II. Salvation for Lost Souls with Xuan Jiang Dian
by Sugen Ramiah The rituals (Part 1) by Xuan Jiang Dian (Tortoise Hill temple) had begun with the gathering of lost souls, followed by purification and the granting of salvation. Now what remained was the sendoff, the rites of passage for the souls to transcend into the final phase – reincarnation. As the temple volunteers busied themselves with preparations, family members streamed in, with offerings of food, drinks and flowers – a final meal for the souls. The menu […]
Sunday 25th August Guided Walk with Fabian Tee
Bukit Brown. More than a cemetery. More than a Chinese cemetery. Come discover our heritage, history and habitat. Join Fabian as he tells you stories of the pioneers, from the personal to the political, and unravels the stories of the delicate and exquisitely carved panels inspired by Chinese culture and tradition. LTA has released news on exhumation and tender for road building. Take this opportunity to experience Bukit Brown Chinese Cemetery as it is now. Day: Sunday 25 August […]
I.Salvation for Lost Souls with Xuan Jiang Dian
by Sugen Ramiah It was the ninth day of the seventh lunar month, and I have been busy documenting rituals and customary practices of the Hungry Ghost Festival. Every temple or ‘sintua’ (a group of devotees with no temple and who gather in a place which host the deity statues and censers) has its own designated date, to perform cleansing rituals for the wandering souls. Released into the human realm, these are souls who have no one to remember […]
NDP 2013 @Bukit Brown
It was Singapore’s 48th National Day and Bukit Brown’s 91st year. We sang the national anthem and recited the pledge with gusto and with pride. But when it came to observing a minute’s silence to honour the pioneers who are buried in Bukit Brown, there was a palpable sense of sadness. We remembered especially those whose graves are to be exhumed to make way for the highway.. James Tann captured this poignant moment as some 80 participants from the […]
“Hungry Ghost Month” – Reflections
Every year on the 1st day of the 7th month lunar calender, the Chinese believe the gates of hell are opened, and the spirits are released to the earthly realm. Liew Kai Khiun shares his reflections of the rituals conducted at Bukit Brown Cemetery for the wandering souls. Remembering the Forgotten and Forsaken I had the opportunity to participate in one of the rituals for the lunar 7th Month festival at Bukit Brown Cemetery. Known as the “Hungry Ghost […]
Cheang Hong Lim – Tree Cleared
We would like to say a big THANK YOU to the My Singapore Destination meet up group for their contributions to clear tombs at Bukit Brown. Because of your help, a tree which had fallen over the tomb of pioneer Cheang Hong Lim has been removed with the help of tomb keeper Soh Ah Beng. The clearing of the tomb also paved the way for access to the tomb behind, belonging to Tan Kim Ching. Clearing was made tougher […]
8th & 11th August Walks at Bukit Brown
Join Brownie Keng Kiat for guided walks Thursday 8th August and Sunday 11th August to Hills 4 and 1, respectively. Time: 9am – 11.30am, Meeting place at the ‘ole raintree to the left as you enter the gates at Jalan Halwa How to get there and handy tips here: http://bukitbrown.com/main/?p=1347 By agreeing to take this walking tour of bukit brown cemetery I understand and accept that I must be physically fit and able to do so.To the extent permissible by […]
The “Reign” Years
by Jason Kuo ( 郭子澄) A unique feature of some of the graves in Bukit Brown is the inclusion of the “Emperors’ Regnal Years or Eras” inscribed on the tombstones. Just as the British refer to the Victorian or Edwardian eras and America, the antebellum years, the regnal years speak to the milieu of the times under each emperor’s rule. The regnal years are also sometimes combined with the Chinese zodiac year （天干地支）, which is a 60- year cycle […]
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