The Padang

The Padang: Singapore's Central Park

The Esplanade is a long open stretch of field, originally by the sea, located in downtown Singapore. Sitting on the left bank of the River, it was originally called the Padang, which is Malay for "field" or "open ground". It has been the venue of many momentous colonial and national events in the modern history of Singapore.

Padang in Colonial Singapore 

The Padang was a popular place for residents to meet, relax, take walks and find recreation. It had been a place for social gatherings before colonialism, with Malay and Indonesian seafarers racing their boats off the coast near the Padang. In 1834, the Europeans started holding their annual New Year Regattas there and it soon expanded into a full-scale Sports Day. New Year's Eve would bring fireworks to the Padang while New Year celebrations saw the sporting activities of the Singapore Cricket Club and Singapore Recreation Club held here.

Activities in The Padang 

As we walked and explored the area, we were surprised to see many different groups of people participating in a myriad of activities. The Padang was full of life. It was not just a ceremonial field in the heart of the Marina Bay area but an actual "open ground" for people to do whatever they wanted. So, as a group, we decided to participate in some recreation of our own. The Padang is still a popular place for people to gather, relax and find recreation. This was the only site of the Trail where we saw actual locals (non-tourists). Most of the other sites were either filled with groups of tourists or were empty. Finally, we were not the only weird group of people there!

Our "sport" JUMP SHOTS!!!

 

More jump shots

Trivia

Did you know that one of the earliest residents here was Col. William Farquhar? His residence was part of a row of houses that housed some of the most important and influential people of the day.

Suggested Activity

Who were the other famous residents who lived around the Padang?

Find out more about the famous events that are held at the Padang. (Hint: NDP)  

Us guys deep in our thoughts

Lim Bo Seng Memorial

A War Hero

Lim Bo Seng (1909 - 1944) is a much-celebrated anti-Japanese war hero in Singapore. I remember reading a comic book in primary school titled Lim Bo Seng: Singapore's Best Known War Hero. (I only noticed the nuance in the title now.) I also remember watching a heart-wrenching TV series featuring Lim Bo Seng titled The Price of Peace, or 和平的代价. Lim is most well-known for his participation in anti-Japanese activities in Singapore in the 1930s and his work in Force 136, a British resistance group. He was not just celebrated in Singapore; his rank of Major-General was conferred posthumously in February 1946 by the Chinese Nationalist Government.

Theme song of The Price of Peace, with snippets of prominent anti-Japanese figures like Tan Kah Kee and Lim Bo Seng

The Construction of the Memorial

In 1946, the Lim Bo Seng Memorial Committee was established to raise funds for a public memorial for the war hero. Permission was granted to build the memorial in Esplanade Park and was unveiled on 29 June 1954. It is in the form of an octagonal pagoda made of bronze, concrete and marble. There are four bronze plaques around the pagoda giving an account of Lim's life in four languages: English, Mandarin, Malay and Tamil.

The bronze plates, with the wear and tear of time, have oxidised and are now coated by a powdery, metallic green.

The Forgotten War Heroes

As I reflected on the Lim Bo Seng Memorial, I saw that I knew next to nothing about other war heroes and the war effort. It is no overstatement to say that many of us are vaguely aware of the journey Singapore has undertaken since the 1800s. The problem with official education is that while it has done its share in conveying a version of Singapore history, it has also closed off the minds of Singaporeans who perceive history to be objective, homogeneous and static, retarding the discourse and hindering the development of a more comprehensive picture. Thus, while we remember Lim Bo Seng, we might have also forgotten other war heroes who were also equal movers and shakers of Singapore.

Nevertheless, as a nation, we are awakening to the fact that history belongs to the people; a new consciousness that alternatives are available and, more importantly, are potentially as valid or authoritative as the official narrative is emerging. As Kwa Chong Guan noted: "For too long the history of Singapore has been written as a history of great men and their times. But we need to also give a place in time to the little man (and woman) who built the kampung and places that define Singapore."

In terms of appreciating the past, I also learnt that memorials do not just commemorate a person who possessed heroic qualities or committed heroic acts; it commemorates a period of peace and stability earned by a generation of pioneers. We stand on the shoulders of giants who have borne the price for us.

Lim Bo Seng Memorial when it was first built in 1954