Join us at Wan Qing CultureFest 2019 to celebrate the beauty of our diverse cultural traditions. Visitors will have the opportunity to experience Singapore’s heritage in fresh and immersive ways such as interactive workshops, performances and more! This year’s festival will showcase four aspects of cultural heritage – Social Practices, Rituals and Festivals; Food Heritage; Performing Arts; and Oral Traditions and Expressions. Experience a traditional Chinese wedding, find out more about Nanyang coffee and Singapore’s food culture, discover the art of lion dance, and have fun learning Chinese dialects through a series of interactive game stations. Other exciting performances include a getai concert, traditional Hakka folk music, comedy shows and more.
Admission is free.
Programmes: 2 November (Social Practices, Rituals & Festive Events)
Heritage Hunt
Get ready for an immersive adventure as you navigate your way through a series of interactive activity and game stations to learn more about different aspects of Chinese culture! Put your knowledge about Chinese customs and practices to the test in a series of fun and engaging tasks including charades, crossword puzzles, memory cards and more to win a mystery prize.
Date: 2,3,9,10 November
Time: 11.00am - 7.00pm
Admission: No registration required
Through the Years: Celebrating Chinese Wedding Customs
(Supported by Ngee Ann Polytechnic and The Chinese Wedding Shop)
Chinese weddings are elaborate affairs, comprising numerous ceremonies and rituals that are rich in meaning and symbolism. In this series of activity stations, visitors will be able to go on a journey through time and tradition, and experience the customs and rituals of a Chinese wedding. From the customary betrothal ceremony to a traditional tea ceremony, get some hands-on fun as you visit each station and participate in games and other fun activities to uncover the different aspects of a traditional Chinese wedding!
Date: 2 November
Time: 11.00am – 6.00pm
Admission: No registration required
Stories for Children
(Supported by the Speak Good English Movement and Speak Mandarin Campaign)
From traditional tea ceremony preparations to the exchanging of ‘good luck money’ in the form of red packets, join this interactive children’s storytelling session and learn more about the Chinese wedding customs through a selection of fantabulous tales! Each session will include a simple craft activity.
Date: 2 November
Time: 11.30am – 12.30pm; 2.30pm – 3.30pm
Admission: No registration required
Interactive Station: Chinese Paper Cutting
Paper cutting is one of the most popular folk arts in Chinese culture, and is seen as a symbol of prosperity and abundance. During Chinese wedding ceremonies, a red paper cutting with the character ‘xi’ (meaning ‘double happiness’) is a traditional and essential decoration, while patterns of dolls, gourds or lotus symbolize wishes for children. Participate in this interactive craft booth and learn how to make your very own simple paper cut!
Date: 2 November
Time: 12.00pm – 3.00pm
Admission: No registration required
Interactive Station: Aromatic Tea Appreciation
(Supported by Camellia Tea Bar)
A tea ceremony is a Chinese ritual often performed during weddings, and is considered to be an important component of the wedding ceremony. Learn about the symbolism of tea in Chinese culture and the delicate art of tea brewing and appreciation, as you sip on cups of freshly-brewed tea at our tasting station.
Date: 2 November
Time: 12.00pm – 3.00pm
Admission: No registration required
Interactive Station: Origami Wedding Favour Box
Wedding favours are small gifts given during wedding receptions as a gesture of appreciation by the bridge and groom to their guests. Get creative and DIY your own origami wedding favour box at this simple craft station
Date: 2 November
Time: 3.30pm – 6.30pm
Admission: No registration required
Interactive Station: Design Your Own Ang Pow!
Red packets are an essential tradition in many Chinese festivals and rituals, as the colour red connotes good fortune and abundance, while the act of giving money serves to bless the receiver with bountiful wealth. Design your own auspicious red packet at this fun craft station, and learn more about the symbolism of red packets in Chinese culture!
Date: 2 November
Time: 3.30pm – 6.30pm
Admission: No registration required.
Sharing Session: Love, Harmony and Fengshui
(Supported by Fengshui Master Lim)
How have Chinese wedding customs and traditions changed over the years? What is guo da li, and what is its significance? Does feng shui really play a part in love and harmony in a marriage? Discover the elaborate details involved in planning a Chinese wedding, from the early stages of compatibility seeking to the final step of an chuang, and gain a deeper appreciation for our social practice and rituals!
Date: 2 November
Time: 4.30pm – 6.00pm
Admission: No registration required
Evening Concert: Love is in the Air!
Can you feel the love tonight? Grab a picnic mat or hammock, and wind down with an evening of riveting outdoor theatre shows by budding young artistes from the Singapore Focus Theatre and live music performances by talented local musicians – all themed to the concept of love through the years.
Date: 2 November
Time: 7.00pm – 9.00pm
Admission: No registration required
Programmes: 3 November (Food Heritage)
A Taste of Local Culture: Nanyang Coffee & Singapore
(Supported by Ngee Ann Polytechnic and Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre )
Ever wondered how Nanyang coffee, or ‘kopi’, come to be a Singapore staple? In this series of activity stations, visitors will be able to discover the origins and history of kopi, learn to brew coffee the traditional way at a live ‘kopitiam’, and find out more about coffee culture through interactive games!
Date: 3 November
Time: 11.00am – 6.00pm
Admission: No registration required
Stories for Children
(Supported by the Speak Good English Movement and Speak Mandarin Campaign)
From yummy nonya kueh to Hainanese chicken rice, join this interactive storytelling session and learn more about Singapore’s delectable local cuisine through a selection of fantabulous tales! There maybe additional activities accompanying the storytelling.
Date: 3 November
Time: 11.30am – 12.30pm (will continue as planned); 2.30pm – 3.30pm (session cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances)
Admission: No registration required
Interactive Station: Make Your Own Malt Candy & Kacang Puteh
Road-side snacks such as malt candy and kacang puteh were once a common sight outside theatres and markets. Relive the good old days at these snack booths and feast on yummy treats as you learn how to twist your own malt candy and fold a kacang puteh paper cone!
Date: 3 November
Time: 12.00pm – 3.00pm
Admission: No registration required
Interactive Station: Make Your Own Putu Piring & Bird Nest Drink
Road-side snacks such as putu piring and bird nest drink were once a common sight outside theatres and markets. Relive the good old days at these snack booths and feast on yummy treats as you learn how to steam your own putu piring and scoop your own bird nest drink!
Date: 3 November
Time: 3.30pm – 6.30pm
Admission: No registration required
Cultural Experience: Heritage Kueh Soap Crafting
(Supported by Crafter’s Studio)
From breakfast staples such as soon kueh and chwee kueh to auspicious treats like ang ku kueh, there’s a kueh for every occasion in Singapore! Learn a thing or two about Singapore’s colourful kueh culture, and watch as our artisans transform simple bars of organic cold-processed soap into realistic traditional kuehs in this soap-crafting demonstration.
Date: 3&10 November
Time: 4.30pm – 6.00pm; 12.00pm – 1.30pm
Admission: No registration required
Evening Concert: Hakka Music Fest!
Calling all Hakka friends! Groove to the tunes of Taiwanese Hakka band, San Geu Tai. in their first ever solo concert in Singapore. Enjoy a rich fusion of traditional Hakka folk music with contemporary genres including blues, rock, and jazz.
Date: 3 November
Time: 7.00pm – 9.00pm
Admission: No registration required
Programmes: 9 November (Performing Arts)
Auspicious Tidings: Art of Lion Dance
(Supported by Ngee Ann Polytechnic and Martial House)
Lion dance performances are a common sight in Singapore during festive occasions, as they are believed to be bearers of good luck. In this series of activity stations, visitors can learn more the history of lion dance, the differences between the Northern and Southern forms, martial art influences, and the elaborate art of lion dance costume design. Pick up a thing or two at our hands-on demonstration zone that promises great fun for the whole family!
Date: 9 November
Time: 11.00am – 6.00pm
Admission: No registration required
Stories for Children
(Supported by the Speak Good English Movement and Speak Mandarin Campaign)
Why do the Chinese celebrate festive occasions with lion dance performances, and how did this art form come to be? Join this interactive storytelling session and learn more about the ancient Chinese art of lion dance through a selection of fantabulous tales!
Date: 9 November
Time: 11.30am – 12.30pm; 2.30pm – 3.30pm
Admission: No regitration required
Interactive Station: DIY Lion Dance Mask
Are you a playful and fun-loving Northern Lion, or a fearsome and powerful Southern Lion? Learn more about the differences between the Northern and Southern Lion dance styles as you design your very own lion dance face mask in this drop-in craft station, and transform yourself into one of the most popular Chinese cultural icons!
Date: 9 November
Time: 12.00pm – 3.00pm
Admission: No registration required
Interactive Station: Create Your Own Wushu Sword
The term Wushu (武术) is made up out two Chinese characters – 武 (wu), meaning ‘combat’ and 术 (shu), meaning ‘art form’. In essence, Wushu is a form of contemporary Chinese martial arts which blends elements of performance and martial application. Learn more about the weapons used in this ancient art form and have fun designing your very own Wushu swords using simple materials like aluminium foil!
Date: 9 November
Time: 12.00pm – 3.00pm
Admission: No registration required
Interactive Station: Dragon Dance Puppet
Dragons are important creatures in Chinese folklore and legend, and are seen as symbols of power, strength, and good fortune. Create your own dragon dance puppet in this fun craft station!
Date: 9 November
Time: 3.30pm – 6.30pm
Admision: No registration required
Interactive Station: DIY Chinese Opera Mask
Did you know that the colourful masks used in Chinese opera performances have special meanings assigned to them? Opera characters wearing red masks are meant to embody heroism and loyalty, while characters wearing yellow masks are deemed treacherous and sly. Colour and design your very own opera facemask, and take on a new character for the day
Date: 9 November
Time: 3.30pm – 6.30pm
Admission: No registration required
Cultural Experience: Shadow Puppetry
(Supported by Ngee Ann Polytechnic)
Experience wonder and delight in this dynamic showcase of cultural and contemporary arts! The line-up includes festival highlights such as the release of giant sky lantern helium balloons as well as a stunning laser light show on the origins of Mid-Autumn Festival. Other performances include an interactive drama performance on the legends of Mid-Autumn Festival, Chinese belly-dancing, live music performances and more.
Date: 9 November
Time: 2.00pm – 3.30pm
Admission: No registration required
Cultural Experience: Sights & Sounds of Cantonese Opera
(Supported by Kong’s Chinese Opera)
Delve into the colourful world of Chinese opera, more commonly known as wayang, and learn more about this fascinating art form and its various styles. Watch a live demonstration of Chinese street opera, try on opera costumes and make-up, and learn operatic movements in this interactive session.
Date: 9 November
Time: 4.30pm – 6.00pm
Admission: No registration required
Evening Concert: Cultural Arts Extravaganza!
Experience wonder and delight in this dynamic showcase of cultural and contemporary arts! Catch an exciting selection of iconic Chinese performing arts such as traditional lion dance performances, a wushu showcase, Chinese street opera, and more.
Date: 9 November
Time: 7.00pm – 9.00pm
Admission: No registration required
Programmes: 10 November (Oral Traditions & Expressions)
Lai ah Lai: Learning About Dialects
Which dialect group do you belong to – Hokkien, Cantonese, Teochew, Hakka or Hainanese? In this series of activity stations, visitors will be able to rediscover their roots and learn more about the unique cuisines of each dialect group, pick up simple words and phrases in dialect, and even play fun games to identify famous Singaporean figures according to their dialect group! Perfect for intergenerational learning, this programme promises great fun for the whole family.
Date: 10 November
Time: 11.00am – 6.00pm
Admission: No registration required
Stories for Children
(Supported by the Speak Good English Movement and Speak Mandarin Campaign)
Languages are important to our culture, especially our mother tongues! Join this interactive storytelling session and learn more about the different ways of oral expression through a selection of fantabulous tales! Each session will include a simple craft activity.
Date: 10 November
Time: 11.30am – 12.30pm; 2.30pm – 3.30pm
Admission: No registration required
Sharing Session: Cultural Characteristics of Dialect Nursery Rhymes
(by Dr Kang Ger-Wen Oliver)
Ti orh orh, beh lor hor – do you remember the songs you sang as a child? What messages and metaphors were hidden or lost in those nursery rhymes? Join this light-hearted sharing session by Dr Kang Ger-Wen as he explores the symbolism and imagery in dialect nursery rhymes, and uncover a whole new meaning and appreciation of these familiar and well-loved tunes!
Date: 10 November
Time: 2.00pm – 3.30pm
Admission: No registration required
Cultural Experience: Chinese Calligraphy
(Supported by Hua Yi Cultural Pte Ltd)
Learn what makes the pen mightier than the sword in this hands-on showcase! Perfect for beginners, this demonstration will be led by Mr Ma Shuang Lu, renowned calligrapher and practitioner of Chinese cultural arts, and will include a sharing session on calligraphy techniques and its significance in Chinese culture. Visitors can also learn basic calligraphy and put their skills to the test through simple writing exercises.
Date: 10 November
Time: 4.30pm – 6.00pm
Admission: No registration required
Evening Concert: Lai Lai Getai!
Lai ah, lai ah! It’s time for an entertainment extravaganza that’s guaranteed to lift your spirits. Join us for a glittering night filled with live music, exciting performances, and good cheer as the Memorial Hall transforms into a smashing getai venue!
Date: 10 November
Time: 7.00pm – 9.00pm
Admision: No registration required
Programmes: Other Happenings
Special Exhibition Opening Ceremony: “From Brush to Lens: Early Chinese Photography Studios in Singapore”
In conjunction with this year’s bicentennial commemoration, this exhibition titled “From Brush to Lens: Early Chinese Photography Studios in Singapore” highlights the process of technological transfer and mobility during the colonial era. The exhibition examines how the migration of skilled Chinese artisans and professionals, such as painters and photographers, led to the proliferation of photography studios in the region. As people from all walks of life chose to have their photographs taken at these Chinese photography studios, these studios inadvertently serve as repositories for a nation’s history.
Date: 2 November
Time: 6.30pm – 7.30pm
Admission: No registration required
Sharing Session: Preserving Memories, Creating Visions: A Brief History of Portrait Painting
(by Dr. Long Chin Peng)
Before the introduction of photography, the Chinese relied on painted portraiture to record the likeness of an individual. Other than recording one’s likeness, each portraiture also reflects the context in which it was painted in and serves to tell a unique story of the individual. In this sharing session, Dr. Long Chin Peng will explore the various ways we can “read” traditional portraiture and highlight what we can learn from this unique art form.
Date: 2 November
Time: 2.00pm – 3.30pm
Admission: No registration required
Sharing Session: Lee Brothers Photographers: Writing and Rewriting a Remarkable Singapore Story
(by Ms. Gretchen Liu)
One of the more famous family-run photography studios in Singapore before World War II was the Lee Brothers Studio on Hill Street. Originally from Guangdong province, the extended Lee family set up more than a dozen photo studios in the region, including eight in Singapore such as Quan Hing, Tien Seng, Yong Fong, Koon Sun, Lee Brothers Studio and Eastern Studio. This sharing session by Singapore historian, Gretchen Liu explores the Lee Brothers photographic collection in the larger context of the history of photography in Singapore and beyond as well as honing in on the details that make their images so special in the context of Singapore history.
Date: 3 November
Time: 2.00pm – 3.30pm
Admission: No registration required
Special Exhibition Guided Tour: “From Brush to Lens: Early Chinese Photography Studios in Singapore”
Learn more about the history of early Chinese photography studios in Singapore as our volunteer guides take you through the Memorial Hall’s special exhibition, “From Brush to Lens: Early Chinese Photography Studios in Singapore”. This exhibition examines how the migration of skilled Chinese artisans and professionals, such as painters and photographers, led to the proliferation of photography studios in the region.
Date: 2, 3, 9(Chinese session cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances,English session will continue as planned), 10 November (Chinese session cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances,English session will continue as planned).
Time: 10.30am – 11.30am (Chinese); 1.30pm – 2.30pm (English)
Admission: No registration required
Permanent Gallery Guided Tour
Join us for a guided tour of Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall and hear the stories behind this century-old villa that trace Dr. Sun Yat Sen’s revolutionary activities in Southeast Asia. Gain valuable insights on the impact of the 1911 Revolution on Singapore, as well as Singapore’s contributions to the Revolution.
Date: 2, 3, 9, 10 November
Time: 2.30pm – 3.30pm (Chi); 3.00pm – 4.00pm (Eng)
Admission: No registration required
Balestier Heritage Trail
Embark on our best-selling Balestier Heritage Trail to uncover the rich history and origins of Balestier from as early as 1835. From landmarks like the Maha Sasanaramsi Burmese Buddhist Temple to heritage stops such as Lam Yeo Coffee Powder Factory, delve into the architectural and cultural developments of Balestier and discover the unknown stories behind these places.
Date: 2, 3, 9, 10 November
Time: 10.30am – 12.00pm
Admission: $5.00. Register here.