THE MAP + THE STOPS ON OUR TRAIL
Important Things You’ll Need
❏ This Guidebook
❏ Pen/Pencil
❏ Electronic Device with QR Code Scanner
❏ Money (For Food and Souvenirs)
❏ Internet Connection (Free wifi available at Chinatown)
The Plan
- START -
Travel to South Bridge Road
Jamae Mosque
Walk along Pagoda Street
Sri Mariamman Temple
Multi-ethnic tailor shop
Sago and Trengganu Street
Spot the Indian Henna Store
Chinese Pioneers playing Chinese Chess behind Buddha Tooth Relic Temple
Buddha Tooth Relic Temple
Visit the Chinatown Visitor Centre
Food break @ Chinatown Food Street
- END -
Travelling to South Bridge Road
On your way to South Bridge Road, prepare for your journey by scanning the
following QR codes for information about the trail stops.
Chinatown
Sri Mariamman temple
Jamae Mosque
Video on Jamae Mosque Information on Jamae Mosque
Jamae Mosque
Jamae Mosque is an architectural wonder, infusing Malay, Chinese and Indian cultures.
Set up in Chinatown by the Chulia Muslims who lived there during Singapore’s early days,
Jamae Mosque is one of the oldest mosques in Chinatown. Instead of Kampong Glam, the
local Malay enclave, Chinatown is home to one of the oldest mosques in Singapore.
Is this not proof of Singapore’s multi-ethnicity?
KIDS! Sketch Jamae Mosque and label its cultural symbols. Remember to include their
significance!
Walk along Pagoda Street
Pagoda Street
Popular for its Jamae Mosque and
Sri Mariamman Temple, Pagoda
Street is a pedestrian shopping mall.
It even got its name from the
presence of Sri Mariamman
Temple. Pagoda means ‘temple’
and also refers to the temple’s
pyramidal tower, called gopuram in
Tamil. The Sri Mariamman Temple
was such an important landmark
that it gave the street its name.
Pagoda Street is known for its
opium-smoking dens in the early
19th century which later became a
coolie trading centre. In the early 20th century, it developed into a coolie lodging place. Due
to urbanisation in Singapore in the mid-20th century, the street was reinvented as a
commercial place dealing in retail and services.
Pagoda Street is now a part of the Chinatown Conservation District and is being remodelled
by the Singapore Tourism Board to showcase life in Chinatown in the olden days.
KIDS: Look around for unique toys and games!
Sri Mariamman Temple
The oldest Hindu temple in Singapore, the Sri Mariamman Temple
dates back to 1827. It was built by immigrants from the
Nagapatnam and Cuddalore districts of South India and was once
known as Mariamman Kovli or Kling Street Temple. It is dedicated
to the goddess Mariamman, known for her power to cure illnesses
and diseases.
Here, we can go in to feel the atmosphere in a Hindu temple. Please
do remember to be dressed well, with no scanty clothes. Also,
respect the Hindu religion and keep any personal religious thoughts
to yourself. Do not disturb the worshippers. You may also take
photographs outside the temple.
Multi-ethnic Tailor Shop
Along Pagoda Street is an assortment of tailor shops.
Despite being located in Chinatown, many of these shops
are run by Indians. Not only do they sell Indian clothes,
they also sell clothes from all kinds of cultures. From
kimonos to Western suits, they’ve got it all covered!
Sago and Trengganu Street
With a wide variety of products ranging from delectable local snacks to intricately crafted
souvenirs, Sago and Trengganu Street are not to be missed!
As you walk down the streets, do shop around for souvenirs and interact with the shop
owners to gain some insight into their daily lives.
Sago Street
The street received its name during the 1840s due to the fact
that there were numerous sago factories on the street, where
pith of the rumbia palm was made into flour that was
commonly used to make local snacks and cakes.
However, different dialect groups have different names for
the street. The Cantonese call the street ‘little temple street’
because of the tua peh kong temple located there. The
Hokkiens call the street asgu chia chui hi hng koi cheng koi,
meaning ‘the street in front of the theatre in Kreta Ayer’.
It now houses food outlets, bars, retail shops as well as a row of pushcarts selling a range of
items.
Trengganu Street
Trengganu Street was once described as "the Piccadilly of Chinese Singapore". It takes its
name from Trengganu, a sultanate and state on the northeastern side of present day
Peninsular Malaysia.
Hawkers of all races used to sell a variety of wares, from cheap street food to household
goods, day and night on Trengganu Street.
Today, Trengganu Street has been converted into a pedestrian mall. Some of the shophouses
are home to performing arts groups. Take a stroll down its vibrant and colourful streets and
see for yourself why it was dubbed the ‘Picadilly of Chinese Singapore’!
Try to Spot the Iconic Indian Henna Store in Chinatown
As you walk along the streets, try to spot the iconic Indian Henna stall, further evidence
of Chinatown’s multi-ethnicity!
What do the different henna designs symbolise?
Birds are messengers: parrots are
messengers of love, swans are messengers
of success and peacocks are well known
for their beauty so this is what they
symbolize in mehndi.
Flowers represent joy and happiness and
the flower bud (which is very popular in
bridal mehndi) is symbolic of growth or
new beginnings. A lotus flower represents
grace, sensuality, purity, femininity and
creativity and the sahasrara (a thousand
petal lotus) represents the uniting of the
soul with the Divine Source therefore is a religious symbol.
Vines and leaves show devotion and are a must have mehndi design at a wedding ceremony.
Butterflies and dragonflies are symbolize rebirthing or change and the very popular and
delicate paisley mehndi are representative of luck and fertility.
Scorpions are representative of love and romance. Lizards and snakes are seen as seekers of
enlightenment though they are not as common today and the humble tortoise represent
fertility and protection.
Chinese Chess
What is Chinese Chess?
Chinese chess, also known as Xiangqi, is a strategic
board game for two players. The game represents a
battle between two armies with the objective being
capturing the enemy's general (king). Distinctive
features of Xiangqi include: the requirement that the
cannon (pao), must jump over another piece to
capture an enemy piece; there is a rule prohibiting the
generals from facing each other directly; areas on the
board called the river and palace, which restricts the
movement of some pieces (but enhance that of
others); and placement of the pieces on the intersections of the board lines, rather than within
the squares.
ACTIVITIES
1. Watch the elderly gentlemen play Chinese chess.
a. These elderly men congregate here to play Chinese chess with each other
every day, something they’ve been doing for decades!
2. Download a Chinese chess app from an app store to try it out!
QR code for more information on Chinese Chess (Xiangqi)
Buddha Tooth Relic Temple
ACTIVITY
1. Scan the QR code below for a virtual tour of the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple
2. Click on the Virtual Temple Tour to explore the temple
Buddhism had its origins in India, but this temple, bearing
the namesake of a prominent Buddhist relic, is ironically
located in Chinatown and not in an Indian enclave. Also, note
how the signage is not in an Indian language, but in Chinese,
which is evidence of multi-ethnicity in Chinatown!
FUN FACT! The Buddha Tooth Relic Temple was founded
in 2002 by Venerable Shi Fazhao and took more than two
years to build!
Scan the QR code below for more information on Chinatown
Visit the Chinatown Visitor Centre:
Celebrating the Old and the New
The Chinatown Visitor Centre is essentially Chinatown in a nutshell. The visitor centre
displays a mini-collection of Chinatown’s history since the Chinese pioneers settled here, as
well as basic tourist information. Brochures and maps are widely available in many
languages. Catch your breath in the fully air-conditioned building and get a glimpse of
Singapore’s eclectic past from the information boards in the visitor centre. You can also
purchase unique Chinatown-themed souvenirs here including notebooks, tote bags, keychains
and cute toys sold exclusively here.
The Chinatown Visitor Centre is located between Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and
Chinatown Complex.
Food break @ Chinatown Food Street
It’s break time! Here at Chinatown Food Street, a wide variety of local favourites await.
From Chinese Hokkien Mee to Indian Roti Prata to Rojak, you’ll be able to sample numerous
multi-ethnic foods from all the stores. All these multi-ethnic dishes are enjoyed by the locals
of all races in Singapore, it is often considered a melting pot of cultures. A stop at Chinatown
Food Street will definitely be a fun and cost effective experience for anyone and everyone!
FUN FACT! Did you know that Rojak means “mixture” in
Malay? Rojak is a food which reflects Singapore’s multi-
ethnicity since the different fruits and vegetables found in
Rojak are of different origins. This is similar to how
Singapore consists of people from different ethnic origins and
cultures.
Heading Home
Thank you for taking your time to enjoy Singapore’s multi-ethnic Chinatown!
We hope you had a great time.
Scan this QR code for a recap video of the trail
Bibliography
1. Trengannu Street (2014) In Wikipedia Retrieved 17 August 2015
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trengganu_Street
2. Sago Street (2014) In Wikipedia Retrieved 17 August 2015
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sago_Street
3. Xiang Qi (2015) In Wikipedia Retrieved 17 August 2015 from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xiangqi
4. Picture of Rojak http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7307/10237625304_7afc099e45_b.jpg
5. Sri Mariamman Temple. (n.d.). Retrieved August 24, 2015, from
http://www.yoursingapore.com/see-do-singapore/culture-heritage/places-of-worship/sri-
mariamman-temple.html
This Chinatown Trail was put together by the students of Methodist Girls’ School,
Class of 2018