Haw Pa Villa (Singapore)

Singapore is known throughout the world as a hub for sea and air travel, so it would come as a complete surprise to many of you who have traveled to Singapore that right opposite the entrance to Port of Singapore (PSA Vista at 20 Harbour Drive) on the West Coast Highway is a place of spiritual riches a place known as Haw Pa Villa. Strangely very few people have seen it or let alone heard of it if fact I only came upon it by chance.

Created by AW Boon Haw for his brother AW Boon Par in 1937. His overriding faith was to create a garden to teach Chinese culture and so it came about with the assistance of 6 artisans.

AW Boon Haw personal motto "That which is derived from society should be returned to society" is a philanthropic position of a leading businessman of his time to provide monies to purchase the land and then build this spiritual Kingdom to grant knowledge and wisdom to those who entered these gardens.

AW Boon Haw put his knowledge, wisdom and understanding to the forthcoming generations through sculptured figurines placed in a variety of stage sets to illustrate creation and the rites of passage from the Chinese perspective.

In today's world the message would be done as a play or filmed for TV, movie or DVD audiences or presented as animated cartoon.

One of the most enduring characters in the Gardens is "The Laughing Monk" with the protruding belly he is popularly known as the The Laughing Buddha. During the Five Dynasties from 907 to 960 AD, there was a monk named Qici from the Zhejiang Province, who always carried a large hemp bag wherever he went, everyone called him "Budai" meaning "Cloth Bag". He was kind jovial and helpful. Qici collected all kinds of items which he would place in his bag, yet it seemed that this mysterious bag could never be filled. And although the bag was heavy, some say only a child could carry it. Legend has it that rubbing the statue's belly is an uplifting reminder to us all that the spirit of generosity leads to abundance and happiness.

This garden is indeed a great source of inspiration for seekers of truth.