One of the four great classical novels of Chinese literature, Journey to the West narrates the adventures of the monk, Xuan Zang, and his three disciples as they journeyed to India to procure Buddhist scriptures to take back to China. On the left is Zhu Ba Jie, one of the three disciples. Xuan Zang is seen riding on a White Horse, his constant travel companion, who, being one of the Dragon King’s sons, was a mythological character himself. In his bid to educate the public about Chinese culture, Aw Boon Haw built a theme park housing sculptures that illustrated anecdotes belonging to Chinese legends and folklore. Originally called Tiger Balm Gardens, the villa was built in 1937 along Pasir Panjang Road.
