The Ying Fo Fui Kun (应和会馆) Cemetery, or Hakka Cemetery, is located between Buona Vista MRT station (close to Holland Village, my post) and Commonwealth MRT station (close to the abandoned HDBs, my post). This is one of 3 (or 4) cemeteries in Singapore that are still in operation.
The story of the cemetery starts in 1822, when Hakka Chinese immigrants from Guangdong set up the Ying Fo Fui Kun clan at Telok Ayer street (in Chinatown). They chose their name very carefully, desirous of a peaceful environment and mutual support among clan members. In 1887, the clan bought a huge piece of land around the current cemetery, to use for a village and burial place, naming it Shuang Long Shan (双龙山), Double/Twin Dragon Hill.
The story of the cemetery starts in 1822, when Hakka Chinese immigrants from Guangdong set up the Ying Fo Fui Kun clan at Telok Ayer street (in Chinatown). They chose their name very carefully, desirous of a peaceful environment and mutual support among clan members. In 1887, the clan bought a huge piece of land around the current cemetery, to use for a village and burial place, naming it Shuang Long Shan (双龙山), Double/Twin Dragon Hill.
After decades of negotiations, in 1965, almost all of the original 100 (or 40) hectares were returned to the state for redevelopment, with the exception of the 1.89 ha of the cemetery. By 1969 the majority of the graves were exhumed, the remains cremated and reburied in urns (and much smaller graves). The hill was also flattened. The land of the cemetery is under a 99-year lease, but talks have already been started for redevelopment...
Wu Fa Tang Ancestral Hall (五富堂义祠), with a fish pond and ceremonial furnace in front.
I saw the goldfish :(
I call this a ceremonial furnace. You might see the fire in one of the stalls towards the top. A minute before I took the picture a man has set the fire with the usual ceremonial pieces of paper.
This is the inside of the Hall. The central room.
These are not urns, but plaques, or small tomb/grave markers (without the graves).
Shrine with offerings.
Side rooms with the urns.
And this is the Hakka cemetery surrounded by HDB buildings.
The largest grave. The uncle in front of it had a wide smile and gave me permission with nods and gestures to walk around and take pictures.
Apparently there are only 12 actual coffins buried in the cemetery. The rest of the graves, close to 3,000, hold urns.
These are the urn holding graves.
The stones are placed on the graves as a sign of a visit.
My sources: here, here, here
