Chop Wah On (华安药行) is a Singaporean heritage brand specialising in traditional medicated oils, balms and related wellness products. Founded in 1916 by herbalist Tong Chee Leong, the business began in Chinatown and has remained family-owned for more than a century. It is recognised by Singapore’s National Heritage Board as one of the country’s oldest medicated-oil and balm businesses.

Today, Chop Wah On is particularly associated with its Shake Hand Brand products, most famously its crocodile oil, as well as eucalyptus balm, Huo Luo oil and other traditional remedies. The company has also expanded into cosmetic-type products, aromatherapy and wellness-related products while retaining its traditional medicated-oil heritage. 1

Foundation

Chop Wah On was established in 1916 at 67 Pagoda Street in Chinatown, Singapore, by Tong Chee Leong, a herbalist originally from Guangdong, China. 2

Tong Chee Leong arrived in Singapore during the period of mass migration from southern China to Nanyang. According to the company’s historical account, he saw that many Chinese migrants were suffering from everyday ailments such as body aches, injuries, insect bites and wounds, often without easy access to medical treatment. He consequently developed medicated oils using ingredients and essential oils available in Singapore.

The name “Wah On” (华安) is associated with the idea of peace or peaceful dwelling in Chinese. The company’s own history describes Tong as believing that Singapore could provide Chinese migrants with a peaceful place to build their lives.

The first products

Among Chop Wah On’s earliest products were:

• Red Flower Oil (红花油) — traditionally associated with bruises, sprains, rheumatic discomfort and bodily aches.
• Eucalyptus Embrocation / Eucalyptus Oil (白树油) — traditionally used for its antiseptic properties, insect bites and cold-related symptoms.
• Citronella Oil (香茅油) — traditionally used as an insect repellent and massage oil.

These products became particularly popular among Singapore’s working-class Chinese population, including coolies and majie (妈姐), as well as migrants and seafarers travelling between Singapore and China. Customers frequently bought the oils as gifts or supplies to take back to relatives in China and Hong Kong. 3

This gave Chop Wah On an important role in the circulation of Singapore-made medicated oils throughout the wider Chinese diaspora.

Second generation

After Tong Chee Leong died in 1943, the business passed to his son, Tong Seng Mun.

Tong Seng Mun inherited the business during an extremely difficult period: the Japanese Occupation and the economic disruptions of the 1940s. In the following decades, Chop Wah On continued to develop new products while adapting to changes in Singapore and regional trade.

One of the most unusual chapters in the company’s history was Tong Seng Mun’s involvement in the wildlife trade. The family business at Pagoda Street became associated with exotic animals, and Tong eventually established the Singapore Miniature Zoo in Pasir Panjang in 1957.

This unusual side of the family’s history eventually influenced one of Chop Wah On’s most famous products: crocodile oil.

The crocodile-oil story

The Shake Hand Brand Crocodile Oil became one of Chop Wah On’s signature products.

According to the family’s history, Tong Seng Mun observed the apparent ability of crocodiles to recover from injuries and experimented with crocodile fat during the mid-20th century. This eventually led to the development of Chop Wah On’s crocodile-oil products, which became particularly associated with skin-related applications.

The product became sufficiently distinctive that Shake Hand Brand Crocodile Oil is now one of the products most strongly associated with the Chop Wah On name. The company says the crocodile-oil line was introduced in the 1960s.

The crocodile-oil story is an important part of Chop Wah On’s identity because it illustrates how the company developed products by combining traditional knowledge with experimentation and observations from its unusual family business activities.

The Shake Hand Brand

A distinctive feature of Chop Wah On products is the handshake symbol.

The handshake represents the relationship and trust between the company and its customers. Singapore’s National Heritage Board describes the handshake insignia as having come to symbolise the decades-long relationships forged between Chop Wah On and generations of customers.

This is more than a conventional commercial logo: it reflects one of the company’s central ideas—trust passed between generations.

The brand’s traditional products were historically purchased as practical household remedies, while today many are also purchased as souvenirs or gifts for relatives, friends and business associates.

Locations

Chop Wah On’s original premises were at:

67 Pagoda Street, Chinatown, Singapore

The family subsequently moved to 7 Smith Street before relocating to its present Chinatown premises at:

34 Upper Cross Street, Singapore 058340.

The National Heritage Board records the move to Upper Cross Street as taking place around 2000, while more recent accounts describe the family’s move from Pagoda Street to Smith Street in 1990 and subsequently to Upper Cross Street.

The present shop therefore represents the latest chapter of a business that has remained physically connected to Singapore’s Chinatown for more than a century.

Third generation

Chop Wah On is currently operated by the third generation of the Tong family.

Recent reporting identifies four siblings involved in the business:

• Tong Kok Kai
• Tong Kok Kong
• Tong Pui Cheng
• Tong Kok Wing

They are the grandchildren of founder Tong Chee Leong.

Tong Kok Kong is also identified by Singapore’s National Heritage Board as one of the descendants responsible for continuing the business and preserving its traditional formulations.

One of the defining characteristics of Chop Wah On is its emphasis on preserving traditional formulations.

The National Heritage Board’s account of Singapore’s Chinese medicated-oil tradition notes that Chop Wah On’s formulas have changed relatively little over time. While the company has modernised production and refined its ingredients, the detailed formulation and production process remain closely guarded trade knowledge.

The company has also adjusted its products for contemporary consumers. For example, its oils have been made less strongly scented to appeal to younger customers, while the business has expanded beyond traditional medicated oils into cosmetics and other wellness products.

Chop Wah On’s historical and contemporary product range includes:

• Shake Hand Brand Red Flower Oil
• Shake Hand Brand Eucalyptus Embrocation
• Shake Hand Brand Citronella Oil
• Shake Hand Brand Crocodile Oil
• Shake Hand Brand Eucalypthol Balm
• Shake Hand Brand Huo Luo Oil
• Shake Hand Brand Honey Bee Apitherapy
• Shake Hand Brand Miracle Lady Cream
• Shake Hand Brand Miracle CrocOil Facial Sheet Mask
• Gold Crocodile Oil Lip & Skin Protectant

The company says its range has grown to roughly 30 products, spanning traditional remedies, skincare, aromatherapy and health/wellness products.

Although Chop Wah On is best known as a retail shop in Chinatown, its story is also part of Singapore’s manufacturing and small-business history.

Historical accounts record that the family expanded its production capabilities over time, including establishing production facilities as demand increased. The brand has continued to describe its products as made and sold in Singapore, particularly emphasising this heritage in relation to its crocodile-oil and traditional medicated-oil lines.

This Singapore identity has become increasingly important as the company markets its products internationally.

Chop Wah On’s customer base historically developed through migration and trade.

In the early decades, Chinese migrants, seafarers, merchants and returning majie carried its products from Singapore to China and Hong Kong. This effectively created an international customer base before the company had anything resembling modern international marketing.

Today, the brand reports customers and distributors in markets including China, Hong Kong, Canada, Australia and other countries with significant Chinese communities. Tourism and e-commerce have also helped introduce the products to customers outside the traditional Chinese market.

This is an interesting aspect of Chop Wah On’s history: its internationalisation began organically through migration, family networks and word-of-mouth, rather than through large-scale advertising.

Chop Wah On is officially recognised as a Singapore heritage business.

The National Heritage Board (NHB) lists Chop Wah On in the Singapore Heritage Business Registry for Chinatown. NHB describes it as a Chinatown mainstay dating from 1916 and highlights its signature medicated oils and balms, family-run production, heritage activities and continued product development. 1

The brand has also received recognition through the Singapore Prestige Brand Award (SPBA). A Singapore Bicentennial publication records Chop Wah On receiving the SPBA in the Heritage Brands category in 2015, coinciding with its centenary celebrations.

The company’s heritage is also documented by Singapore’s National Heritage Board / Roots.sg as part of the country’s intangible cultural heritage surrounding the making and use of Chinese medicated oils.

Chop Wah On is significant beyond its products.

Its history illustrates several major themes in Singapore’s development:

• Chinese migration: The business emerged from the Guangdong-to-Nanyang migration that helped shape early Singapore.
• Traditional medicine: It represents the adaptation of Chinese herbal knowledge to the tropical Southeast Asian environment.
• Singapore’s entrepôt economy: The founders made use of essential oils, spices and other materials available through Singapore’s trading networks.
• Chinatown’s commercial history: The company has remained associated with Chinatown since 1916.
• Family enterprise: Ownership and knowledge have been transmitted through three generations of the Tong family.
• Diaspora networks: Customers carried the products from Singapore to China, Hong Kong and other parts of the world.
• Heritage adaptation: Rather than remaining solely a traditional medicine shop, the company has developed new products and embraced e-commerce and international distribution.

In this sense, Chop Wah On can be viewed as a small but unusually durable example of Singapore’s migrant entrepreneurship and traditional Chinese commercial culture.

The Chinese name 华安药行 can be understood roughly as Wah On Medicine Shop / Wah On Medical Hall.

“Chop” is a historical Southeast Asian term associated with a shop or trading mark, particularly in the context of Chinese businesses in colonial-era Malaya and Singapore. Chop Wah On therefore belongs to the linguistic tradition of old Singaporean Chinese businesses whose commercial identities combined dialect pronunciation, Chinese characters and English/Malay colonial-era terminology.

The handshake emblem became the defining visual identity of the brand. Rather than relying primarily on a modern corporate logo, the company has retained packaging and branding that communicate its old-fashioned, trusted-medicine-shop character. NHB specifically identifies the handshake as a symbol of the long-standing relationship between the business and its customers.

Today, Chop Wah On occupies an unusual position in Singapore’s consumer landscape. It is simultaneously a traditional Chinese medicine-related business, a Singapore heritage brand, a family enterprise, a tourist destination and an internationally marketed consumer brand.

Its strongest contemporary identity remains its traditional Shake Hand Brand medicated oils and balms, especially crocodile oil, but the company has progressively broadened its range and customer base. Recent reporting says its clientele now includes tourists, online shoppers and international distributors, with customers particularly from China, Hong Kong and Canada.

The company itself frames its future around preserving its heritage while continuing to develop products and reach new generations of consumers.

The significance of Chop Wah On lies less in its size than in its longevity.

Founded in 1916, it has survived colonial Singapore, World War II, the Japanese Occupation, post-war reconstruction, Singapore’s independence and industrialisation, changing healthcare habits, the decline of traditional medicine shops and the rise of modern e-commerce.

Its story is therefore intertwined with the story of Singapore itself: migration, Chinatown, traditional Chinese medicine, family entrepreneurship, international trade and the transformation of a small traditional business into a recognised heritage brand.

For that reason, Chop Wah On is not simply an old medicated-oil shop. It is one of the surviving examples of Singapore’s early Chinese-founded consumer businesses that has managed to carry its original identity across more than a century while adapting to a modern international market.

1. Chop Wah On
2. From Chinatown zoo to crocodile oil legacy: The strange history of Chop Wah On
3. A Brief History of Singapore Medical Oil & Balm Business – Chop Wah On