Relive the 50th anniversary of the “Merlion”, a legendary creature with a lion’s head. and has a fish body which is famous all over the world as a symbol of Singapore tourism. Created by a master potter and 8 children.
Relive the 50th anniversary of the “Merlion”, a legendary creature with a lion’s head. and has a fish body which is famous all over the world as a symbol of Singapore tourism. Created by a master potter and 8 children.
during this September If anyone goes to Singapore and came to greet the lion.”Merlin” is amazed by the beautiful lighting project To celebrate Merlion’s 50th birthday, the statuemythical creatureswith the head of a lion and has the body of a fish famous all over the world as a symbolSingapore Tourism There will be lighting from 6pm until midnight every day. days until 29 September
Pictured: VisitSingapore’s Facebook page.
About the story of an animal with the head of a lion but the body of a fish called “Merlin” this legend says that when Prince Saeng Nila Utama of Palembang (Indonesia) came to discover the old port of Temasek. saw a monster shaped like a lion Hence the name of this city “singapore” or today’s Singapore (Derived from Sanskrit meaning Singha city) and was called another name. “Merlin” comes from the words “Mer” which means sea and lew which means lion.
Later in the year 1964 Merlion was used as the “logo” of the “Singapore Tourism” continuing until 1997. Trade was registered on 20 July, 1966.
Singapore Tourism Board original logo (photo credit, Singapore Tourism Board)
- From “Logo” to Iconic Sculpture Created by a family of potters
Merlion Statue It was built in 1972 by a Singaporean craftsman called “Lim Nang Seng” which used a sketch by an artist called Kwan Sai Kieng as a model and used to sculpt as a “little lion” before expanding into a real piece at the mouth of the Singapore River.
The reason why Merlion faces east is because it follows feng shui it is believed to bring prosperity to the city
One thing that even many Singaporeans may not know. Technician Lim I did not make this Merlion alone. but with the help of his eight children, who almost every day Before and after school, the children would come to socialize at the location. to help my father mold the lion
Older children will climb the scaffolding. and helps to carve Merlin’s eyes, and the little sister carves fish scales. and fins in the Merlion’s tail until it is finished
On 15 September 1972, the former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew He presided over the official installation and unveiling ceremony of the Merlion at the mouth of the Singapore River with the Merlion facing east after feng shui believed to bring prosperity to the city
Chang Lim carves a small sea lion sculpture (Photo credit Lim Nang Seng Collection, courtesy of the National Archives of Singapore)
- 50 Years of Merlion Burning
In 1997 the Esplanade Bridge was built. To facilitate traffic from the city to the Marina area. As a result, the Merlion scene was hidden. This led to the relocation of Merlion in 2002. Eight locations were chosen to be Merlion’s new locations. Finally he decided to move to the front of One Fullerton shopping centre, which is only 120 meters from the original point.
The main reason for the decision to bring the Merlion a little further was because the Merlion had to be located close to the mouth of the Singapore River for historical reasons. Because this is the area where Prince Saeng Nila Utama saw the animal he thought was a lion for the first time.
In addition, the Merlion statue has also been damaged by lightning The incident happened late in the afternoon on 28 February 2009, which caused a thunderstorm. and the lightning came down causing parts around the mane to fall off until a hole formed in the form of waves at the base of the statue. Fortunately, no one was injured. And the Merlion statue was closed for about a month in order to refurbish and install a safer lightning protection system.
Keith Tan, Director of Tourism Singapore said: “Merlion has long been a symbol of Singapore’s and the world’s nationality. which is considered one of the travel organizers That makes Singapore a more vibrant city. and it is a hometown that all Singaporeans are proud of After a difficult period in the tourism business two years ago. It’s time to celebrate Merlion’s 50th birthday. It invites Singaporeans and tourists to come and celebrate their birthday together. “
As Singapore prepares to receive international travelers Merlion’s 50th Birthday Celebration So it’s like a celebration for a bright future. For the selfie traveler who wants a picture with a Merlion The Merlion Statue in Merlion Park near One Fullerton Shopping Center will be illuminated between September 15th and September 29th from 6pm to midnight daily.
for art lovers have been able to visit art exhibitions About Merlion can be seen at the National Gallery of Singapore in RedMan Baking Studio’s “Nothing is Forever: Rethinking Sculpture in Singapore” too.
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