• The Merlion is an imaginary mythical creature. The lion head symbolises the legend of Prince Sang Nila Utama discovering a lion on the shores of Temasek (an old name of Singapore) in the thirteenth century. The fish tail symbolises Singapore’s development from a small fishing village to a metropolitan city. Although the story of Prince Sang Nila Utama finding a lion in Singapore is likely to be fictional, the Merlion also epitomises the seamless amalgamation of the maritime and landbound civilisation in Singapore.
• The Merlion’s design was created in 1963 by Fraser Brunner, curator of the then-Van Kleef Aquarium, under the commission of the Singapore Tourism Board (STB). Another source indicated that an artistic consultant, Mr. Kwok, drew the Merlion.
• Singapore’s famous Merlion statue is about 8 metres tall. The blueprint of the statue was drawn by Kwan Sai Kheong, and the statue sculptured by Lim Nang Seng. The statue was completed in 1972 and unveiled by Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew on 15 September that year. The statue now stands at Marina Bay and is an important landmark of Singapore.

Tourists who visit Singapore will not miss the chance to visit the Merlion Park and have their photos taken with the Merlion, in an angle such that they seem to be sprouting water from their mouths. (Lianhe Zaobao, 20/9/2017)