I have always believed that in every city, if there is one place that never fails to give an impression of the town’s history and culture that would be the church or temple or mosque. This is the reason why every time I find myself in a new city, most often than not, the very first stop would be a church, aside from the fact that this is also an influence of my mom. For me, this practice is like hitting two birds with one stone, first, I get to see the evolution of the place’s ethos and second, I get the chance to pray.
Singapore is no exception, this is why I was so thrilled when our tour guide took us to one of the oldest temples in China town. I can’t help but be amazed by the details on the ceiling and columns of the temple. There are several altars within the temple and she explained that people pray to each of them for various reasons. There were two lions (well, I think they were lion) on each side of the entrance and our tour guide explained that all Chinese temple has them and they serve as guards.
Upon entering the main entrance is a place where people light their incense. 
At the top of the roof were two very intricate dragons. Our tour guide explained that a certain number of dragons (it escapes me at the moment how many exactly) can only be used to signify the emperor. 
There’s no doubt about it, this temple is truly a mirror of Singapore’s history and culture. From the plasters on the ceiling to the elaborate mouldings on the walls to the ornate design of the roof to the detailed carvings of each gods and goddesses, there is no denying how rich the culture of Singaporeans is.
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