Friday, March 8, 2013

Haw Par Villa/ Tiger balm gardens, Singapore.

Mum and Dad at Haw Par Villa.

The rich country of China was plundered by England, France and Germany and Portugal. The British brought their Opium and got the Chinese people addicted to it and crippled the country. The British with their superior artillery and warship defeated the Qing Dynasty. They forced China to surrender and craved up the China into different regions under different foreign rule.

When Commissioner Lin Zexu realized what was happening to China, he seized 2.5 million pounds of raw opium to stamp out the consumption of opium in China. The British retaliated with the First Opium war (1839-42) and the Second Opium was in 1856-60. China’s defeat forced the signing of the Treaty of Nanking. China had to pay an indemnity of $21 Million and cede Hong Kong to Britain.

At the entrance of Haw Par Villa, stands a majestic statue of Commissioner Lin. The Haw Par Villa is Dad's favourite haunt when he comes to Singapore. He said he went to ponder at the  historical personage of Lin Zexu. He didn't care for the Buddhist Statues.

Not many people know the History , built in 1937 by the brothers Aw Boon Haw and Aw Boon Paw.
In Shanghai, the British put up signs at parks, " No Dogs nor Chinese allowed."  It insulted the Chinese during the semi-colonial era.

The Aw brothers retaliated and put up a sign," No Dogs nor Englishmen  allowed."


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