Fort Canning (Central)

Fort Canning Hill (Central)- Mountain-climbing Tiger

Fort Canning Hill is a reclining tiger. It is also a mountain-climbing tiger that is not concerned with worldly affairs and indulges only in food and sleep. Hence, this place has seen little development.

When Sir Stamford Raffles first arrived in Singapore in 1819, he immediately caught sight of Fort Canning Hill. From that day, for about 100 years the Union Jack stood guard on Fort Canning Hill. From its peak, one has a bird's eye view of Singapore River and a harbour. Because of tis strategic location, the British used it as a military case. In the early days of colonial Singapore, the government office was also established on the hill.

Legend has it that when Cheng Ho (an imperial official from China) visited this region, he instructed his men to station troops to guard Fort Canning Hill. By the time Raffles arrived, Fort Canning Hill and the nearby Selegie Hill had already been converted by the Chinese into honey date plantations.

It is extremely quiet at the top of Fort Canning Hill, which is a sharp contrast to the bustle at its foot. Near the Singapore River is a spot commonly known as caichuantou, where the Teochews used to gather. After settling there, some went on to become tycoons.

Feng Shui Damaged by Stuffed Mouth of the Tiger

In the study of feng shui, Fort Canning Hill was termed a stretching tiger in the early days. The tiger's head faced the mouth of the Singapore River. When the shipping business at the Singapore River was thriving, coolies from various clans often injured themselves in their bid to take charge of the jetty.

In order to stamp out these disputes, the British colonial government built a huge police station at the foot of Fort Canning Hill. This later housed the department of the military police, and is presently the Ministry for Information and the Arts (MITA) Building. Unfortunately, the new police station stuffed the mouth of the tiger.

While outbreaks of fights plummeted, the feng shui was damaged and many Teochews moved to Hougang and Punggol.

The tiger whose mouth was stuffed was no common tiger. It turned around and became a reclining tiger, enjoying many years of peaceful sleep. To everyone's surprise, in the 1960s, the National Theatre was built on that piece of land. Its structure was unique; the top and bottom triangles of the facade crossed each other like a tiger's teeth and overall, the building resembled a tiger's mouth. Moreover, a fountain was built in front of the tiger's mouth, thereby rousing the reclining tiger from its long nap.

Bring People Together in Matrimonial Bliss

The awakened tiger sprang into action, bringing people together in marriage. Thus the Registry of Marriages was later sited halfway up Fort Canning Hill. The park at the top, being immensely popular with couples, has become a lush garden where the young shoots of love are carefully nurtured.

The National Theatre has since been demolished. The tiger lost its teeth and went back to sleep. Amazingly, after the mountain-climbing tiger went to sleep, the Singapore River followed suit and slipped into a lull too.

But the tiger at Fort Canning Hill is not willing to stay lonely for long. Its sleep is for conserving and building up its strength while waiting for another chance to display its prowess. The government has plans to convert the whole of Fort Canning Park, including the area at its foot, into an outstanding arts and cultural hub. This shows that Fort Canning Hill's feng shui will once again prosper. One moment asleep, the next wide awake; one moment quiet, the next moment active - are these not the characteristics of a mountain-climbing tiger?