Blog To Express: 3D Blog - Festive Street Bazaar (Part 2)

Trengganu Street (simplified Chinese: 丁加奴街; pinyin: Dīngjiānú Jiē) is a street located in Chinatown in Singapore.

The road links Pagoda Street and Sago Street, and is intersected by Temple Street and Smith Street. A section of Trengganu Street from Pagoda Street to Smith Street was converted to a pedestrian mall in 1997, with the remaining section of the street and Sago Street also converted into a pedestrian mall in 2003 and now forms the heart of the tourist belt in Singapore's Chinatown.

Trengganu Street has been converted to a pedestrian mall with shops lining both sides of the street, which transforms into a night market after dark.

Trengganu Street takes its name from Terengganu, a sultanate and state on the northeastern side of present day Peninsular Malaysia. The difference in spelling is attributed to the state's former name, "Trengganu", which was given to the street at the time the state was named as such.

Trengganu Street was described as "the Piccadilly of Chinese Singapore" in the past. In Hokkien, the street is called "the cross street of Kreta Ayer". Kreta Ayer is a reference to the Chinatown area and the crossing of streets refers to Smith Street and Sago Street.

Later, the Chinese referred to Trengganu Street in Cantonese as "theatre side street", a reference to the well-known Chinese theatre, Hei Yuen Kai or Lai Chun Yuen, on Smith Street.

The theatre started in the 1880s and was renovated in 1918. It staged popular Cantonese operas until 1927.

Traditional Chinese
1. 牛車水橫街
2. 戲院橫街
3. 丁加奴街

Simplified Chinese
1. 牛车水横街
2. 戏院横街
3. 丁加奴街

(Source: Wikipedia)

The historical building at No. 16, Trengganu Street at the corner of Temple Street (Chinatown, Singapore) is probably the most photographed by tourists. The same place which was captured at various photographed angles and spots as shown in the black and white photos, courtesy of National Archives of Singapore (NAS) below:

16 Trengganu Street Circ 1905. Source: National Archives of Singapore (NAS).

16 Trengganu Street Circ 1919. Source: National Archives of Singapore (NAS).

16 Trengganu Street 1990. Source: National Archives of Singapore (NAS).

16 Trengganu Street 1990. Source: National Archives of Singapore (NAS)

Large sections of these buildings in Chinatown have been declared national heritage sites officially designated and completed these conservation by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA).

Source: Google Map showing the junction of Trengganu/Smith Street at junction of Temple Street.

Along this same stretch of Smith Street at the same place in Chinatown almost five decades ago, we can look back at the old photos on the blog, the different lifestyle, hawker stalls or businesses vending at different times.

The comparison of these changes are not intended for contradiction; neither best nor the worst of times to be living in whatever places. The Chinese New Year festive goodies and cookies sold and business opportunities in Chinatown today were unheard of then.