One of Penang’s iconic attractions is the magnificent Kek Lok Si temple, the largest Buddhist temple in Southeast Asia and most visitors to this island cousin of ours would probably make a visit. This photo of the main pagoda is only a section of the entire temple complex, but it was the familiar names at the gate in front of the pagoda that caught my attention:

Here’s a closer picture of the gate – can you spot any familiar names?

Yes, in 1930, the gate was erected by the brothers Aw Boon Haw and Aw Boon Par – the Haw Par Brothers of Tiger Balm fame. The brothers, who were originally from Myanmar, perfected the Tiger Balm formula from their father and made the Tiger Balm name a household name throughout Asia. Besides Tiger Balm, from which Singapore was the regional base of operations, the brothers were also known to be philanthropists and generously donated to many causes such as schools, hospitals and nursing homes.

Just down the road from Kek Lok Si is a Taoist temple that also bears the name of the Aw Brothers:

This gate was erected a year later from the Kek Lok Si one. By comparison, the brothers’ other legacy in Singapore, the Haw Par Villa at Pasir Panjang was built in 1937 as a gift from Boon Haw to Boon Par. It was nice to stumble into a couple of familiar names in Penang and to see how far-flung the influence of the Aw Brothers had in this region. Are there any other landmarks in Singapore that carry the Haw Par name?