off with a stolen chicken and some

clothes.

➢ There’s also a cavern which shows the sad lives of beggars.This teaches

us to share our wealth and do good deeds as we will be rewarded.

➢ Wealth may be good but it can be harmful if not spent properly.

Virtues and Vices

Helping Future Generations:➢ road to wealth is often tough and thus hard-earned money should be put to

good use➢ One way is to invest into the community to improve it and benefit everyone.➢ be selfless and pave the way for future generations➢ young and old folks displaying teamwork by catching fish and building a bridge➢ co-operation between them and their smiles reflect enjoyment.➢ idle young ones gamble and smuggle opium➢ gateway with the tiger emblem which acts as a barrier to protect them from

the vices

virtues and vices

Determination, Loyalty and Hard Work: ➢ In the first tale, Han Yu, a Tang Dynasty scholar tried to impart religious

teachings to his nephew, Han Xiang Zi. Through his hard work work, determination and loyalty, Xiang Zi became the patron saint of musicians and one of the Eight Immortals.

➢ In the second tale, Jia was hardworking but Yi was lazy. In the end, because of Jia’s hard work and determination, he became a bank clerk while Yi managed his father’s store but could not understand the accounts.

virtues and vices

➢ In the first tale, a kind man named Wang Qing who loved animals felt sorry for a tortoise which was being carried to a market. Hence, he bought it and set it free. Years later, his ship sank and he was saved by the tortoise while the others died.

➢ In the other tale, there are the Eighteen Luo Han who are famous for their supernatural powers. One of them called Pindola could ride a dragon and control wild animals.They are known as the guardians of Buddhism and had at least 500 subordinates each.

virtues and vices

Tang Dynasty Buddha:➢ This Virtues and Vices tableaux is dedicated to the

Buddha Da Dian Fo, who is better known as Ji Gong from the Tang Dynasty.

➢ He travelled around the country dressed like a dirty monk, observing the people around him. He is known for working miracles by saving lives and helping the poor and weak with his magic. Hence, he sits at the centre with two monks flanking him.

➢ He is also accompanied by the Diamond Kings of the East and West, the Sakyamuni Buddha joined by Wen Zhu and Wen Xian,the Laughing Buddha, the Goddess of Mercy and the heavenly deities, Ne Zha with a spear and Mu Zha with a magic whisk.

Virtues and vices

Friendship and Loyalty:➢ importance of being loyal to friends, warns of the

consequences that betrayal could bring➢ There were two boys having a picnic in the woods.

One of them spotted a bear an ran away without this friend.The friend played dead and fooled the bear, hence the bear gave chase and killed the boy who ran away.

➢ In another version, the boy who saw the bear climbed up a tree instead of running away. After the bear went away after being fooled, he asked the other boy what the bear said and the boy replied by saying,”It said never to trust a friend who betrays you in time of trouble.”

virtues and vices

Religious Piety:➢ The ruler of China, Liang Wu Di, is seen with his minister and advisor in the

sixth century AD. He is a good example of the close link between religious piety and virtue. Liang Wu Di is thought to have brought Buddhism to the country. He built many temples, behaved religiously and practised meditation.

➢ He also extolled the virtue of hard work and influenced his court officials and people by example.

➢ Nearby, there is also a soldier crossing the bridge on horseback warning the young couple of the hardships and dangers in life and not to be complacent.

Saga of the immortals

Part 1: Battle of the Yellow River➢ Jiang Zi Ya’s warriors charged into the Yellow River Formation,hoping to break

it. However, they were trapped and fell prey to the Three Sisters’ magical spells.

➢ In the battle scene, many deities cast their magical powers.➢ Wen Tai Shi was the strategist of evil King Zhou, waging a war on Jiang Zi Ya. ➢ Yang Jian,Jin Zha and Ne Zha battle the three sisters with their magical

scissors fiercely. Both sides were equally powerful. Luckily, the Two Sages arrived at the scene and turned the tide against the Three Sisters, ending the battle.

Saga of the immortals

Part 1: Battle of the Yellow River➢ The two sages who came to their aid were none other than the founder of

Taoism, Lao Zi and Yuan Shi Tian Zun.➢ Yuan Shi Tian Zun was said to have created Heaven and Earth and one of his

disciples was Jiang Zi Ya.➢ During the battle, Lao Zi used his magical bull to neutralise the sisters’ spells

and used his Goblet of Sorcery to defeat the sisters while Yuan Shi Tian Zun used his Magical cup.

➢ With the sisters destroyed, the Yellow River Formation was broken and this paved the way for King Wen to rule and bring happiness to the people.

➢ This tale shows that good always triumphs over evil and tells of keeping faith, courage and determination despite the hardest circumstances.

Saga of theimmortals

Part 2 : Before the battle➢ Jiang Zi Ya led many highly skilled pugilists to fight King Zhou, killing him in the

end.➢ Jiang Zi Ya also killed his warrior,Zhao Gong Ming.➢ Hence, the three sisters swore revenge.Together with their magical weapons,

the Flying Scissors, Enchanted Pearl and Black Wind Bag, they defeated numerous warriors and formed the Yellow River Formation.

➢ This led to the Battle of the Yellow River, the most exciting scene in this saga between the divinities.

1. Brandel, J., & Turbeville, T. (1998). Tiger Balm Gardens: A Chinese Billionaire's Fantasy Environments. Hong Kong: Aw Boon Haw Foundation.

2. Diyu. (n.d.). Retrieved August 15, 2015, from http://www.worldlibrary.org/articles/diyu

3. Haw Par Corporation Limited. (n.d.). Legend from a Jar - The Story of Haw Par. Retrieved June 6, 2016, from http://www.hawpar.com/about-us/heritage.html

4. Lywet. (n.d.). Fu, Lu and Shou, Three Stars of Blessings, Prosperity and Longevity. Retrieved June 07, 2016, from http://www.chinaculture.org/gb/en_chinaway/2005-08/19/content_72038_4.htm

5. Ord, I. (2012, June 11). 10 Stages in the Court of Hell at Haw Par Villa. Retrieved August 15, 2015, from http://wheresidewalksend.com/court-of-hell/

6. Wei, L. (2013, September 05). Going Places Singapore - Five things you didn't know about Haw Par Villa. Retrieved June 06, 2016, from http://www.goingplacessingapore.sg/more/Top5/2013/HawParVilla.aspx

References

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