Yan Zhen Teahouse (筵珍茶居酒楼)

Yan Zhen was a Cantonese teahouse at the corner of Smith Street and Trengganu Street, situated in a Chinatown milieu shaped by the nearby famous theatre, Lai Chun Yuen (梨春园) and the brothels of the period. Photos of Yan Zhen were often cited as depicting the Lai Chun Yuen Theatre [Lin 2019]. Its signage advertised round-the-clock “renowned teas” alongside assorted delicacies—dim sum, preserved fruits, candied sweets, and pastries (日夜名茶各色点心蜜饯糖果饼食)—as well as affordable everyday fare such as “fish slices hot pot” (鱼片生锅) and other “daily banquet” dishes (菜晏常便). Teahouses were an iconic feature of Chinatown, Singapore, from the late nineteenth century through the 1930s, and contemporary observers noted how closely entertainment and vice clustered in this district: in 1887, Chinese official Li Zhongjue described Chinatown (牛车水) as the most densely packed area, where “restaurants, theatres, and brothels” gathered together (酒楼、戏园、妓寮毕集，人最稠密，藏垢纳污莫此为甚). In this context, the “restaurants” (酒楼) were not only places for meals but also for morning tea and dim sum, and teahouses such as Yan Zhen commonly hosted popular Chinese diasporic performances, such as storytelling, alongside everyday dining.