Singapore Immigration Guide: Located at 217 Queen Street in the heart of Singapore, a building with grey-white exterior walls and off-white textures stands, reminiscent of ancient Chinese architecture with its white walls and grey tiles. This is the China Cultural Centre in Singapore.
"When I first saw the China Cultural Centre, I was truly amazed. Working here is not only a source of pride but also carries a sense of mission," Ma Hongying, Director of the China Cultural Centre in Singapore, told reporters.
This building was designed by Singapore's "Father of Planning," Liu Thai Ker, and integrates Chinese cultural elements with modern architectural design concepts.
"From an aesthetic perspective, I first felt that we must make the Chinese building a modern one, because people generally think of China as an ancient civilization, but today's China is a modern major power. Therefore, it should have a modern posture while simultaneously possessing the charm of Chinese culture," said Liu Thai Ker.
The China Cultural Centre in Singapore covers an area of approximately 1352 square meters, with a floor area of about 8900 square meters. It is adjacent to numerous cultural institutions such as the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, the National Library, the National Gallery, and the National Museum. The building has 10 floors and consists of a podium, a tower, scenic elevators, sky bridges, and a main roof. Among these, the glass scenic elevators, the sky bridges, and the "dougong" (bracket set) lighting design are the highlights of the center's design.
Liu Thai Ker explained that the "dougong" lighting uses "Chinese Red." Different countries have different understandings of color, so the design team and the manufacturer communicated repeatedly to achieve the specific "Chinese Red."
"The proportions of Chinese doors and windows are different from those in the West. Chinese architecture is influenced by Lu Ban; doors and windows are relatively narrow and tall. Without affecting functionality, we tried our best to conform to this characteristic, allowing people to subconsciously feel the Chinese flavor when they come here," said Liu Thai Ker.
In addition, the scenic elevators and sky bridges are transparent, allowing people to see the surrounding landscape of the China Cultural Centre while walking. At night, the lighting of the scenic elevators and sky bridges changes, creating a light effect similar to Kongming lanterns.
The China Cultural Centre in Singapore was founded in November 2010 by then-Vice President of China Xi Jinping and then-Senior Minister of Singapore Goh Chok Tong. Currently, the construction of the China Cultural Centre has been completed, featuring units such as exhibition halls, a theater, a library, dance studios, and training rooms. Once operational, the China Cultural Centre will take on the mission of "telling China's stories and spreading China's voice."
According to Xiao Jianghua, Cultural Counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Singapore, after the official opening of the China Cultural Centre, the "New Realm of Dream Brush—Art Exhibition Commemorating the 25th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations between China and Singapore" will be exhibited at the center. The "New Realm of Dream Brush" art exhibition has received support from the National Art Museum of China and the National Gallery Singapore, and will showcase 50 representative works by 25 Chinese artists and 25 Singaporean artists to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Singapore's independence and the 25th anniversary of China-Singapore diplomatic relations.
"In a country like Singapore, which is predominantly ethnic Chinese, how to carry out the activities of the China Cultural Centre and make it more approachable requires special consideration," said Ma Hongying. "We want to use Chinese festivals to create multiple brand activities, such as 'Happy Chinese New Year,' 'Mid-Autumn Festival in the Lion City,' the 'Discover China' lecture series, and 'Panorama China.' Through performances, exhibitions, symposiums, and lectures, we want everyone to experience the connotation of festivals and the true essence of culture."
The China Cultural Centre will also cooperate with relevant art institutions to carry out teaching and training. For example, the China Cultural Centre will cooperate with the Singapore Wushu Dragon & Lion Dance Federation to establish a Chinese Wushu Duan Wei (ranking) examination center to conduct teaching, training, and assessment of the Chinese Wushu ranking system. In addition, the center will cooperate with the China National Theatre for Children to train Singaporean children to learn to speak Chinese, tell Chinese stories, and perform Chinese plays, allowing them to experience Chinese culture through games.
Xiao Jianghua said that the China Cultural Centre will provide an excellent platform and window for the spread of Chinese culture in Singapore. The cultural center will carry out rich and colorful cultural activities and cooperate with local Singaporean cultural groups in many ways to jointly contribute to the spread and inheritance of Chinese culture in Singapore.
