The use of decorative ceramic tiles can be traced back to ancient times, but their widespread popularity began to grow in the 1830s and 1840s, especially in England. New industrial techniques made it possible to mass-produce tiles by machine, which significantly reduced their cost. Once a luxury reserved for the wealthy, decorative tiles with vibrant colours and intricate patterns became more accessible to the general public. In Singapore, both wealthy Europeans and Chinese adopted these tiles in their homes, blending European and Asian artistic influences. Imported from Europe, tiles became a marker of status and taste, often adorning elegant bungalows and shophouses. Among the Straits Chinese, bright floral designs were especially favoured—featuring colours such as coral red, turquoise blue, yellow, and various shades of green. In Chinese culture, flowers carry symbolic meanings, with each bloom conveying values like purity, longevity, or prosperity. This made them ideal for feng shui and spiritual harmony.
Over time, the use of tiles extended from the home to the gravesite—the final home of the deceased. Decorative tiles added beauty and symbolic meaning to tombs, helping to honour the departed and ensure peace in the aft
Over time, the use of tiles extended from the home to the gravesite—the final home of the deceased. Decorative tiles added beauty and symbolic meaning to tombs, helping to honour the departed and ensure peace in the aft
ARTEFACT NO. 60︎︎︎, Decorated Blue-and-White Tile with Image of Lion and Butterfly
This blue-and-white tile, likely of Dutch Delft origin, features a lion poised before a butterfly. While European in style, its inclusion in Bukit Brown tombs reflects the Straits Chinese tradition of blending local, Chinese, and colonial motifs to express layered meanings of status, prosperity, and longevity.
In Chinese symbolism, the lion (狮) represents strength and protection, often guarding sacred spaces. Meanwhile, the butterfly (蝶) is a well-known symbol of longevity, due to its phonetic resemblance to the character 耄 which refers to a long life in old age. The visual pairing of lion and butterfly, sometimes whimsically referred to as “cat-and-butterfly” (猫蝶, MĀO DIÉ ), plays on homophonic wordplay. “Mao” (cat) sounds like “old” (耄, MÀO), and together with “DIÉ” (butterfly), forms a visual pun expressing wishes for a long, prosperous life.
This blue-and-white tile, likely of Dutch Delft origin, features a lion poised before a butterfly. While European in style, its inclusion in Bukit Brown tombs reflects the Straits Chinese tradition of blending local, Chinese, and colonial motifs to express layered meanings of status, prosperity, and longevity.
In Chinese symbolism, the lion (狮) represents strength and protection, often guarding sacred spaces. Meanwhile, the butterfly (蝶) is a well-known symbol of longevity, due to its phonetic resemblance to the character 耄 which refers to a long life in old age. The visual pairing of lion and butterfly, sometimes whimsically referred to as “cat-and-butterfly” (猫蝶, MĀO DIÉ ), plays on homophonic wordplay. “Mao” (cat) sounds like “old” (耄, MÀO), and together with “DIÉ” (butterfly), forms a visual pun expressing wishes for a long, prosperous life.
ARTEFACTS NO. 56︎︎︎ and 74︎︎︎, Examples of Decorative Tiles Depicting Peacocks
The peacock imagery on these tiles are both striking and meaningful. The peacock is a common motif in Peranakan tilework and is often associated with beauty, dignity, and renewal. In Chinese symbolism, the bird’s extravagant plumage represents rank and status, as it was historically linked to high officials and imperial robes. Here, the repeating pattern of four vibrant green peacocks with full tail feathers evokes a sense of symmetry and prosperity. Their presence next to the grave may express a wish for honour to continue into the afterlife, or for the deceased to be remembered with grace and respect. The glaze and colouring are typical of early 20th-century decorative tiles popular among the Straits Chinese, reflecting a blend of European ceramic tradition and local cultural values.
The peacock imagery on these tiles are both striking and meaningful. The peacock is a common motif in Peranakan tilework and is often associated with beauty, dignity, and renewal. In Chinese symbolism, the bird’s extravagant plumage represents rank and status, as it was historically linked to high officials and imperial robes. Here, the repeating pattern of four vibrant green peacocks with full tail feathers evokes a sense of symmetry and prosperity. Their presence next to the grave may express a wish for honour to continue into the afterlife, or for the deceased to be remembered with grace and respect. The glaze and colouring are typical of early 20th-century decorative tiles popular among the Straits Chinese, reflecting a blend of European ceramic tradition and local cultural values.