Hidden in the quiet and quaint estate of Sims Drive in Geylang, is the home of the fire dragon 稻草香火龍.
There are only two of such dragons in the world, the other being in Hong Kong. This dragon is paraded only once every three years on the 2nd day of the 2nd lunar month to celebrate the birthday for the Earth Deity 土地爷爷 and not commonly seen in metropolitan Singapore. The dance of the fire dragon has become a unique identity associated with the temple, Sar Kong Mun San Fook Tuck Chee 沙岡萬山福德祠. This art form originated from Guangdong in South China, and it was brought to Singapore in the 1980s.
According to the 1901 stelae inscription, the temple was said to be established during the early years of 1860s. The temple came to its present site at Sims Drive in 1901. Sar Kong meaning 'sand dune', the village in the Kallang Basin, takes its name from the sandy deposits which attracted the earliest brick kiln operators to set up their kilns in the vicinity. As kampong life centred around the temple, the biggest festivities were temple celebrations.
I have been most fortunate to witness in person the painstaking process that involves the use of rattan for making the core skeleton frame, the plaiting of dried rice stalks and stitched by hand using a sharp metal hook to form the head, the claws as well as the body of the dragon by Master Zhen 甄明仔. There are only two master craftsmen in Singapore, another is Master Fong Keng Yuan 冯景源, who can construct the head and tail which are said to be more difficult compared to the body segments.
Festooned with more than 3000 sticks of burning joss sticks, measuring a length of more than 60 meters, weighing more than 65kg, it is quite a feat. A total of 60 people parading around the temple, it is very much a community driven event.
The fire dragon borne by the dragon dancers, engulfed in smoke, guided by the pearl of wisdom in breathtaking manoeuvres is very impressive. The fire dragon dance is performed on borrowed time, dependent on burning of the joss sticks, it will annihilate when the joss sticks singe their ends. Traditionally the exorbitant number of incense sticks were used as after each performance, the dragon would be left to rest, devoured by the flames, ending its sojourn in the human world, ascending to the heavens bearing the wishes and sentiments of the devotees.
Just like the incandescent flames, the dance of the fire dragon of Sar Kong Mun San Fook Tuck Chee has brought vibrancy to the shores of the tiny island, Singapore.
