By Syd Brown

Tiger Balm

According to ancient Chinese beliefs, the claws and whiskers of the tiger provided powerful charms to ward off demons.The great cat was able to frighten away evil spirits, his bones were credited with curing rheuma­tism, his flesh when eaten imparted strength and courage. In a figurative sense, another gener­ation of this ancient tiger has been born-accorded almost the same supernatural powers and able to heal and soothe.

An aromatic ointment based on a formula reaching 5,000 years into Chinese antiquity, Tiger Balm is said to possess the power of a tiger ready to pounce. Indeed, Tiger Balm does have the power to attack the evil spirits of muscle pain, tame a raging headache, calm a turbu­lent digestive tract, relieve the aches of rheumatism, neuralgia and gout, act as a decongestant and soothe the sting of insect bites. How is a simple tin of aromatic herbal ointment able to do all this? We know some of the answers, but others remain a mystery.

How It All Began

The original preparation was a mixture of camphor, menthol, cassia oil, cajuput oil and peppermint oil. Then, as now, it was considered an herbal cure-all. However, this valuable formula was very nearly sacri­ficed to “progress,” when during the reign of the Ching Dynasty (1644-1911) all natural remedies were banned from China in an effort to adopt more modern Western therapies.

Then, nearly a century ago, a Chinese herbalist named Aw Chu Kim left China to open a modest pharmacy in Burma. On his deathbed in 1908, Aw left this ancient for­mula as his legacy to his sons, exacting from them the promise that they would once again make the ointment available to all seeking relief from pain.

The sons, Aw Boon Par and Aw Boon Haw (Aw is the family surname, while the translation of Boon is “gentle,” Par is “leopard” and Haw appropriately enough means “tiger. “) combined their knowledge of western medicine with Asian herbal remedies to improve upon the original for­ mula. Today’s Tiger Balm is made from camphor, menthol, cajuput oil and clove oil, plus several secret ingredients.

In 1926 the Tiger Balm factory was relocated to Singapore, where it remained for 45 years, operating under the name of Eng Aun Tong-“House of Everlasting Peace.” As word of Tiger Balm’s healing powers spread, it became valued not only as a topical analgesic, but once served as an unofficial form of exchange in rural areas of war-torn Indonesia. When the Indones­ians were struggling for their independence from the Dutch, inflation had destroyed the value of their currency, and instead of cash, tins of Tiger Balm were bartered for goods and services.

Tiger Balm’s Uses

Tiger Balm has been effectively used in con­ junction with acupuncture and acupressure to treat all types of pain. The ointment is applied to the appropriate acupuncture points before proceeding to stimulate and balance those meridians in the traditional manner. The healing ingredients of the ointment are then transferred through the skin to the site responsible for the pain.
Tiger Balm is equally effective when sim­ply applied directly to painful areas.

Rubbed on a rheumatic joint, the penetrating warmth increases circulation and relieves pain. “‘On tired, aching muscles, the balm proves a soothing muscle relaxant.
… Applied before vigorous exercise, Tiger Balm serves to warm and relax muscles.
… Rubbed onto the forehead or temple, Tiger Balm users claim almost miraculous cures for head­ aches and accompanying tension.
… Used as a massage medium, Tiger Balm penetrates es to ease muscle tension.
… Tiger Balm is a powerful topical antidote for in­sect stings.
… Massaged on the stomach, the ointment brings relief from indigestion and gastritis .
… Applied to the lower back, Tiger Balm acts as a penetrating analgesic.
… To relieve tightness in the chest due to colds or flu, apply this herbal balm to the chest two to three times a day and cover with warm flannel.
… For head colds, stuffy noses, sinus congestion and hay fever,. simply inhaling the vapor of Tiger Balm produces easy breathing and a clear head.
… Used on bruises, sprains and strains, Tiger Balm stimulates absorption and reduces swelling.
For the ever-growing ranks of holistic health practitioners Tiger Balm’s leading at­ tribute is the fact that it is a 100070natural remedy with no known side-effects. The only word of caution issued concerning its use is that it should not be applied to open wounds.
The herbal balm comes in two colors, red and white, with two corresponding strengths
-strong (red) and mild (white).

The Healing Tiger Balm Story

Only a few short years after their humble beginnings, the Aw brothers had amassed a fortune from the sales of Tiger Balm. Al­though they did diversify into other bus­iness ventures, the family philosophy dic­tated that wealth which is derived from the public should be returned in some measure for the benefit of the public. With this in mind, numbers of homes for the aged, or­phanages, leprosariums and schools throughout Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Burma, Hong Kong and China were funded by gifts from the House of Everlasting Peace.

In addition, two parks were built for the free enjoyment of the public one in Hong Kong and another in Singapore. The Hong Kong site was demolished in 1980 to make way for high rises. The Singapore garden, now a popular tourist attraction is known as the Haw Par Villa (Tiger Balm Gardens).

Caves and grottos are nestled in the hillsides over­ looking the sea, and the gardens are in­habited by brightly (some say garishly) col­ored concrete statues depicting characters (some grotesque) and events (many horrify­ ing) from ancient Chinese mythology. Overseeing these tortuous re-creations are the more benevolent figures of Buddha, Confucius, the philosopher Upadhyaya and Agastya who, according to legend, was sent to aid pious souls, Agastya significantly enough, holds a jar of the famous Tiger Balm ointment in his right hand .

Now in 2023 the location in Singapore where Eng Aun Tong was located is now a Shake Shack restaurant, below is from their website:

89 Neil Road