View source for Kreta Ayer Road

{{Short description|Road in Chinatown, Singapore}}
[[File:Kreta Ayer (Singapore) (2025) - img 01.jpg|thumb|Shophouses on the Kreta Ayer Street]]
[[File:Kreta Ayer (Singapore) (2025) - img 03.jpg|thumb|Shophouses on the Kreta Ayer Street]]
'''Kreta Ayer Road''' ({{IPAc-en|ipa|ˈ|k|r|eɪ|t|ə|_|ˌ|ɑː|(|j|)|eɪ}} {{respell|KRAY|tə|_|AH|yay}},{{NoteTag|Alternative pronunciations include:
* {{IPAc-en|ˈ|k|r|eɪ|t|ɑː|-}} {{respell|KRAY|tah|-}}
* {{IPAc-en|-|ˌ|ɑː|(|j|)|ɛər}} {{respell|-|AH|yair}}
}} {{zh|c=水车路 / 水車路}}) is a one-way [[road]] located in [[Chinatown, Singapore|Chinatown]] within the [[Outram, Singapore|Outram Planning Area]] in [[Singapore]]. The road links [[Neil Road]] to [[New Bridge Road]] and [[Eu Tong Sen Street]], and is intersected by [[Keong Saik Road]].

==Etymology and history==
In the early days of Singapore, locals drawn water from a well near [[Ann Siang Hill]] and transported them using [[Bullock cart|bullock carts]] and drove down the street.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Savage |first=Victor R. |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/868957283 |title=Singapore street names : a study of toponymics |date=2013 |others=Brenda S. A. Yeoh |isbn=978-981-4484-74-9 |edition= |location=Singapore |pages=507 |oclc=868957283}}</ref> This led to the area being ''Kreta Ayer'',{{NoteTag|Modern spelling: ''kereta air''}} which means "water cart" in [[Malay language|Malay]]. Similarly, the Hokkiens called the area ''gu chia chui'' while the Cantonese call it ''ngow chay shui'' ({{lang-zh|t=牛車水|j=ngau4 ce1 seoi2}}), both meaning "bullock water cart" (the word "road" is [[Ellipsis (linguistics)|elided]]).<ref name=":0" />

The road was officially named Kreta Ayer Road in 1922.

For the [[Chinese people|Chinese]], the Chinatown area is referred also as ''tua poh'' or "greater town" district.{{Citation needed|date=March 2022}} In the 1880s, Kreta Ayer was the [[red light district]] of Chinatown.{{Citation needed|date=March 2022}} The Chinese traveller, Li Zhongjue, observed in 1887 that the street was a place of [[restaurant]]s, [[Theatre (structure)|theatre]]s and [[brothel]]s and where "filth and dirt are hidden".{{Citation needed|date=March 2022}}

==Landmarks==
[[File:Singapore Hok San Association, Kreta Ayer (2025) - img 08.jpg|thumb|Singapore Hok San Association, at 21 Kreta Ayer Rd]]
Hok San Association (新加坡鶴山會館) has the oldest lion dance troupe in Singapore, it was established in 1920 and located at No. 21 of the shophouses along Kreta Ayer Road.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hermes |date=2019-12-25 |title=Secrets to oldest lion dance troupe's success {{!}} The Straits Times |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/secrets-to-oldest-lion-dance-troupes-success |url-access=subscription |access-date=2022-03-02 |website=www.straitstimes.com |language=en}}</ref> 

Chinese Buddhist Association (新加坡中华佛教会) was founded in 1927 and located at No. 23 of the shophouses along Kreta Ayer Road. It was established after the visit of [[Taixu|Venerable Tai Xu]] (太虚法师) to Singapore in 1926, and is the first Buddhist organisation established in Singapore.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Singapore Chinese Buddhist Association 新加坡中华佛教会 celebrates 80th anniversary |url=https://www.chinatownology.com/Singapore_Chinese_Buddhist_Association_at_80.html/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180424232622/https://www.chinatownology.com/Singapore_Chinese_Buddhist_Association_at_80.html/ |archive-date=24 April 2018}}</ref>

==Notes==
{{NoteFoot}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}{{Roads and streets in Chinatown, Singapore}}

{{coord|1|16|50|N|103|50|32|E|type:landmark_source:kolossus-plwiki|display=title}}

[[Category:Roads in Singapore]]
[[Category:Outram, Singapore]]
[[Category:Chinatown, Singapore]]


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