Everything tagged "1950s Hong Kong" | Gwulo: Old Hong Kong

Everything tagged "1950s Hong Kong"

Tiger Balm Garden, Fuk, Luk, Sau.jpg

Date picture taken (to nearest decade for older photos): 
1957

Tableau showing the three famous deities that are commonly seen on temples, ancestral shrines, shops and takeaways, and in almost every Chinese home. Left: FUK (Fuxing) - considered the god of good fortune, he is generally depicted as a scholar, holding a scroll and often a child, or surrounded by children. Middle: Luk (Luxing) - seen as representing prosperity, rank and influence and usually depicted in the dress of a mandarin. Right: Sau (Shauxing) - recognised by his high, domed forehead and the peach which he carries as a symbol of immortality.

Tiger Balm Garden, dragon colours.jpg

Date picture taken (to nearest decade for older photos): 
1957

Birds feature strongly in Chinese folklore as a symbol of freedom because they can roam the earth, swim in the sea and soar into the sky - often seen as a link between heaven and earth.

Dragons, meanwhile, have different meanings attached to their colour.

Many people associate the black dragon with vengeance. Thus, it’s often linked to catastrophes like storms and floods.

The white dragon symbolizes purity, just like in the West. However, people sometimes also associate it with death and mourning and see it as a bad omen.

Tiger Balm Garden, dragon -3.jpg

Date picture taken (to nearest decade for older photos): 
1957

Tiger Balm Garden, dragons -1.jpg

Date picture taken (to nearest decade for older photos): 
1957

Dragons are powerful creatures in Chinese mythology. They’re associated with the ability to control the seasons, weather, harvests and good fortune. They also represent power and authority, and in ancient times Emperors were assumed to have descended from dragons.  

In Chinese culture the colour of the dragon holds unique symbolism. Blue and green dragons are associated with nature, health, and tranquility. 

 

Tiger Balm Garden, archway.jpg

Date picture taken (to nearest decade for older photos): 
1957

Tiger Balm Garden, dragon - 2.jpg

Date picture taken (to nearest decade for older photos): 
1957

My dad told me that visiting the Tiger Balm Garden was a surreal experience. He said some of the sculptures were fun and colourful while some dioramas depicting myths and legends were bizarre and disturbing. Either way, dad said that once you had visited it was a place you remembered forever.

Tiger Balm Garden, tower.jpg

Date picture taken (to nearest decade for older photos): 
1957

Tiger Balm Garden, pagoda tableau.jpg

Date picture taken (to nearest decade for older photos): 
1957

Tiger Balm Garden, deities.jpg

Date picture taken (to nearest decade for older photos): 
1957

In his book Landscapes Lost: Appreciating Hong Kong’s Heritage Cultural Landscapes, conservationist Ken Nicolson writes that Aw Boon Haw was concerned that ethnic Chinese residents of Singapore and Hong Kong — both British colonies — were losing touch with their cultural identity. Thus, part of his vision for Tiger Balm Garden was to promote Buddhist, Taoist and Confucian morality.

 

Tiger Balm Garden, tiger.jpg

Date picture taken (to nearest decade for older photos): 
1957

In Chinese culture, the tiger is considered the king of beasts (not the lion) and represents bravery and strength. Its imagery has been used as a talisman for soldiers, signifying the animal’s importance as a leader.

The tiger is also associated with Tsai Shen Yeh, the Chinese God of Wealth, and this god is usually seen sitting on a tiger in Asian art.

When Aw Boon Haw and Aw Boon Par chose to brand their famous balm with a tiger, they chose a symbol that represented power, energy, royalty and protection. One that, in business, is synonymous with achievement and success.

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