Haw Par Villa, once known as the Tiger Balm Gardens, is the only theme park in the world based on Chinese legends and mythology. Part of an estate owned by two brothers -- the founders of Tiger Balm brand ointment -- in the 1930s, the gardens were opened to the public after World War II. The park was later sold to a soft-drink bottling company that spent S$85 million on its transformation.For those interested in its bizarre interpretations of Chinese mythology, religion, and social mores, the many odd little tableaux are intriguing. The park has an infamous walk-through display of the Ten Courts of Hell, which is a tale of life after death. The Hua Song Museum relates the stories of Chinese immigrants throughout the world and in various time periods.
There is a little secret that not many people know about: dozens of statues that used to belong to some tableaux in Haw Par Villa had been scrappily abandoned on a hidden hill slope.
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