• In the thirteenth century, Prince Sang Nila Utama set off from Bintan Island to Temasek (an old name of Singapore). Upon landing, he encountered a strange, unknown beast. An elder told him the beast was known as “Singa” (Singa or Simha, which means “lion” in Sanskrit). The Prince regarded the beast as an auspicious creature, and decided to build his empire upon these shores, naming the place “Singapura”. “Singapura” was Sanskrit for “Lion City”.
• Even though the name Lion City was attributed to lions, but lions were not known to inhabit Southeast Asia. Thus Prince Sang Nila Utama’s discovery of lions may be purely folklore. “Lions” may also refer to a group of monks from the Majapahit empire, who may have moved from Java to Temasek in the late thirteenth century. As these monks were known for their wild practice forms, they were given the moniker “Lions”. In addition, several Southeast Asian cities were known as “Lion Cities” in the olden days, and Temasek could well be one such city.

During the early nineteenth century, the night skies of the Lion City were dark and looming. When Raffles landed upon the shores, lamps fuelled by coconut oil was hailed as a new beginning. Now the city is brightly lit, the night skies as bright as day in a city that never sleeps. (Lianhe Zaobao, 19/5/2019)