This large display of the nine dragons' voyage across rough seas was built in Haw Par Villa during the early 1950s. Styled after the Nine Dragon Wall in Beijing, the Haw Par Villa version had been skilfully sculpted. 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 folklore and legend. A prominent businessman and philanthropist, Aw was also synonymous with Tiger Balm, the renowned product that he and his younger brother, Aw Boon Par, successfully marketed in Singapore and around the region.
