Exploring Chinatown

At Telok Ayer Street, it was hard to believe that this magnificent place was once a historical site. This street was once occupied by the hokkiens.

Raffles separated the early Chinese immigrants according to provinces of origin and also by what the British perceived to be different classes. Thus Hokkiens occupied Telok Ayer Street, China Street and Chulia Street; Teochew-speaking Chinese occupied Circular Road, Boat Quay and South Bridge Road; and the Cantonese occupied mainly Kreta Ayer, Upper Cross Street, New Bridge Road, Bukit Pasoh and parts of South Bridge Road. This arrangement contributes to the reason why today, one may encounter a different speaking dialect group in each different part of Chinatown.