I am glad to share another of my large scrolled ink-color Chinese brush painting《Beautiful Tropical Gardens of Singapore》, which features flora and fauna most commonly seen in the this “Garden City of Singapore.”
The lower half of the artwork shows a large pond with white and pink water lilies and colourful Koi fish. It is framed on the left by Heliconia plants with red, yellow, and pink flowers hanging like strings of Chinese firecrackers. Maiden’s Veil ferns that sways with the wind are closer to the pond’s water. On the right are highly decorative large Monstera plants and Red-Lip Palms with bright red stems. Right in front is a patch of Yam and Caladium plants with heart-shaped leaves and orangy-red Bromeliads. On the wooden bridge are two young women greeting each other. At the right end of the bridge is a Frangipani tree with red and pink flowers in bloom.
On the central patch of grass are three clumps of Yellow Cane palms and much taller clumps of Nibong palms with tall, slender trunks and droopy leaves. Nibong palms are found in many coastal swampy rainforest areas of Southeast Asia. Up to 25 m in height, the straight and spiny trunks are often used for building kelongs, buildings on stilts with platforms and walkways, and enclosures for trapping fish, squids, and prawns in the sea. Such palms can also be seen at the entrance to the Istana (office of the President of Singapore and the venue for receiving and entertaining state guests). Two sizeable local water birds known as herons (one standing on the grass verge and another in flight) are seen waiting to catch fish for their meal.
The upper part of the painting features Ixora shrubs with blood red flowers, Plumbago with light blue clusters of flowers, exuberant bougainvillea flowers in red, light purple, and white, as well as woody-stem creeper Bauhinia Kockiana plants with prominent yellow and orange flowers in large clusters. Behind the pergola of Bauhinia, plants are Umbrella Trees with characteristic large bright-red sprays of tiny blossoms on long stalks radiating from a single point like those ceremonial floral sprays carried in a Malay wedding ceremonial procession. Large clumps of bamboos, McArther, and Royal palms are seen in the distant right. Far back on the left upper corner are tall Coconut trees.
There are two short verses in Chinese in the upper left corner of the painting. They can be translated as follows:
This is a beautiful, peaceful and happy home in the tropics;
Where sweet-smelling floral fragrance and pleasant bird songs are found aplenty in Nanyang.
Note: Nanyang means Southern Sea or Southeast Asia.
Tan It Koon
Before retirement, Dr Tan It Koon was, among many appointments, Head of Clinical Biochemistry at SGH’s Dept of Pathology. He was the Deputy Chairman of the National Theatre Trust and Chairman for Grants and Scholarships of the Spore Cultural Foundation. He received the National Day Awards, PBM, and PPA, for his contribution to cultural and community development and excellence in Public Administration.
