It’s still a mystery how a modest neoclassical administrative building could perfectly hide the glimmers of gold, silver, and white spread in every corner of its rooms. And no, I am not referring to any of their jewels.
Treasures from two thousand years worth of Asian trade were carefully curated here, representing a gone time when the world could be so artistically interconnected without virtual space intervention. European dishes were covered with decorative gold paints of chinoiserie aesthetic. Religious scriptures had featured local gods and ancient deities of foreign lands. These antiquities and precious cargo were prized so incredibly that only wealthy patrons, ranging from European upper class to Asian royal courts, could afford them at will. And though monetary estimations of these items’ worth could be modernly measured, I believe there are much, much more of worthwhile stories hidden within such treasures. More than what and who these artifacts are for, but how they came to be. Frankly, it’s only here in the previous century’s most desired port nation of Singapore that you could actually (yes, i do mean physically) see how every single trade commodity could blend distant cultures so intricately— and more so how the power reflected from such assimilations had changed every aspect of people’s lives.
If you roam around their Christian Art gallery, you’ll see my favorite collection that shows exactly this concept. The object? A simple Catholic cross. The figure at the center? No, not Jesus. Not Mother Mary too, if that’s your next guess, and not any of the saints either.
What you see hung in the middle will be none other than Amida Nyorai, now mostly known through its Sanskrit name of Amitabha Buddha. Believed to come from the 18th century Edo Period in Japan, the Amida Nyorai Cross became proof of the presence of Christian faith, mainly brought by incoming Spain and Portugal missionaries who may have targeted those rejecting Confucianism values of social hierarchy. With the Tokugawa Shogunate strictly monitoring foreign interference, Japanese Christians resorted to extreme methods to continue practicing their state-banned religion, one of which involved coexisting Buddhism and Christian faiths together in the same object of worship. A product of religious oppression then, isn’t it? Or an attempt to rebel from the nation’s patriotism?
Another item for similar thought is the commercial vocabulary phrasebook, which just as referred to, is solely dedicated to describe words that merchants and middlemen most often use while engaging in business transactions. Formally titled Chinese and English Instructor in the Maritime Trade gallery, the 6-volume book is evidence of the need for practicality and quick language adaptation that arose from high flow of trade, specifically in the bustling harbors at Guangzhou, China.
Tang Tingshu, the phrasebook’s writer who was a comprador, must have sought the good economic opportunity to trade with English-speaking foreigners and created some sort of topic-specific ‘dictionary’ that’s functionable enough for his work. Keep in mind, dictionaries had existed from preceding centuries in many forms. However, before the rise of multinational trade and commerce, it was uncommon for those not of the scholarly or noble class to obtain yet alone make one. This agent of commercial exchange then becomes one of many others representing the fusion of gentry and merchant class as 19th century China transitioned to full industrialization.
The Asian Civilizations Museum, in short, is a place that’s simply fascinating to those curious about the riches of the Maritime Silk Route. Cultural melting could be found in almost every artifact, starting from small luxury items such as incense burners to large stone sculptures of ancient gods twice the size of us humans. It is also fun if you follow the tides of past wars in Asia, because certain captivating items like the portable wooden opium case will remind you of parts of history you might forget (anyone remember the drama of Opium Wars?).
I, for one, would claim the Maritime Trade gallery to be the most beautiful; housing fragile porcelains, pottery, and luxury wares — some of which were part of the recovered Tang Shipwreck. There are dedicated galleries for those searching for artisan works in jewelry as well, and for those who has joy in examining detailed wooden furniture (yes, they have those too at the Scholars Gallery). Don’t worry, I will spoil only this much, and you’re free to see what else they have to offer there.
If you’re more into religious history, then I must say that this museum will be an even more perfect place to stop by. The hall of Ancient Religions was a world of its own, with lines of stone and clay statues from ancient religions of Hindu, Buddha, and Jainisim brimming a spiritual atmosphere like none other. That’s why if you ever do visit, I suggest you start on the second floor and walk through the automatic doors opening to that said hall. The heavy mystic air that follows even to the next sections for Islamic and Christian Art would undoubtedly leave an ever-lasting impression.
If you are not drawn into this gallery still, here’s another relic (last one, bear with me) that might give you a surprising fact. For those who asked how could sculptors create such a symmetrical masterpiece — there’s an apparent reason. Previous civilizations placed great importance in ideal proportions of worshipped figures, as sacred images require the correct iconometry to be ritually effective. Units of measurements were used in the artifact’s design manual, so it’s not just some physical work of sculpting. It was customary for these statues to be a perfect, flawless representation!
Now, I do realize I must stop here before I tattletale on each cool artifact I came across. But do believe when I say that you’ll find at least one thing from the Asian Civilizations Museum that would blow your mind completely, even if it’s just a picture of Virgin and Christ inside an album for a Muslim patron (sorry, couldn’t stop myself to add one more collection for you to think about). I sincerely believe this place invites everyone, but those of Asian heritage would find a special place in heart for the cultures represented here. Hopefully, you’ll be able to meet the charming, heavenly, and expensive wonders of Asian history soon, my oh-so-lovely readers!
