The view in this photograph is of Haw Par Villa’s main entrance gate. Originally called Tiger Balm Gardens, Haw Par Villa was built on Pasir Panjang Road in 1937 by Aw Boon Haw, who set up an entertainment and educational park on the site, erecting statues and tableaux portraying anecdotes from Chinese legends and folklore. A prominent businessman and philanthropist, Aw was also synonymous with Tiger Balm, the renowned analgesic balm that he and his younger brother, Aw Boon Par, successfully marketed in Singapore and around the Southeast Asian region. Years later, in 1979, the family sold Haw Par Villa to the Singapore Tourism Board.
