Sights, colours & tastes of Sinagpore’s Chinatown

Posted on May 9, 2014 by Toothpicker

A view of the city of Ann Siang Hill Park

When I visit urban cities, aside from the price, the location of the accommodation is a crucial factor for my decision-making. In Singapore, reasonably-priced accommodations are hard to find, even on Airbnb, options are limited and uninspiring. After some extensive search, I chose to stay in a simple boutique hotel in the colourful, bustling and historical Chinatown. Besides the thin walls, everything was fine and the location is convenient, with the MRT only minutes away and close to many sights and eateries.

Chinatown is also known as ‘Niu Che Shui’ in Chinese, which means ‘bullock cart water’, in reference to the bullock carts that used to supply fresh water to its residents. The area used to be a Chinese immigrant ghetto, and it is full of colourful pre-war 2/3-storey Chinese and Malay style shophouses. In 1989, the Urban Redevelopent Authority launched a project to restore these buildings and subsequently converted them into shops, restaurants, hotels and museums etc. Despite the commendable conservation effort and vision, from the aesthetic point of view, I think these buildings look too new and pristine, making the area look more like film sets rather than an authentic heritage site. However, having said that, I am still glad that the authority didn’t just demolish and replace them by the 1980s style glass highrises like Hong Kong did (oh, I just can’t help comparing the 2 cities).

Top right: The Jinrikisha Station; 4th row left: The Majestic: 5th row: The 50s; 6th row left: The screening room

Chinatown is large area divided into 5 districts: Kreta Ayer, Telok Ayer, Tanjong Pagar, Bukit Pasoh and Ann Siang Hill. Ann Siang Hill is the trendier and expat-friendly part with many Western bars, restaurants and boutique (meaning tiny rooms) hotels. I picked up a paper area guide before I exploring the area, and it turned out that most of the shops recommended had either closed down or moved out the premises! I am not sure if it is due to high rental prices or lack of human traffic, but the area did seem rather quiet when I visited during the day. A pleasant surprise is the small but very lush Ann Siang Hill park, the tallest geographical point in Chinatown, which leads to Amoy Street and Telok Ayer.

Chinatown is a very colourful place

Three national monuments are located on Telok Ayer Street including Thian Hock Keng Temple, Al-Abrar Mosque and Nagore Durgha Shrine. Completed in 1842, Thian Hock Keng is one of the oldest and most important Hokkien temple in Singapore. The temple was built in traditional southern Chinese architectural style, and the entire structure was assembled without nails. The temple’s last restoration completed in 2000, which won several architectural awards.

I was particularly attracted by a fascinating Islamic structure, which turned out to be the Nagore Durgha Shrine. Built in 1830 by brothers Mohammed and Haja Mohideen as a memorial to a Muslim holy man, Shahul Hamid (also Shahul Hameed) of Nagore in southern India. The shrine’s extensive restoration started in 2007 and ended in 2011, now the ground floor has been converted into a heritage centre and is open to the public. Actually there isn’t much to see, but it is worth visiting if you happen to pass it.

Top left & 2nd row left: Jamae Mosque; Top middle & 2nd row right: Sri Mariamman Temple; Top row right: Thian Hock Keng temple; 3rd row: Nagore Dargah Shrine: Bottom row right: Buddha Tooth Relic Temple

Kreta Ayer is the heart of Chinatown and the South Bridge Road is home to two national monuments: Jamae Mosque and Sri Mariamman Temple. Established in 1826, Jamae Mosque was the first of three mosques in Chinatown erected by the Chulias, who were Tamil Muslims from the Coromandel Coast of Southern India. The green structure’s pair of Neo-classical prayer halls is very eye-catching, just like the gopuram (entrance tower) of the Sri Mariamman Temple further down the road, founded a year later than the mosque.

At the end of the road is a new and rather imposing Chinese temple, Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and museum founded by the Venerable Shi Fazhao in 2002. The S$45 million (donated by worshippers) Tang dynasty style temple was built to house the supposed tooth relic of the Buddha, claimed to have been discovered by a Myanmar monk, the late Venerable Cakkapala in 1980 while restoring a collapsed stupa in Myanmar. Whether it is the real deal or not doesn’t matter because the tooth is only accessible to the public on special occasions, instead you will find a lot of gold inside…

On Pagoda Street, there is restored shophouse that has been transformed into Chinatown Heritage Centre, a recreation of 1950’s Singapore that is faithful down to the smallest of details and filled with videos and descriptions of Singapore’s heritage.

The Red Dot design museum

In recent years, the Tanjong Pagar district has been nicknamed ‘koreantown’ due to a surge of Korean eateries and Korean wedding boutiques along Tanjong Pagar Road. The landmark on this road is the historical Jinrikisha Station built from 1903 to 1904 as a rickshaw station. The building was restored in 1987 and is now used as a shopping and recreational centre.

It is almost impossible to miss the large red colonial building on Maxwell Road. The building is the Red Dot design museum, which used to be the traffic police HQ. Opened in 2005 by Germany’s Red Dot Institute, this contemporary design museum is their first outlet in Asia. The museum displays more than 1,000 exhibits/ Red Dot Design Award winners ranging from product designs to communication designs. The design shop also sells a range of international and local designed objects.

Singapore City Gallery at The Urban Redevelopment Authority

Opposite the Red Dot museum is The Urban Redevelopment Authority centre, and located on the first floor is the free-entry Singapore City Gallery. The gallery tells the story of Singapore’s physical transformation over the past 50 years through architectural models and various interactive and experiential exhibits. This gallery is quite fascinating as it shows the ‘grand vision’ of urban planning and development by the government since decades back, and how the city will evolve in the future. The history, present and future of Singapore’s cityscape can all be found within this gallery, but if you want to learn more about the country’s history, art, cultural and social aspects, a trip to the National Museum of Singapore (93 Stamford Rd) is a must.

Baba house

On the outskirt of Chinatown, there is a special heritage home that is worth visiting if you have the time. Built possibly in the 1860s, Baba House (157 Neil Rd) is a Peranakan (meaning mixed-race descendants from Chinese or Indian tradesmen and women of the local communities in Southeast Asia) terrace house formerly owned by 19th-century shipping tycoon Wee Bin who settled in Singapore, after arriving from the southern China. The house has been beautifully restored and is open for visits by appointments. Peranakan culture is unique to Southeast Asia, and you can find out more about it at The Peranakan Museum (39 Armenian Street).

Park Royal on Pickering designed by WOHA

Aside from heritage buildings, one new building particularly stands out in Chinatown and it is the multiple award-winning Park Royal on Pickering. The 367-room hotel opened last year and it is designed by local architectural firm, WOHA. Designed as a hotel-as-garden, it features large balconies and terraces covered in 15,000 square metres of tropical plants, and other green innovations include the use of solar energy, harvesting of rainwater and natural light, energy-efficient air conditioning and automatic sensors to regulate energy and water usage and carbon monoxide levels. I did not go inside of the hotel but I was very impressed by its exterior. Again, this design echoes the government’s ‘Green Plan’, which helps Singapore to pave its way to become one of the world’s greenest cities.

First left & 2nd row: Tai Chong Kok bakery; 3rd row middle, right & 4th row right: Rose Citron; 4th row left & bottom left: Egg3; Bottom middle & right: Littered with books

Shopping

The busiest and most touristy part of Chinatown is the street market which is filled with 200 market stalls lining Pagoda, Trengganu and Sago streets. Most of these stalls sell touristy souvenir, but there are some interesting heritage shops located along these streets too. One of the most eye-catching one is Tai Chong Kok bakery (34 Sago St), a moon cake bakery established in 1935. The bakery still sells moon cakes and other traditional Cantonese confections like Wife and husband cakes, egg tarts and almond cookies etc.

In the relaxing Duxton hill, there is a charming independent bookshop, Littered with books (20 Duxton Road), which was voted as the Best New Bookstore by Time Out 2011. There is a range of fiction and non-fiction literature, as well as travel, cookery, children’s books, and secondhand ones. It is a very chilled and pleasant place to browse or spend your time.

Rose Citron (23 Keong Saik Rd) is a colourful shop specialising in hand-sewn fashion bags, accessories and home soft furnishings. I love the exotic and bright floral prints here, but I find the prices to be quite steep, so if you are looking for something unique, be prepared to pay extra for it here.

Egg3 (33 Erskine Road) is a cool lifestyle shop established in 2004. This branch stocks a range of on-trend fashion clothing and accessories by local designers, and some quirky home accessories. The prices here are reasonable and the designs are quite unique, so it is a good alternative to the chained fashion brands in the shopping malls.

Top left: Hong Lim food centre; Top right: Tian Tian chicken rice; 2nd row: Maxwell Road hawker centre; 3rd row: the Famous Sungei Road Trishaw Laksa; 4th row left & middle: Ann Chin popiah; 4th row right: Chinatown Complex Market and Food centre; Bottom left: Outram Park Fried Kway Teow Mee; Bottom right: Indian thali

Dining

Like all Asian cities, food plays a vital part in this city. But unlike other Asian cities, Singapore is more well-known for its hawker centres than its restaurants. Forget your diet and hygiene, a visit to the hawker centres is a must as the food is much cheaper, fresher and more authentic than the restaurants.

After a S$5 million facelift, the 100-metre food street at Smith Street reopened in February with 24 street hawker shops, six shophouse restaurants and several street kiosks. I visited it one evening and found the street very touristy, also the food prices are higher and not as good as the other hawker centres nearby.

My favourite hawker centre in Chinatown is the less well-known Hong Lim food centre (531A Upper Cross Street) where you will find mostly locals and many long established stalls. I tried the famous Outram Park Fried Kway Teow Mee (#02-17), very tasty and dirt cheap at S$3, but probably not the healthiest options… A few days later, I went back to visit the Famous Sungei Road Trishaw Laksa (#02-66) late in theafternoon. The centre looked rather quiet as stalls were closing (stalls close earlier here than other centres, so it is best to come earlier in the day), but I managed to get a bowl of laksa without the crayfish as I was told by the friendly owner that it was sold-out after lunch and told me to visit earlier next time. Nonetheless, he was enthusiastic to see a non-local visiting his stall and was eager for me to taste his ‘special’ broth made from dried scallops. The soup here is not made with coconut milk, it is lighter than the norm yet still quite flavoursome and tangy, but I suspect that it would have been better if I had come earlier.

Not far from the food street is Chinatown Complex Market and Food centre (336 Smith Street), one of the largest hawker centre in the city. About 200 stalls are ‘hidden’ on the first floor of a large building and it is easy to miss from the street if you are not looking specifically for it. Once inside, you are spoilt for choice because there are so many stalls and some with extra long queues! I headed for the well-known Terry Katong Laksa (#02-94) except to be told that the broth was not ready yet (this time I was too early, I don’t seem to have much luck with laksa somehow)! I then went for Ann Chin Popiah (#02-112), founded by Mr Lim Kam Chwee, a Hokkien who brought his recipe from Fujian in the 1940s. The roll is light and filled with lettuce, sweet sauce, chopped peanuts, beansprouts and shredded turnip and carrot. Unlike all the other hawker stall favourites, this is a healthier and lighter option.

One of the most popular centre in Chinatown is the Maxwell Road hawker centre, which attracts both locals and tourists. Even before Anthony Bourdain‘s visit, Tian Tian chicken rice (#01-10/11) has been a long local favourite. I found it to be quite over-hyped, as the chicken itself doesn’t seem to have much flavour to it, although the rice itself is very fragrant. I have definitely had better chicken rice before, so I really don’t see what the fuss is about.

Top left: P.S. cafe at Ann Siang Hill; 2th row right: Good morning Nanyang cafe on Pickering; Bottom left: Seafood and pesto laksa pasta at P.S. cafe; Bottom right: breakfast set at Good morning Nanyang cafe

Traditional breakfasts used to be consisted of kaya (a jam made from eggs, sugar, coconut milk and pandan) toast, soft-boiled eggs and kopi (coffee). And one of the best place for this can be found at the Good Morning Nanyang Cafe where you will find different set combos. I visited two branches in Chinatown and tasted their two well-known ciabatta versions. Even though I don’t usually have a sweet tooth, I did enjoy the kaya toasts. However, I wasn’t sure how to eat the soft-boiled egg until I watched a local cracking it into a bowl and adding soy source to it! The branch at Telok Ayer Hong Lim Green Community Centre (opposite the Park Royal hotel) is very pleasant as has outdoor seating and overlooks the park.

The only restaurant meal that I had in Chinatown was at the P.S. cafe on Ann Siang Hill. I love the location, ambience, dark wood interior and the cocktail! Prices here are not cheap… the laksa pasta with king prawns here is quite unusual, but I think you pay more for the ambience here than the food itself.

Interesting streetscape in Chinatown

Contrary to its name, I think Chinatown is a melting pot not only catered for the Chinese community. Aside from conserving heritage from the past, there are many new elements and seems to be evolving constantly. Personally I prefer this characteristic area over the commercial Orchard Road which is just full of glossy shopping malls. Next time if you visit this area, try to explore beyond the touristy Kreta Ayer district as there is a lot of gems waiting to be discovered.

The community that makes Chinatown a vibrant and intersting place

Architectural wonders of old Shanghai

Posted on April 15, 2014 by Toothpicker

My last entry on Shanghai continues with the theme of architecture and the fascinating stories and people behind them…

The former residence of Liu Jisheng designed by László Hudec

Out of all the amazing buildings that I visited during my trip in Shanghai, my favourite was the Shanghai Writers Association/The former residence of Liu Jisheng in the former French Concession designed and built by László Hudec (675 Julu Lu) in 1926-7. I only learned of this building while I was having coffee at La Mer cafe, which is situated at the front of the building. The friendly cafe owner told me that the cafe used to be the garage of the villa, and she encouraged me to explore the building after my coffee. I probably would not have done so if it wasn’t for her because I didn’t want to be arrested for trespassing!

Interestingly, I did not encounter anyone during my ‘exploration’, there was no other visitor nor guards on site… Walking alone in the garden and inside the villa, I became slightly melancholic and began to imagine its glorious past. Aside from the ground floor, the floors upstairs are semi-abandoned, yet from the splendid chandeliers and stained glass windows, one could imagine how the place looked when it was occupied. It must have been a fabulous setting for dinner parties! But the ‘soul’ of the villa is its garden/the Psyche founatin… during my stay in Shanghai, I did not see the sun until this (last) day, and it made the garden look even more stunning.

It was only after my visit that I learned of the ‘love story’ behind this villa and garden, which is also considered to be the most romantic building ever built by László Hudec.

Liu Jisheng‘s former residence on Julu Lu

Liu Jisheng was a coal magnate in Shanghai in the 1920s, and he bought this plot of land as a gift to his wife, Rose on her 40th birthday. She then appointed the star architect of the time, László Hudec to design the Italian Renaissance style villa and its Greek-style garden. Hudec was inspired by the Greek myth of Eros and Psyche, and the layout of the villa resembles British artist, Frederic Leighton‘s “The Bath of Psyche”.

The couple left Shanghai for Hong Kong in 1948 and they stayed together until Liu‘s death in 1962. She died two years later and they were buried side by side in Montreal, Canada. The garden’s statue of Psyche survived the upheavals of the Cultural Revolution thanks to its gardener who hid it away in the greenhouse. The gardener continued to work here until his death and now his son has taken over his job as the guardian of the garden.

I love this story, but even without knowing the story, it is hard not to fall in love with this villa and garden. I believe that architecture has its own ‘soul’, and this place is definitely very special, if you go in with an open heart, you will ‘feel’ the love, poignancy and its glorious past.

Moller Villa Hotel

The former Moller villa is a grand castle-like villa and garden not far from the the former residence of Liu Jisheng. The villa has been bought by the Heng Shan group and has been renovated and turned into Heng Shan Moller Villa Hotel (30 South Shanxi Road) in 2001. The Scandinavian-style (with Chinese architectural elements) villa was designed and built by the renowned Allied Architects for Eric Moller, a Swedish shipping magnate and horse-racing fanatic in1936.

Although there was a rumour about the design of this fairytale-like villa being based on a sketch by Moller‘s youngest and favourite daughter, it was denied by her during an interview. Like most other privately-owned mansions in the city, the villa was taken over by the Communist army in 1949 and Moller left Shanghai in 1950, but died in a plane crash a few years later.

The Villa also has an impressive garden covering an area of about 2,000 square meters. Being the chair of the Shanghai Horse Racing Club, Moller erected a bronze statue of his beloved horse Blonic Hill on the lawn of the garden which still can be seen today.

Top: Mansion hotel; 3rd row: Russian Orthodox Mission Cathedral; Bottom row: Elasu building on Shanxi South Road

There are several heritage hotels in the area and one of them is Mansion hotel (82 Xin Le Road). The original villa was a club house given to Du Yue-Sheng (also known as “Big-Eared Du”, China’s most powerful triad boss) by his chief financial controller, Jin Ting Sun. Designed by the French architect Lafayette in 1932, the villa became a famous landmark as the gangsters’ headquarters and where lavish parties took place. Many of the original furniture and historical artifacts can still be seen at the hotel today. Du’s former residence in the area has also been turned into a hotel called Donghu Hotel on Donghu Lu.

Opposite the Mansion hotel is a blue-domed building that looks rather out of place… it is the Russian Orthodox Mission Cathedral,built in 1937 for the Russian community in Shanghai at the time. Religious services here ceased in 1962 and the building was used as a warehouse (bizarre). While much of the cathedral’s stained glass was destroyed during the Cultural Revolution, the Committee of Cultural Heritage restored the building in 1988 and soon after that, it was turned into a bar/nightclub known as The Dome (even more bizarre). Now the cathedral is a museum/art gallery, and it hosted its first service in 51 years last May.

Shanghai museum of arts and crafts

In my previous entry, I wrote about the Shanghai Museum of arts and crafts (79 Fenyang Lu, near Taiyuan Lu), and here is a bit more about its architecture and history. Built in 1905 for the French Concession’s Chamber of Industry director, this three-story late French Renaissance mansion is one of the most gorgeous mansions in Shanghai. The mansion became the residence of Chen Yi, Shanghai’s first mayor after 1949, and eventually turned into Shanghai Arts and Crafts Research Centre in 1960. Now visitors can still admire the mansion’s marble staircases, stained-glass windows, dark wooden paneling, ceiling beams, original fireplaces and a lovely lawn.

Shanghai’s Children Palace/ former Kadoorie family’s mansion

I stumbled upon the China Welfare Institute’s Children’s Palace (64 Yan’an Xi Lu, near Huashan Lu) by accident… I saw the colonial style mansion from across the street and was immediately drawn to it. I had no idea if it was open to public or not but since the door was opened, I went inside. I then found out that this ‘palace’ provides after-school programs for children in music, art, science, sports, and computers, which was set up by Soong Ching-ling (Madame Sun Yat-sen) in 1953. I was rather gobsmacked by the scale and grandness of this palace, the marble ballroom was especially magnificent, it would seem normal to see this in the U.K. or Europe but in Shanghai… I was astounded. At the time of my visit, there was an exhibition on the history of Chinese illustrations in several rooms, and although the exhibition was very interesting, I was rather distracted by the backdrop/ interior of the mansion.

It all made sense when I found out that this opulent mansion used to belong to one of Asia’s wealthiest Jewish family, the Kadoories. Built in the 1920s by British architect, Graham Brown for Sir Elly Kadoorie, this mansion took 4 years to complete and was known as the ‘Marble Hall’. Covering an area of 1,500 square meters, the two-storey mansion has more than 20 rooms, and white Italian marble can be seen everywhere. During the war, some members from the family were put into detention camp while some were placed under house arrest here. After the invasion of the Japanese, it served as a recreation centre for British and American soldiers until it eventually became the Children’s Palace. The Kadoorie family left Shanghai for Hong Kong where their family business continued to flourish until today.

Top row & 2nd row left: the former residence of Dr. Sun Yat Sen; 2nd row middle, right & bottom right: Former Residence of Zhou Enlai; Bottom left: the quiet and calm Xiangshan Rd

One of the popular tourist attractions in Shanghai is the former residence of Dr. Sun Yat Sen (7 Xiangshan Rd, near Sinan Rd) in the French Concession. Dr Sun Yat-sen was the founder of the Republic of China, and he lived here with his wife, Soong Ching Ling from 1918 until his death in 1925, and Soong continued to live here until 1937 when the Japanese army occupied Shanghai. Eight years later, when the Japanese were defeated, Soong offered to provide her home as a memorial site to commemorate of her husband. The European style house now displays most of the original furnishings, historical artifacts, documents and photos. The house also has a back garden and the overall ambience in and outside of the house is low-key and calm, which is very different from the bustling city life that is normally seen elsewhere in the city.

About 5 minutes from this house is another former residence (73 Sinan Road) of a well-known Chinese politician, Zhou Enlai. Zhou was the Chinese Prime Minister in the 1960s and 70s and he lived briefly here in 1946 to 1947. The house was used more as an office than residence, and it was quite basic and modest in style.

The newly renovated, Sinan Mansions

Yet contrary to the subtlety seen at these two former residences, the Sinan Mansions ( situated in between them) reveal a new and different China: it’s all about luxury. The 51 Western-style houses built around the 1920s have been renovated and turned into luxury condos, accompanied by a string of high-end restaurants, cafes, bars ( including a Johnnie Walker house) and a luxury hotel, Hotel Massenet.

To be honest, I am not entirely convinced about this ‘new’ development, the place looks more like Xintiandi (i.e. Disneyland) to me. The facade of the buildings look too ‘polished’ and the ambience does not feel at all authentic. Interestingly, the entire street and many of the eateries were almost empty when I was there, it seems that this new playground for the wealthy Shanghainese is yet to be hottest spot in town.

Duolun Cultural Street: 2nd & 3rd row right: former residence of H.H.Kung; 5th row middle: Old film cafe; Bottom left: a long mural featuring famous Chinese writers and intellects from the 1920s-30s; right: former residence of Bai Chongxi

In the historical Hongkou district, there is a famous road called Duolun Road (previously Darroch Road, named after a British missionary), originally built in 1911 as a residential road. The private residences were initially built by Chinese industrialists but later attracted many famous left-wing writers and even politicians. In 1998, the local government started a regeneration project to conserve and restore the historic buildings and turn them into museums, galleries, cafes or craft shops. And as a result, the 550 metres long road was also turned into a pedestrian street.

There are many interesting architecture on this road, and one stood out particularly due to its white Islamic-style facade. No.250 was built in 1924 and it was former residence of H. H. Kung, who was the richest man in China in the early 20th century, and the husband of Soong Ai-ling, one of the Soong sisters.

No. 210 was the former residence of Bai Chongxi (a General of Republic of China and a prominent Chinese Nationalist Muslim leader), and No.123 is the nostalgic Old film cafe that pays tribute to Shanghai’s silver screen and occasionally shows reels from the ’20s and ’30s.

Duolun Cultural Street: Top right, 2nd row & 3rd row middle: Xi Shi Zhong lou/Bell Tower; 3rd row left & 4th row left: Fitch Memorial Church; 5th row left: a bronze statue of Uchiyama; 5th row middle: a bookstore selling vintage Chinese classics; 5th row right & bottom row right: Duolun Museum of Modern Art

Another prominent building on this street is the 18.5m-tall Xi Shi Zhong lou/Bell Tower, named after a well-known book title by famous writer, Lu Xun. And not far from this is the Fitch Memorial Church (or Hongde Tang), named after George Field Fitch. Built in 1928, this unique East meets West style architecture is the only one of its sort to survive in Shanghai.

Outside of the Neishan bookstore stands a bronze statue of Uchiyama Kanzo (a good friend of Lu Xun), the owner of Uchiyama bookstore established in 1917. The bookstore published many works that espoused revolutionary ideals. It moved to the nearby crossing of Shanyin Road and Sichuan Road North in 1929, but was finally closed by the Kuomintang in 1945.

One popular and newer addition to this road is the Duolun Museum of Modern Art (no.27), a first state-owned non-profit institution that is dedicated to Chinese contemporary art. Covering more than 14400 square feet, this 7-storey building is worth a visit if you are in the area but not a ‘must-see’ sight.

Top left & 2nd left: Lu Xun’s former residence; Top row right, 3rd row: Lun Xun museum; 2nd row middle: the famous ‘love’ postbox on Tian’ai Road; 2d row right: the former site of Uchiyama bookstore; bottom row left: another former residence of Lu Xun

Although Lu Xun never joined the Communist party, he was a left-wing writer, and his ‘presence’ can be seen everywhere in this area where he once lived and worked. Not only there is a park dedicated to him (now being renovated) which contains his tomb and the Lu Xun museum. His former residence ( Building 9, Lane 132, Shanyin Lu, near Sichuan Bei Lu) is also open to the public via guided tours. This three-story red-brick townhouse was where he lived from 1933 until his death in October 1936.

The museum is worth visiting even if you are not familiar with the author’s work as there are many historical documents, artifacts and photos of the unsettling period in China during his life time. Lu Xun was also the leading figure in the Modern Woodcut Movement in China, and he used to organise practical workshop in woodcuts, taught by Uchiyama Kakichi, the younger brother of the bookstore owner Kanzo. I love the wood-block prints used on most of his book covers, which can be seen at the museum.

N.B. There is also a famous green post box situated at the supposedly most ‘romantic’ road in Shanghai, Tian’ai Road ( the Chinese translation is “sweet love”). Every letter sent from this post box will be marked with a special mark, bearing the affection from the letter sender to the recipient, hence it gets filled up weeks before Valentine’s day each year!

Interesting architectural details can be seen everywhere in Shanghai

Shanghai’s Art deco architecture

Posted on April 10, 2014 by Toothpicker

Cathay Theatre/cinema (1932)

Even though highrises have been built over the past two decades in this mega city, Shanghai is still full of fascinating historical architecture notably art deco ones. The Bund is probably the best place to appreciate its glorious past… when I visited Shanghai 12 years ago, I asked my friend to take me to the famous Art Deco style Peace Hotel ( now renamed as Fairmont Peace Hotel) one evening but I was disappointed with its rather shabby and dated interior. On this trip, I paid the hotel another visit after its 3-year renovation by a joint effort between the Fairmont group, Jin Jiang International Group and design and architectural team Hirsch Bedner Associates (HBA) and Allied Architects International. And I was very glad to see that the hotel has been restored to its former glory (see below), it is absolutely stunning and should not to be missed.

The North Building was formerly known as the Sassoon House, it was designed by P & T Architects Limited (Palmer and Turner) and commissioned by Sir Victor Sassoon, an Anglo-Jewish tycoon. The 10-storey building was completed in 1929, and six of its floors used to house Cathay Hotel, which was known as the “Number One mansion in the Far East” before the Communist government took over in 1949. The hotel reopened as Peace hotel in 1956, and it is especially renowned for its legendary Old Jazz Band.

The Peninsula hotel nearby also has an art deco flavour to it, though it is a brand new building that was only built in 2009. Another interesting building is no.27, The House of Roosevelt, formerly the Jardine Matheson Building, which was designed by Stewardson & Spence and completed in 1922. Now the building houses the Rolex Flagship Store, the largest wine cellar in China, two restaurants, a rooftop bar and a private club.

Top, 2nd & 3rd row left: Fairmont Peace Hotel (1929); 3rd row right & bottom row left: The House of Roosevelt (1922); Bottom row middle & right: Peninsula Hotel (2009)

One of the most famous architects of the 1930s in Shanghai was the Austro-Hungarian, László Hudec (1893-1958) who built over 100 buildings spanning 29 years (1918-1947). Two of his famous art deco work can still be seen on West Nanjing Lu: The Grand Theatre (1931-1933, now The Grand cinema) and the Park hotel (1931-1934), which reminds me very much of the highrise in New York built around the same period (see below). In fact, this 22-storey hotel was once the tallest building in Asia from 1934 to1958. The building next to it is the former YMCA building (1928), which has an interesting facade and was renovated in 2009 and turned into Sports Club hotel.

In the nearby People’s Park, there is also another art deco style building, the former Shanghai Art Museum which has moved from this site at the end of 2012. Constructed in 1933, the building was used as the former clubhouse of the Shanghai Race Club and has a prominent clock tower (see below) which houses a restaurant/bar, Kathleen’s 5.

Top row left: Grand theatre by László Hudec (1933); 2nd & 3rd row left: The Paramount Theatre (1932); 3rd row middle: Park Hotel by László Hudec (1934); 3rd row & bottom row right: the former Shanghai art museum; bottom row left: Shanghai Sports club hotel /former foreign YMCA building (1928)

In the former French Concession, there are two beautiful art deco entertainment buildings, Cathay cinema (870 Huaihai Zhong Lu, near Maoming Lu) and The Paramont. The Cathay opened in 1932 and was designed by Czech architect C.H. Gonda and it was the largest theatre in its day with 978 seats. The Paramont (218 Yuyuan Road, near Wanhangdu Lu) was designed by architect S. J. Young and was completed in 1933. This was the largest and most notorious ballroom in Shanghai before it was taken over by the Communists army in 1949. The ballroom was rescued from demolition by a Taiwanese businessman in 2001 and was renovated and reopened as a music and dance venue.

Nearby there is another well-known art deco building, Changde apartment, also known as the Eddington House (195 Changde Rd). The building was built in 1936 and it is especially known for its former famous resident, Eileen Chang, a Shanghainese female writer ( her work includes “Lust, Caution“) who lived here for many years. There is even a cafe, L’s Book Café Wine that sells books by Chang and some on the history of Shanghai in a nostalgic setting.

Changde Apartments (1936) on Changde Lu & L’s Book cafe wine interior

Art deco elements can also be seen at the restored Ferguson Lane (376 Wukang Rd) and at houses/ buildings nearby. The area is full of art deco gems that is best appreciated on foot.

Top left: Ferguson Lane; the rest: houses in the former French Concession

In the northeast Hongkou area, the art deco style 1933 Shanghai (10 Shajing Rd, near Wusong Rd) is a must for all architecture lovers (see my earlier post here). The historical area used to be home to many Jewish refugees in the 1930s and 40s, and now it still has many historical sights and interesting architecture including the Shikumen-style buildings that are disappearing quickly in recent years.

Shanghai is often regarded as the Art deco capital of the east, but like many Asian cities, historical buildings are under threat by property developers, I can only wish that the government and locals will help to protect these beautiful buildings from the past.

Main: a building in Hongkou; 2nd row left & right: 1933 Shanghai

In search of old Taipei: Dadaocheng

Posted on April 16, 2013 by Toothpicker

Top left: Dadaocheng wharf; top right: Xiahai City God Temple; Main & bottom: traditional shops and food stalls

After visiting the Lin Liu-hsin Puppet Theatre Museum, I decided to explore the flavourful and historical Dadaocheng district. Walking towards the museum, I couldn’t help but notice the beautiful colonial architecture that are rare to find elsewhere in Taipei.

The area was once an important trading port in the 19th century, especially for tea. But over time, the area lost its appeal and many historical buildings have been deserted. In recent years, the city’s government started to preserve and revamp the area again, reviving this once prosperous area.

Dihua Street was where all the commerce took place back then, and even today there are still many traditional dried food stores. I was later told by a kind sales lady ( who spent about 20 minutes explaining the area’s history to me) that the area is especially crowded before and during Chinese New Year because of shoppers doing their festive shopping here.

Top left: Chen Tian-lai Residence; second row right: Lee Chun-sheng Memorial Church; third row left: Fa-chu-kung Temple; third row middle: A.S. Watson & Co. Building

For architecture lovers, there are many interesting sights here ( some can only be viewed from the streets) including:

Lee Chun-sheng Memorial Church – a church built in the memory of the famous Dadaocheng tea merchant and ardent philanthropist Lee Chun-sheng, and has a facade that resembles a face!

Chen Tian-lai Residence – a grand three-story Baroque style former residence built in 1920 that belonged to a well-known tea merchant.

Koo’s Salt House – a late-Renaissance style residence built in 1910 by Koo Hsien-jung, the father of Koo Chen-fu, former chairman of Straits Exchange Foundation.

A.S. Watson & Co. Building – a prominent colonial building on Dihua street built in 1917. It was the first western medicine pharmacy in Taiwan, ( now it is known as Watson’s, the world’s largest health and beauty retail group based in Hong Kong) but the building underwent 12 years’ of restoration because of a fire that destroyed the original structure.

Xiahai City God Temple ( with web link) – a small but historical and famous temple built in 1859. It is especially popular with singles seeking love…

Fa-chu-kung Temple – a rather strange looking temple was originally built by a tea merchant in 1878 and was rebuilt in 1996 designed by Taiwanese architect, C.Y. Lee ( the designer of Taipei 101). It is now a narrowly-shaped five-story building with a modern lift, which is rare to see in any Asian temples.

Opposite the temple is a plague commemorating the 228 massacre that started at that spot in 1947.

Dadaocheng theatre – a theatre where one can enjoy traditional opera including puppet shows, Taiwanese, Hakka and Beijing opera.

Yongle market – next to the Dadaocheng theatre and on the first ( or second if you are non-British) floor of the Yongle market is a haven for fabrics lovers. The market is like a maze but it has everything one needs for sewing!

URS44 story house ( with web link) – this small “story house” is located inside a 1924 colonial building and it is part of the city’s Urban Regeneration Station ( URS). Visitors can learn about the area’s history from writings, old photographs and architectural models.

Top left: Dadaocheng theatre; top right: Yongle fabric market; Main: paper craft of the Chinese zodiac signs; Bottom left: URS44 Story house; bottom right: plaque marks the spot where historical 228 massacre started.

Since this area’s history is intertwined with tea trading, so a stop at the 106-year old Wang’s Tea shop is a must. This shop/ factory has been here since 1935 and it has a shop for tea and teaware, and a working refinery factory at the back. Not realising that factory tours need to be booked in advance, I turned up unannounced but managed to get a brief tour by their kind staff. Walking around, I felt like I was transported back in time, I could imagine the place looking quite similar a century ago!

Opposite the tea house is the Chaoyang Tealeaf Park established in 2003 by the city’s Government. The park itself is not very special, but what caught my attention was the floor plaques that illustrated the process of tea making or manufacturing which is quite thoughtful and educational.

Top left: Wang’s tea shop front; top right: Floor plaques outside of the Chaoyang Tealeaf Park; Main, bottom left & right: Wang’s tea refinery factory

Hong Kong’s heritage: Béthanie

Posted on March 15, 2013 by Toothpicker

When I used to live in Hong Kong many years ago, I never bothered to explore the city ( partly because I was working most of the time), but in recent years, I am more determined to look for unusual sights that are off the beaten track. Recently I found out about Béthanie, a Grade II historic buildings in Pokfulam, now part of The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts and I decided to pay it a visit.

Although there are daily guided tours, it was not easy to find an available slot because the venue is constantly being hired for different purposes, so it is best to call and check beforehand.

Béthanie was originally built in 1875 as a sanatorium by the Paris Foreign Missions Society ( Missions Étrangères de Paris). It was almost demolished in the 1970s, but was eventually saved and declared a Grade II listed building in 1981. An 80 million HKD restoration project took place between 2003-6, and turned the building and the adjacent historic Dairy Farm cowsheds into the HKAPA School of Film and Television.

Former Dairy farm cowsheds, now an exhibition hall and a performance venue

The tour started at the cowsheds and we were then led into the main building to visit the beautiful neo-gothic style George C. Tso Memorial Chapel. We were told that many of the original furnishings have been removed when it was sold in 1974, so a full-scale scavenger hunt across Hong Kong had to be conducted by the project’s director, Philip Soden and architect, Philip Liao. Eventually, the original chapel doors, main altar, reredos, communion rails, sacristy doors and nine of the seventeen original stained glass windows were found and restored. The remaining windows were replaced with hand made replicas of the originals. Now this chapel is regularly being used for weddings, weekly religious services and music concerts.

After the chapel we took the lift to the top floor to see the Sir Y.K. Pao Studio, a new addition to the building. The contemporary multi-purpose room has a high glass roof and enjoys spectacular views of the Peak and South China sea.

Our last stop was the BNP Paribas Museum of Béthanie in the basement, which was once used as a wine cellar and dry goods storage. The small but highly interesting museum contains many historical documents, photos and artifacts that not only trace the history of the sanatorium but also of Hong Kong.

At the end of the tour, we were free to walk around outside and enjoy the tranquil and beautiful setting. This place is so unique and far from the typical image of Hong Kong, all I could think of was how lucky are the students who get to use the facilities here!

Secluded on a hill opposite Béthanie is another historical building, University Hall, a historical male students residence of the University of Hong Kong. The Tudor and Gothic style building was built in 1861 by Scottish businessman, Douglas Lapraik and it was known as Douglas Castle. The castle was then sold to the French mission ( who also owned Béthanie) and was turned into a monastery and renamed Nazareth. Finally in 1954, the castle became “university hall” and was declared a monument in 1995.

While I was walking on the grounds outside of the building, I almost forgot that I was in Hong Kong, if it weren’t for the tropical plants and trees, I felt I could have been in the U.K. or somewhere in Europe, in fact, it reminded me a bit of Sintra, a town full of historical palaces outside of Lisbon.

After visiting the two historical sites, I felt quite relieved that they were not demolished and turned into luxury apartments ( partly saved by the fact that Hong Kong Land determined the site of Béthanie was too difficult to develop in the 1970s). However, many historical buildings were already lost over the years. Although in recent years concerns over heritage building conservations are increasing and many have been saved as consequences, yet many have also suffered from commercialisation and have completely lost their original appeal. The best example is the former Marine Police Headquarters or “1881 heritage”, which now operates as a “heritage” hotel with a Disneyland-like luxury shopping arcade. I came here once before and was horrified by the amount of tourists and the soullessness of this place. It really saddened me to see a magnificent and historical building being turned into a “themed” tourist attraction, if this is Hong Kong government’s ideal case of historical conservation, then perhaps they need to rethink again.

Béthanie and University Hall prove that successful historical conservations can be achieved, but will the government be able to strike a balance between conservation and development for other upcoming projects? We shall wait and see.

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Tag Archives: Colonial architecture

Sights, colours & tastes of Sinagpore’s Chinatown

Architectural wonders of old Shanghai

Shanghai’s Art deco architecture

In search of old Taipei: Dadaocheng

Hong Kong’s heritage: Béthanie