Aw Boon Par

Aw Boon Par was a Burmese Chinese entrepreneur and philanthropist best known for introducing Tiger Balm, together with his brother Aw Boon Haw. His family was of Hakka descent and his ancestors were from in Fujian Province.

Aw Boon Par and Aw Boon Haw’s father Aw Chu Kin was very poor in China. According to his descendents left still in Burma, there was a severe drought and calamity in China. Aw Chu Kin’s family could not afford to eat rice, noodles nor bread. Aw Chu Kin had to dig the ground and search for the edible roots. Aw Chu Kin’s brother was a Chinese traditional Medical men or Senseh in Rangoon and the business was doing well. He persuaded his younger brother to join him at Rangoon.

Aw Chu Kin decided to go to the faraway paradise but his money for the trip was not enough. So he had to stay and work for some time in Singapore. According to his descendents’ words, he was not happy in Singapore because it was infested with pickpockets, prostitutes, gangsters, mud and dust. While working at the Singapore port he always dreamed of the faraway paradise, Rangoon, Burma.

Once he had saved some money, he continued the trip but had to stop and work at the Penang Island. According to his descendents, the condition of the Penang Island was also like the hell as Singapore at that time. At last he managed to save enough money to go to his ultimate destination of Paradise on earth, Rangoon. His brother allowed him to work together and later arranged for him to marry with the local Burmese Chinese girl. They got two sons Aw Boon Par and Aw Boon Haw.

Aw Boon Par later migrated to Singapore, where he began the business of Tiger Red Balm with his brother, Aw Boon Haw. His legacy is found in the Haw Par Villas throughout Asia, with locations in Singapore, Hong Kong, and the Fujian Province. During the Second World War, Japanese invasion of Singapore, he went back to Rangoon, Burma and passed away there.