In this photograph, two men and a boy can be seen at the gateway to Haw Par Villa, where the presence of non-Chinese visitors suggests the multi-racial appeal of the theme park. Spanning the main driveway, this gateway, called 'Beautiful Jade' as the characters on the central transom indicate, was designed with an eclectic mix of classical Chinese and Art Deco style. The top arch is distinctly Art Deco in character, while the rest of the details on the structure are traditionally styled. Originally called Tiger Balm Gardens, Haw Par Villa was built by Aw Boon Haw in 1937. A prominent businessman and philanthropist, Aw had set up the gardens with the intention of educating the public about Chinese culture, and this could be seen in the wide range of statues and sculptures on display at Haw Par Villa that portray themes from Chinese legend and folklore.
