View source for Merlion

{{Short description|Official mascot of Singapore}}
{{Redirect|Singa laut|the Indonesian film|Singa Laoet}}
{{Use British English|date=December 2012}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}
{{Infobox mythical creature
|name          = Merlion
|image         = Singapore Skyline 2019-10.jpg
|image_size    = 250px
|caption       = The Merlion Park viewed with the Singapore skyline in the background
|Folklore     = 
|Grouping      = 
|Sub_Grouping  =

|Country       = [[Singapore]]
|Region        = [[Singapore]]
|Habitat       = 
|First_Attested = 

|Similar_entities =
}}
{{Infobox Chinese
|s=鱼尾狮
|t=魚尾獅
|p=Yú wěi shī
|msa=Singa-Laut
|tam=மெர்லயன்
}}

The '''Merlion''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|m|ɜːr|ˌ|l|aɪ|ə|n}}) is the official mascot of [[Singapore]]. It is depicted as a mythical creature with the [[sea-lion|head of a lion and the body of a fish]]. Being of prominent symbolic nature to Singapore and [[Singaporeans]] in general, it is widely used to represent both the city state and its people in sports teams, advertising, branding, tourism and as a [[national personification]].<ref>{{cite web|title=The Monstrous Merlion: In the Original Sense |url=http://www.publicart.sg/?q=book/export/html/326 |website=Public Art |access-date=10 September 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140910215739/http://www.publicart.sg/?q=book%2Fexport%2Fhtml%2F326 |archive-date=10 September 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The Merlion was first used in Singapore as the logo for the tourism board.<ref>{{cite news|title=Lion with fish tail is Tourist Board's new emblem |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19640425-1.2.50|access-date=30 April 2024|newspaper=The Straits Times|date=25 April 1964}}</ref> Its name combines "[[wiktionary:mer-#English|mer]]", meaning the [[sea]], and "[[lion]]". The fish body represents Singapore's origin as a fishing village when it was called ''[[Temasek]]'', which means "sea town" in [[Javanese language|Javanese]]. The lion head represents Singapore's original name—''[[Names of Singapore|Singapura]]''—meaning "lion city" or "kota singa".

The symbol was designed by [[Alec Fraser-Brunner]], a member of the Souvenir Committee and curator of the [[Van Kleef Aquarium]], for the [[logo]] of the [[Singapore Tourism Board]] (STB) in use from 26 March 1964 to 1997 and has been its [[trademark]]ed symbol since 20 July 1966. Although the STB changed their logo in 1997, the STB Act continues to protect the Merlion symbol.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.stb.gov.sg/content/stb/en/assistance-and-licensing/other-assistance-resources-overview/STB-owned-Logos/STB-owned-Assets-Merlion-Symbol.html|title=STB-owned Assets – Merlion Symbol {{!}} STB|website=www.stb.gov.sg|access-date=2020-03-01|archive-date=1 March 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200301133903/https://www.stb.gov.sg/content/stb/en/assistance-and-licensing/other-assistance-resources-overview/STB-owned-Logos/STB-owned-Assets-Merlion-Symbol.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Approval must be received from STB before it can be used. The Merlion frequently appears on STB-approved [[souvenir]]s.

== Original location ==
[[File:Merlion 1994.jpg|thumb|Merlion at its original location on the mouth of the Singapore River in 1994]]
On 15 September 1972, Prime Minister [[Lee Kuan Yew]] officiated the installation ceremony of the Merlion statue.<ref name="URASkylineMerlionMove">{{cite magazine|title=A new home for the Merlion|publisher=[[Urban Redevelopment Authority|URA]]|url=http://www.ura.gov.sg/skyline/skyline00/skyline00-04.pdf|magazine=Skyline|edition=July/August 2000|pages=6–8|archive-date=9 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170809213440/https://www.ura.gov.sg/skyline/skyline00/skyline00-04.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> The original statue stood at the mouth of the [[Singapore River]] in [[Former Merlion Park|Merlion Park]].

It was conceptualised by the [[vice-chancellor]] Kwan Sai Kheong of the [[National University of Singapore|University of Singapore]] and constructed from November 1971 to August 1972 by Singapore sculptor [[Lim Nang Seng]] ({{zh|c=林浪新|p=Lín Làngxīn}}).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.biotechnics.org/2lim_nang_seng.html/|title=Sim Lian Huat|website=www.biotechnics.org|access-date=11 November 2006|archive-date=10 March 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120310144946/http://www.biotechnics.org/2lim_nang_seng.html/|url-status=live}}</ref> It measures 8.6 metres high and weighs 70 tons.<ref name=URASkylineMerlionMove/><ref name="NLBinfopedia">Merlion Restaurant and Bar <http://www.merlion.us/ {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170214102601/http://www.merlion.us/ |date=14 February 2017 }}></ref> The project cost about [[Singapore dollar|S$]]165,000.<ref name=URASkylineMerlionMove/>

== Relocation of original statue ==
[[File:Rear view of the Merlion statue at Merlion Park, Singapore, with Marina Bay Sands in the distance - 20140307.jpg|thumb|View of [[Marina Bay Sands]] hotel from the Merlion]]
The completion of the [[Esplanade Bridge]] in 1997 blocked the views of the Merlion from the Marina Bay waterfront.<ref name=URASkylineMerlionMove/> By then, the original Merlion location was also no longer the entrance of Singapore River due to land reclamation works.<ref name=URASkylineMerlionMove/> In response, the statue and its cub were relocated 120 metres to the current [[Merlion Park]] that fronts [[Marina Bay, Singapore|Marina Bay]] in 2002, where it stands on a newly reclaimed [[promontory]] in front of the [[The Fullerton Hotel Singapore|Fullerton Hotel]].

Another solution considered — to raise the Merlion on a pedestal at its original location — was deemed unsuitable, as the view would still be blocked by the bridge. Other possible relocation sites considered included [[Nicoll Highway]] Extension Bridge, [[Esplanade Park]], [[Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay]], a promontory at Marina Centre (near where the [[Singapore Flyer]] is located now), a promontory site at Bayfront (near the tip of [[Marina Bay Sands]] [[integrated resort]]) and Kim Seng Park. However, all were either unsuitable or not technically feasible.<ref name=URASkylineMerlionMove/>

The unprecedented relocation took two days, from 23 to 25 April 2002. A carefully engineered journey required one [[barge]], two DEMAG AC1600S [[Crane (machine)|cranes]] of 5000 tonnes lifting capacity, plus a team of 20 [[civil engineer|engineers]] and workers on site. The entire statue was hoisted onto the barge, which then sailed to the new installation site at the current Merlion Park, near the mouth of [[Singapore River]]. During the voyage, the statue had to be hoisted from the barge, over the [[Esplanade Bridge]] and then back onto the barge, as it was too tall to pass underneath.

Exactly 30 years after he officially unveiled the Merlion, then-[[Senior Minister of Singapore|Senior Minister]] [[Lee Kuan Yew]] returned on 15 September 2002 to ceremonially welcome the statue again, this time in its new home. A viewing deck now stretches over the Singapore River, allowing visitors to pose for a photograph with a front or side view of the Merlion, including a new city skyline backdrop in the picture. The sculpture was aligned to face East, a direction advised to be most [[feng shui|auspicious]].<ref name=NLBinfopedia/> Relocated, the statue once more spouted water from its mouth, having stopped in its old location since 1998 due to a [[water pump]] malfunction. The Merlion now has a new two-unit water pump system with units working alternatively, so a backup is always on standby. The relocation and new site (four times larger than the original) cost [[Singapore dollar|S$]]7.5 million.<ref name=NLBinfopedia/>

== Maintenance of original statue ==
[[File:The Merlion.Singapore. (9680124365).jpg|thumb|The Merlion in 2012]]
From 5 June till 10 July 2006, the Merlion at Merlion Park underwent maintenance. The last one was right after its relocation. Dirt and stains were removed using high-pressure water streams, and various wear and tear of the statue was mended.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://app.stb.gov.sg/asp/new/new03a.asp?id=5203 |title=Merlion Takes a Time-Out for a Shower |access-date=2008-09-08 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081202050658/http://app.stb.gov.sg/asp/new/new03a.asp?id=5203 |archive-date=2 December 2008}}</ref>

During that period, visitors were greeted with [[illustration|illustrated]] [[temporary fencing|hoardings]] and [[canvas]]es covering the safety nets and [[scaffolding]]. The illustrations<ref>[http://app.stb.gov.sg/Data/news/1/94130ea17023c4837f0dcdda95034b65/Annex%20-%20Hoarding%20and%20canvas%20designs.doc Miel's illustrations] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081003121206/http://app.stb.gov.sg/Data/news/1/94130ea17023c4837f0dcdda95034b65/Annex%20-%20Hoarding%20and%20canvas%20designs.doc |date=3 October 2008 }}</ref> were designed by [[The Straits Times|Miel]], an award-winning senior [[artist]] at ''[[The Straits Times]]''. The illustration on the canvases made them look like [[shower curtains]], with the Merlion sticking its head out with the shadow of its tail behind the curtain. The illustration on the [[temporary fencing|hoardings]] showed the Merlion scrubbing himself with a brush and showering using a Merlion [[shower head]] spouting water. The Merlion said, "EXCUSE ME while I take a shower..." in a [[speech bubble]].

The Merlion on Sentosa was designed and sculpted by an Australian Artist named James Martin. It is made of Glass Reinforced Cement (GRC) over a steel armature that is attached to the centre.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://merlion.sentosa.com.sg|title=Sentosa Merlion|access-date=30 December 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141216214444/http://merlion.sentosa.com.sg/|archive-date=16 December 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The Merlion Park was temporarily turned into a single-unit [[hotel]] suite, as part of an artwork by [[Tatzu Nishi]], for the duration of the 2011 [[Singapore Biennale]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_640037.html |title=Merlion hotel fully booked |work=The Straits Times|author=Akshita Nanda |date=1 March 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110304133937/http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_640037.html |archive-date=4 March 2011 }}</ref>

== Damage by lightning ==
On Saturday, 28 February 2009, at about 4:26&nbsp;pm, the Merlion in the Merlion Park was struck by lightning.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://uk.reuters.com/article/oukoe-uk-singapore-merlion-idUKTRE51R10O20090228|title=Singapore's iconic Merlion damaged by lightning|last1=Lim|first1=Kevin|date=28 February 2009|work=Reuters|last2=Boyle|first2=John|language=en-GB|access-date=19 January 2017|archive-date=31 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170131195111/http://uk.reuters.com/article/oukoe-uk-singapore-merlion-idUKTRE51R10O20090228|url-status=dead}}</ref> A breaking news from 938NOW local radio showed an image with fragments from the Merlion's head on the ground.

Examination of the damage was done quickly with wooden [[scaffolding]] set up on Sunday, 1 March 2009 for workers to take a closer look at the hole. The incident happened as a result of the lack of [[lightning protection]] on the Merlion itself.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://938live.sg/portal/site/938Live/menuitem.43735da1634c4377d21b2910618000a0/?vgnextoid=a96bb1d5b8cbf110VgnVCM1000001f0aa8c0RCRD&mcParam=18d2638896593110VgnVCM100000e101000aRCRD|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090305095404/http://938live.sg/portal/site/938Live/menuitem.43735da1634c4377d21b2910618000a0/?vgnextoid=a96bb1d5b8cbf110VgnVCM1000001f0aa8c0RCRD&mcParam=18d2638896593110VgnVCM100000e101000aRCRD|url-status=dead|title=Lightning strikes Merlion|archivedate=5 March 2009}}</ref>

==Merlion statues==
[[File:Sentosa Merlion,Singapore.jpg|thumb|The Merlion on [[Sentosa]] (already disassembled)]] 
[[File:Singapore Mini Merlion.JPG|thumb|Mini Merlion]]
[[File:Merlion-Mount Faber.jpg|thumb|The Merlion on [[Mount Faber]]]]
[[File:Merlion statue at Tourism Court, Singapore - 20150329.jpg|thumb|The Merlion Tourism Court]]

Within Singapore, there are six Merlion statues in Singapore which are approved by the STB.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://goodyfeed.com/5-things-about-the-merlion-that-you-probably-did-not-know/|title=5 things about the Merlion that you probably did not know|last=Team|first=Goody Feed|date=2015-07-10|website=Goody Feed|language=en-US|access-date=2020-03-01|archive-date=10 February 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230210155626/https://goodyfeed.com/5-things-about-the-merlion-that-you-probably-did-not-know/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.timeout.com/singapore/things-to-do/merlions-in-singapore|title=Where are the Merlions in Singapore?|website=Time Out Singapore|language=en|access-date=2020-03-01|archive-date=1 March 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200301133258/https://www.timeout.com/singapore/things-to-do/merlions-in-singapore|url-status=live}}</ref>

* The 8.6-metre-tall original statue at [[Merlion Park]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Merlion Park|url=http://www.yoursingapore.com/see-do-singapore/recreation-leisure/viewpoints/merlion-park.html|access-date=30 December 2014|archive-date=20 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170220031129/http://www.yoursingapore.com/see-do-singapore/recreation-leisure/viewpoints/merlion-park.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
* The smaller two-metre-tall statue standing behind the original statue weighed 3 ton and was commonly referred to as the "Merlion cub". It was inlaid with Chinese porcelain plates and bowls as part of its design.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes20020915.2.70.2.7|title=ROARING FROM COAST TO COAST|access-date=2018-04-03|archive-date=3 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180403121919/http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes20020915.2.70.2.7|url-status=live}}</ref>
* The three-metre-tall glazed polymarble statue at Tourism Court (near Grange Road) completed in 1995
* The three-metre-tall polymarble statue placed on [[Mount Faber]]'s Faber Point
*A pair of Merlion statues were constructed by the Ang Mo Kio Residential Committee in 1999. They are sitting at the entrance of the car park along Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://remembersingapore.wordpress.com/ang-mo-kio-merlions/|title=Ang Mo Kio Merlions|date=23 October 2010|website=wordpress.com|access-date=21 June 2014|archive-date=25 June 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140625090722/http://remembersingapore.wordpress.com/ang-mo-kio-merlions/|url-status=live}}</ref>

One of the previously approved statues, a 37-metre-tall gigantic replica at [[Sentosa]], with Mouth Gallery Viewing Deck on the ninth storey, another viewing gallery on its head and Sentosa Merlion Shop, and capable of shining laser beams from its eyes,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sentosa.com.sg/en/attractions/imbiah-lookout/the-merlion/|title=Sentosa Merlion|publisher=Sentosa|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130901175216/http://www.sentosa.com.sg/en/attractions/imbiah-lookout/the-merlion/|archive-date=1 September 2013|access-date=30 December 2014}}</ref> was closed on 20 October 2019.<ref name=":0">{{cite news|url=https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/sentosa-merlion-to-make-way-for-new-themed-linkway-as-part-of-sentosa-brani-masterplan|title=Sentosa Merlion to make way for new $90m themed linkway as part of Sentosa-Brani masterplan|last1=Tay|first1=Tiffany Fumiko|date=20 September 2019|website=The Straits Times|access-date=21 September 2019|archive-date=21 September 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190921020234/https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/sentosa-merlion-to-make-way-for-new-themed-linkway-as-part-of-sentosa-brani-masterplan|url-status=live}}</ref> The area around the statue would be replaced by a {{SGD|90 million|link=on}} Sentosa Sensoryscape project targeted to be completed by 2022.<ref name=":0" />

The statues can also be found outside of Singapore in various countries, namely [[Indonesia]], [[Japan]], [[South Korea]], [[Thailand]], [[China]], [[Cambodia]] and the [[United Kingdom]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://trialsaurus.com/2019/11/22/merlion-statues/|title=12 Merlion Statues to check out besides Merlion Park & Sentosa|last=Tan|first=Samuel|date=2019-11-22|website=Trialsaurus|language=en-GB|access-date=2020-03-01|archive-date=1 March 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200301133301/https://trialsaurus.com/2019/11/22/merlion-statues/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=6 fascinating Merlions in Singapore and the stories behind them |url=https://www.timeout.com/singapore/things-to-do/merlions-in-singapore |access-date=2023-03-16 |website=Time Out Singapore |language=en-GB}}</ref>

==The Merlion in art and popular culture==
[[File:EdwinThumboo-UlyssesbytheMerlion-20080321.jpg|thumb|[[Edwin Thumboo]]'s poem on display beside the Merlion statue]]

===In music===
*Shortly after the introduction of the symbol, Dutch artist [[Johnny Lion]] composed a song called ''Merlion City Singapore'' which sought to boost Singapore's reputation and characteristics overseas.<ref>{{cite news|title=Lion to record new song |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19640517-1.2.41|access-date=30 April 2024|newspaper=The Straits Times|date=17 May 1964}}</ref>

===In film===
*In 2012 Jack Neo movie [[Ah Boys to Men]], the CGI scenes of the Merlion statue destroyed by enemy missiles when Singapore was at war.
*The Merlion makes an appearance in the 2018 movie ''[[Crazy Rich Asians (film)|Crazy Rich Asians]]'', based on the [[Crazy Rich Asians|novel of the same name]] by [[Kevin Kwan]].
*The Merlion makes multiple appearances in the 2019 animated movie ''[[Detective Conan: The Fist of Blue Sapphire]]''.
*In the 2021 animated movie ''[[My Hero Academia: World Heroes' Mission]]'', a Singaporean hero with a design clearly based on the Merlion is seen. His quirk (superpower) allows him to spit high-pressure water from his mouth, just like the main Merlion statue. His name is Big Red Dot, a reference to Singapore's nickname of [[Little red dot]].
* The Merlion statue also made a brief appearance in the 2006 romantic action film ''[[Krrish]]''.

===In TV series===
* The Merlion (Japanese: マーライオン) appeared in the influential anime ''[[Cowboy Bebop]]'' (episodes 18 and 24), where its appearance in an ancient home movie offers Singaporean amnesiac bounty hunter Faye Valentine a clue to her true origins.
* The Merlion featured heavily in Hajime Satō's (佐藤　肇, Satō Hajime) re-imagining of [[Shinjuku]] in the 2005 anime, ''[[Karas (anime)|Karas]]''.
* The Merlion is featured in episode 11 of Japanese [[light novel]], ''[[Seitokai no Ichizon]]''.
* The Merlion is seen in special episode 1 of the manga, ''[[Hidamari Sketch]]''.
** The Merlion appears when the lady landlord is searching for an apartment key in Episode 10 of ''Hidamari Sketch'' X: "Hoshimittsu".
* The Merlion was used in an exclamation by Kyoko Toshino in episode 8 of ''[[YuruYuri]]'' in response to seeing Chizuru Ikeda drooling.
* Together with the Little Mermaid of Denmark and [[Manneken Pis]] of Belgium, the Singapore Merlion is ranked in Japan as the 'Three Major Disappointments of the World'.<ref>{{cite web|title=「マーライオン今昔物語」～ボクが"世界三大がっかり"から人気者になったワケ～|url=http://asenavi.com/archives/6218|date=18 May 2015|access-date=5 February 2018|archive-date=7 February 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180207012144/http://asenavi.com/archives/6218|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=「世界三大がっかり」から大きく逸脱するシンガポールのマーライオン|url=http://tabiisara.com/column/sightseeing/Asia/Singapore/76_891087_1460337212.html|access-date=5 February 2018|archive-date=7 June 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190607215913/http://tabiisara.com/column/sightseeing/Asia/Singapore/76_891087_1460337212.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://yahuhichi.com/archives/4355.html|title=世界三大がっかりスポットのシンガポールのマーライオンは本当にがっかりなの？|website=青い空の雲|date=11 September 2016 |access-date=5 February 2018|archive-date=6 February 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180206131519/https://yahuhichi.com/archives/4355.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=【スポット】名スポットから3大がっかりスポットまで！世界の像6選|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.jp/triport/statue_b_6032980.html|website=Huffington Post Japan}}{{Dead link|date=June 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> This meme was played out in episode 6 of the anime series ''[[A Place Further than the Universe]]'', when two of the characters expressed to their chagrin that the Merlion was not as disappointing as they thought.
* In ''[[Phineas and Ferb]]''{{'}}s "Summer Belongs To You!", The Merlion was seen when the gang was bouncing around the world in a large rubber ball.
* ''[[The Amazing Race 25]]'' and ''[[The Amazing Race Asia 2]]'' had teams search the five official Merlions in [[Singapore]] (Tourism Court, [[Mount Faber]], [[Sentosa]] and two in [[Merlion Park]]) to find a clue box in front of one of them, which was at [[Mount Faber]].<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/recap/the-amazing-race-season-25-episode-9/|title=The Amazing Race recap: 'You're Taking Off My Tan'|magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|last=Walker|first=Jodi|date=29 November 2014|access-date=14 December 2020|archive-date=31 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191231204551/https://ew.com/recap/the-amazing-race-season-25-episode-9/|url-status=live}}</ref>
* The Merlion is seen in episode 1 of the 2013 anime television series, ''[[Valvrave the Liberator]]''.
* The Merlion is featured in episode 17 of the anime television series, ''[[Blast of Tempest]]''.
* The Merlion appears in episode 70 of ''[[Cardfight!! Vanguard|Cardfight!! Vanguard: Asia Circuit]]''.
* The Merlion was briefly seen in episode 52 of ''[[Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V]]''.
* The Merlion and its supposed history are explained in ''[[JoJo's Bizarre Adventure]]'': ''[[Stardust Crusaders]]'' in episode 7 of the series in which the main characters travel to Singapore. Also in ''Stardust Crusaders'', there is a supporting character named Anne Merlai (Japanese: マーライ・アン), named after the Merlion,<ref>{{cite web |title=How Araki named Anne – From JOESTAR the Inherited Soul Pamphlet (09/2021) |url=https://twitter.com/jojo_wiki/status/1463702390130065411 |website=Twitter |access-date=December 13, 2021 |archive-date=13 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211213192821/https://twitter.com/jojo_wiki/status/1463702390130065411 |url-status=live }}</ref> though only her given name “Anne” is mentioned.
* On [[TLC (TV network)|TLC]] reality series ''[[Cake Boss]]'', a cake was made in the shape of The Merlion to commemorate Singapore's 50th Anniversary, incorporating flavors that are typically used in Singaporean desserts.
* The Merlion was seen in episode 6 of the anime series ''[[A Place Further than the Universe]]''.
* In episode 2 of ''[[Konohana Kitan]]'', Yuzu exclaims "Merlion!" and mimics its water spout after she is pulled into the hot springs bath by Satsuki.
* In ''[[We Bare Bears]]''{{'}}s episode titled "Lil' Squid", a Merlion statue makes an appearance in the aquarium which the bear cubs enter.
* In ''[[My Hero Academia]]'', the Pro Hero of Singapore, Big Red Dot is modelled after the merlion.
* The Merlion was used in an exclamation by Koshi Torako in the first episode of ''[[My Deer Friend Nokotan]]'' in response to seeing Shikanoko Noko drooling comically like a waterfall over deer crackers.
* A character in 2023 Tom & Jerry episode 'Count on 'Merli' named 'Merli' who tries to get the cat and mouse to stop fighting, to little success.

===In gaming===
* The Merlion can be seen in the video game ''[[Animal Crossing]]'' for the [[GameCube]], and its sequels, as a decoration.
* The Merlion can be summoned in the Nintendo DS game, ''[[Scribblenauts]]'' and ''[[Super Scribblenauts]]''.
* The Merlion can be bought as a cash item and be used as a mount in ''Ragnarok 2: Advent of Valkyrie''.
* The Merlion is also featured in one of the Alien Egg miracle cards of the English version of ''[[Animal Kaiser]]''.
* Merlion Virtual Airlines, virtually based in Singapore, is a virtual airline focusing on the free flight simulator, ''[[FlightGear]]'', which uses the Merlion as its logo.
* A kart based on the Merlion, known as the Roaring Racer, was added to ''[[Mario Kart Tour]]'' during the game's Singapore Tour event in January 2022. The original Merlion statue also cameos on the Singapore Speedway track, which debuted during the same event and was later added to ''[[Mario Kart 8|Mario Kart 8 Deluxe]]'' as part of paid downloadable content. In addition, a Roaring Racer Mii Racing Suit based on the Merlion was introduced in the Winter Tour event for ''Mario Kart Tour'' in January 2023.

===In literature===
* [[Edwin Thumboo]] cemented the [[Cultural icon|iconic]] status of the Merlion as a [[personification]] of Singapore with his poem "Ulysses by the Merlion" in 1979. Due to Thumboo's status as Singapore's unofficial [[poet laureate]] and the nationalistic mythmaking qualities of his poetry, future generations of Singaporean poets have struggled with the symbol of the Merlion, frequently taking an ironical, critical, or even hostile stand – and pointing out its artificiality and the refusal of ordinary Singaporeans to accept a tourist attraction as their national icon. The poem "attracted considerable attention among subsequent poets, who have all felt obliged to write their own Merlion (or anti-Merlion) poems, illustrating their anxiety of influence, as well as the continuing local fascination with the dialectic between a public and a private role for poets, which Thumboo (as [[Yeats]] before him, in the Irish context) has wanted to sustain as a fruitful rather than a tense relation between the personal and the public." Among the poems of this nature are "Merlign" by [[Alvin Pang]] and "Love Song for a Merlion" by Vernon Chan. More recent poems include "Merlion: Strike One" by [[Koh Buck Song]] in the 2009 anthology, ''Reflecting on the Merlion''.
* Merlions as a species were fictional characters in [[Gwee Li Sui]]'s ''Myth of the Stone'' (1993), the first full-length graphic novel published in Singapore. They were depicted as calm and wise creatures that fought on the side of good and eventually overcame the dreaded [[Kraken]]. Gwee further popularised the [[iconoclastic]] image of the spitting Merlion in the early 1990s. It reappeared later with his well-loved poem "Propitiations" in his book of poems ''Who Wants to Buy a Book of Poems?'' (1998).

===As mascots and performance characters===
* For the inaugural [[2010 Youth Olympic Games|Singapore 2010 Summer Youth Olympics]], a pair of mascots, [[Lyo and Merly]], were introduced. Merly is a "Merlion-ess cub" based on the Merlion. Her hair is inspired by the lion top half, while her fish half is represented in light-blue [[scale (anatomy)|scale]]s on her body. Unlike the actual merlion, she has hands and legs instead of a tailfin.
* The 37m-tall Sentosa Merlion appeared in the ''[[Songs of the Sea#Sentosa Musical Fountain|Magical Sentosa]]'' show, awakening at the last scene of the show and shining two [[Laser|laser beam]]s out of its eyes at the audience. (Similar to the storyline of the ''[[Songs of the Sea]]'' show.)
* The popular Instagram plushie [https://www.instagram.com/merryansg/ MerRyan] is a merlion.

===In local parlance===
* Singaporeans often substitute the term "Merlion" in lieu of [[vomiting]], in reference of the constant gushing of water from the Merlion's mouth.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-33809914|title=The rise of Singlish – BBC News|last=Wong|first=Tessa|date=6 August 2015|website=BBC News|language=en-GB|access-date=2016-04-08|archive-date=4 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211204205044/https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-33809914|url-status=live}}</ref>

===In sculpture===
* A small Merlion, complete with a [[Commemorative plaque|plaque]] giving information about the original statues, forms part of the decoration in the "Mystic East" area of British theme park [[Chessington World of Adventures]].
* The Merlion was featured– or, depending on the point of view, not featured– during the 2005 [[Venice Biennale]] in the controversial work ''Mike'' by artist [[Lim Tzay Chuen]]. He had proposed taking the sculpture in the Merlion Park to the Singapore Pavilion at the exhibition,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.biotechnics.org/1nomerlion.html/|title=No Merlion in Singapore's Pavilion at Venice Biennale|website=www.biotechnics.org|access-date=11 November 2006|archive-date=28 September 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928040435/http://www.biotechnics.org/1nomerlion.html/|url-status=live}}</ref> but was refused by the STB.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Chan |first=Dana |date=20 August 2021 |title=Lim Tzay Chuen: The "Non-Artist" |url=https://www.nationalgallery.sg/magazine/lim-tzay-chuen-the-non-artist |access-date=2022-10-28 |website=National Gallery Singapore |language=en |archive-date=26 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220526180414/https://www.nationalgallery.sg/magazine/lim-tzay-chuen-the-non-artist |url-status=live }}</ref> STB offered to install of a life sized replica of the Merlion at the Singapore Pavilion at the Venice Biennale which was rejected by Lim.<ref name=":1" />

{{coord|1|17|13.28|N|103|51|16.88|E|region:SG_type:landmark|display=title}}

==See also==
*[[Lion head symbol of Singapore]]
*[[Mermaid]]
*[[Merman]]
*[[Sea-lion]], a similar mythic creature

==References==
{{reflist|35em}}

==Further reading==
* Analysis of the mythology and meaning of the Merlion from the perspective of country branding in: Koh, Buck Song (2011). ''Brand Singapore: How Nation Branding Built Asia's Leading Global City''. Marshall Cavendish, Singapore. {{ISBN|978-981-4328-15-9}}.

==External links==
{{Library resources box
 |onlinebooks=no
 |by=no
}}
{{Commons category|Merlion statues}}{{commons|Merlion}}
* [http://www.visitsingapore.com/publish/stbportal/en/home/about_singapore/the_merlion/frequently_asked_questions.html Official Merlion FAQs on Singapore Tourism Board website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051026024709/http://www.visitsingapore.com/publish/stbportal/en/home/about_singapore/the_merlion/frequently_asked_questions.html |date=26 October 2005 }}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090305095404/http://938live.sg/portal/site/938Live/menuitem.43735da1634c4377d21b2910618000a0/?vgnextoid=a96bb1d5b8cbf110VgnVCM1000001f0aa8c0RCRD&mcParam=18d2638896593110VgnVCM100000e101000aRCRD 938LIVE ''Merlion'' Struck by Lightning report]
* [https://www.shinyvisa.com/facts-about-merlion/ Facts on Singapore Merlion on Shinyvisa website]
* [https://singapore360.com/360/merlion_night_2020/ 360° VR view of the Merlion Park in September 2020]

{{Singapore topics}}
{{Major Tourist Attractions in Singapore}}
{{Public art in Singapore}}
{{National personifications}}

[[Category:Maritime folklore]]
[[Category:Lions in heraldry]]
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[[Category:Downtown Core (Singapore)]]
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[[Category:Sentosa]]
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[[Category:Mascots introduced in 1964]] <!-- as a mascot for STB -->
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