![Hua Song Museum Hua Song Museum](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2578/4092654825_d139384324_o.jpg)
How did you celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival this year? Rachel and I were invited by the National Heritage Board’s youth and social media outreach initiative to the Hua Song Museum (华颂馆) for some cultural fun, together with a group of omy.sg bloggers.
This was the first time both of us visited this museum hidden in the mystical Haw Par Villa. The museum promotes Chinese heritage and culture. Definitely relevant to both Rachel and I – I am third-generation Heng Hwa, with my paternal grandfather hailing from Fujian, Putien; Rachel is third-generation Hainanese.
The exhibits in the museum made my secondary school history text books come to life in the form of mannequins and models. The main message conveyed seem to be that Chinese people are really EVERYWHERE in the world. We are also “刻苦耐劳” – hardworking and diligent, willing to go through tremendous hardships for a better life.
![Chinese people are everywhere in the world Chinese people are everywhere in the world](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2634/4093420860_9133b3ac0b_o.jpg)
As I walked through the museum, I can’t help but wonder (macham like Carrie Bradshaw) – how does the theme of this museum sit with the recent heavy influx of new Chinese immigrants? Maybe it’s time for Hua Song Museum to do some updating of their exhibits? Then again, if they were to do so, won’t it destroy the carefully crafted stories in our history textbooks, which define the “Chinese-ness” of being a Singaporean Chinese?
Ok I’m getting a little too academic. Let’s focus on the museum. Here are some of the photos I took:
![Volunteer guide who took us through the exhibits Volunteer guide who took us through the exhibits](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2730/4092654133_15217053f6_o.jpg)
![Rachel and I sending our one of our forefathers Rachel and I sending our one of our forefathers](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2488/4093420788_5ac68be66b_o.jpg)
![Our forefathers boarding their ship to Singapore Our forefathers boarding their ship to Singapore](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2764/4093422488_0cfd4ff9c2_o.jpg)
![Condition was harsh in the poorly ventilated ships Condition was harsh in the poorly ventilated ships](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2756/4093421532_3697ab591a_o.jpg)
![Chinese cherry pickers in America Chinese cherry pickers in America](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2494/4093424508_7868e4a0e6_o.jpg)
![Canned cherries picked by Chinese Canned cherries picked by Chinese](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2723/4092654505_609fd57f67_o.jpg)
![Chinese laundry shops in America Chinese laundry shops in America](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2705/4093423866_68c77c16c3_o.jpg)
![The steely samsui woman The steely samsui woman](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2639/4093423166_0546d5c67e_o.jpg)
![Railroad contruction worker Railroad contruction worker](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2764/4093422246_ef1fb949b7_o.jpg)
![Fortune teller Fortune teller](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2614/4093422154_166bbe4a02_o.jpg)
![Chinese maid - I don't why, but this mannequin looks really creepy! Chinese maid - I don't why, but this mannequin looks really creepy!](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2656/4092653899_2fa4d61569_o.jpg)
![Chinese child brides Chinese child brides](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2783/4093423354_f9719f2833_o.jpg)
![Chinese prostitutes flooded the streets of America in the past Chinese prostitutes flooded the streets of America in the past](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2517/4092657229_dae951a23f_o.jpg)
![Before Gong Li and Zhang Ziyi in Hollywood, there was Anna May Before Gong Li and Zhang Ziyi in Hollywood, there was Anna May](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2482/4093422674_86ec9c3327_o.jpg)
![Slide depicting the ups-and-downs of the Chinese movie industry Slide depicting the ups-and-downs of the Chinese movie industry](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2766/4092658071_5ef33b43f6_o.jpg)
![Hong Kong TV and movies Hong Kong TV and movies](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2567/4092656705_db775a3f43_o.jpg)
![Sun Yat Sen, founder of Modern China Sun Yat Sen, founder of Modern China](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2579/4092657167_62ba12805e_o.jpg)
![Cantonese opera Cantonese opera](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2555/4093421896_31310fe33c_o.jpg)
![The museum has many Chinese record books like this The museum has many Chinese record books like this](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2787/4093422310_a751564b37_o.jpg)
![Model of a Hakka house Model of a Hakka house](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2737/4093420258_b424b50c8e_o.jpg)
![Chinese wedding essentials Chinese wedding essentials](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2687/4093424278_4f801d426d_o.jpg)
![Tiger Balm advertisement Tiger Balm advertisement](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2586/4093419350_d5bfe92f97_o.jpg)
![Three super-rich forefathers Three super-rich forefathers](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2480/4093419888_2443013e79_o.jpg)
![Old Chinese textbooks Old Chinese textbooks](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2658/4092653325_5b6c83cdef_o.jpg)
![More vintage textbooks More vintage textbooks](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2437/4093421118_5c45905727_o.jpg)
![Chinese are proud of our exquisite cuisines - enter the food gallery Chinese are proud of our exquisite cuisines - enter the food gallery](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2616/4093422016_8632038b91_o.jpg)
![Variety of Chinese wines Variety of Chinese wines](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2672/4092656119_93141ecb57_o.jpg)
![Rice - A staple in all Chinese meals Rice - A staple in all Chinese meals](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2739/4092656053_6c093a8645_o.jpg)
![Fancy Peranakan wares Fancy Peranakan wares](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2561/4093421416_079a586c2b_o.jpg)
![Chinese kitchen in the past Chinese kitchen in the past](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2669/4092655017_e9ba9340c6_o.jpg)
!["灯谜" - Chinese lantern riddles "灯谜" - Chinese lantern riddles](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2459/4092657545_73185786e1_o.jpg)
![Browsing through the riddle strips Browsing through the riddle strips](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2561/4093421014_83c58a7b6a_o.jpg)
![Everyone flocking out to show off their lanterns Everyone flocking out to show off their lanterns](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2651/4093422738_084ece0342_o.jpg)
![Rachel with our friends Rachel with our friends](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2473/4092655973_f548f02d76_o.jpg)
![The ladies with their lanterns The ladies with their lanterns](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2639/4092658253_09c82a38e1_o.jpg)
![Close-up of Rachel's lantern which I bought in Beijing a few years back Close-up of Rachel's lantern which I bought in Beijing a few years back](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2552/4092654869_2362a3d660_o.jpg)
![Rachel and I Rachel and I](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2756/4092656897_da139f9dec_o.jpg)
![Heading back into the museum for more activities Heading back into the museum for more activities](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2606/4093419718_5dab98f4ea_o.jpg)
![Paper lantern workshop for children Paper lantern workshop for children](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2650/4092653395_d77cb806d4_o.jpg)
![Calligraphy master at work Calligraphy master at work](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2773/4092657085_376e59d4b4_o.jpg)
![I like this phrase - shall end this blog entry with this :) I like this phrase](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2676/4093423580_29b91e6b79_o.jpg)
Technorati Tags: 华颂馆, hua song museum singapore, haw par villa, singapore hua song museum, mid autumn festival, singapore mid autumn festival, lantern festival, singapore lantern festival, sun yat sen, tiger balm, chinese kitchen, singapore chinese heritage, heng hwa chinese, singapore hainanese, anna may, chinese prostitutes, chinese laundry shop, samsui woman, chinese maid, chinese fortune teller, chinese lantern riddle, 灯谜