Merlion's History by Jmill42
Riding a wave, with the head of a lion and the body of a fish, the national symbol of Singapore might not seem logical. But, when you examine the history that produced the symbol, it is a fascinating choice for a monument. In the beginning, Singapore was mainly a fishing community and was first known as Temasek, meaning "sea".
It is legend that Prince Sang Nila Utama, in the 11th century rediscovered this island, and when he first stepped off his boat, he was greeted with the sight of a lion.
In his language, the prince called the island "Lion City". What that translates to today is Singa (lion) Pura (city).
The country's national symbol is the merlion, which has a fish tail attached to a lion?s body. It represents the fishing village beginning to the sighting of the lion upon rediscovery.