Sheares Bridge Built on Human Heads
Children's heads were decapitated and used as foundations?

Compiled by Kenny and explanation given by John Kwok


Night scene of Sheares Bridge

The Story

When I was a little boy, I was very close to my grandma. And she would tell me stories and encounters of the past. Well, according to her, she said that in the past, whenever bridges were built, some children or pregnant mothers would be kidnapped sometimes even in broad daylight.

The purpose for kidnapping of young children and pregnant women is that they would be beheaded. As for the pregnant women, their tummies would be slit open and the fetus removed, with the mother watching as her life oozed away. The fetus would then also be beheaded.

The heads of the children/fetuses would then be placed into the foundation of the bridge. The belief is that it would ensure that the bridge's foundation is stable and strong.

So whenever there is news of a new bridge being built, people would always beware of strangers lurking about. And pregnant women and kids were warned to stay home at night. That is to ensure their safety. My grandma also told me that, for small bridges, it would at least one head. But for large bridges, I shudder to think of how many innocent lives are sacrificed for these. It was rumoured that the more heads the stronger the bridge would be. Imagine how many people would have lost their lives for a bridge like the Sheares bridge. To make this rumour more real, a SPI member Chee Chay said that his friend who works in hospital really received body corpses without heads during the time when Sheares Bridge was built.

My grandma also told me that as the bridges' foundation contain the souls of the innocent victims, their cries could be heard at night and sometimes headless apparitions can be seen walking on the bridge or under it. Scary ~

She still vividly remembers that those kidnappers were called Bhai Sabit. They were supposed to kidnap you and then cut your head off and plant them where new bridges are being constructed.

Furthermore, it was once rumored all vehicles that start with license Plate CB would cut your heads. CB probably sounds like "Sabit". Best of it, we as kids believed and feared for our lives when we see CB plate buses and vans.

I guess those years we saw a huge drop in students who take School buses. The same rumours even were extended to building of HDB that put human skulls as foundation. Fair enough, many kids were scared until they didn't dare to go out at night.

Some Research

This rumour was also told from some mainland China friends of mine. Ancient China also practiced that. But why are bridges in other parts of the world, esp. Western countries that still have old and stable bridges without having to sacrifice any heads?

A friend was consulted who works as an engineer in the same company which was contracted to buid up the Sheares bridge long ago. Of course, the friend wasn't even born when the bridge was built because he only joined a few years back.

According to him, he says that the rumour is untrue. Basically because during that time when Sheares bridge was built there was a lot of kidnapping cases going in villages and town. Being superstitious and conservative in mentality, a lot of locals conveniently put the blame to the Government who gave orders to construct the bridge. Not to forget, in the old days kidnapping of young children are rampant and common unlike these days. By where does the chopping heads come from?

Head hunting and human sacrifice is a common phenomena found in primitive society from pre-Roman Celts to Borneo Ibans. It is believed that by sacrificing a human and to put his head in a monument will serve as a guardian to the structure, to prevent mishaps and even serve to promote the fertility of the lands. Even in Malaysia, rumours like this sacrificial ritual for construction were always floating around.

Yes, according to the Chinese cultural belief, there is a praying ceremony to mark the beginning, and sometimes ending, for construction project. But no 'live' sacrifices are made during this ceremony. Yes, there are offerings made during the ceremonies. No, they're not the heads of children, but roast chickens, pigs, and lots of 'hell' notes.

For instance, a SPI member called Luke, shared with us this: he worked in a construction company 13 years ago. They were the main contractor involving in a big project, i.e. building a big bridge between lands. No such head cutting or any live sacrificial was involved. The most were just some praying and offering of food, for a peace of mind that the project will go on smoothly. Just like in Hong Kong, before producing a movie, they will pray and offer food. Then after the project, pray and offer again, to thank and showing of appreciation for the smooth work and completion of the project. The company he worked in is a Japanese company. The Japanese did not initiate the praying and offering, it's the Chinese who do so. Thus this shows that different cultures have different beliefs. So it's just the old beliefs brought down from the past, perhaps... based on coincidences.

Luke added, the pillars were constructed with long pieces of metal piercing into the sea bed. These metals will form one big huge circle. The long metal piece will be hung from the crane, then the construction worker will stand in the middle of the sea adjusting the metal to make sure that they will go down to the right position. After the circle has been formed, with many metal pieces, sand will be used to fill up the huge 'circle container'. We ordered the sand from Indonesia. But sorry, no human skull.

As told by another SPI member who is in construction industry, he heard this tale from a senior, when they were building the Benjamin Sheares bridge during that time, got a famous case where two primary school boys went missing. The whole of Singapore police searched for the two boys and no information is obtained. Up to now these two boys' whereabout is still unknown. (If they were kidnapped, ransom would be demanded). During that time, as superstition was still running high among everybody's heart, somehow the missing of this two boys connected with this big construction. The head cutting tale is just a belief from the earlier generation, and at the same time, parents and grandparents trying to make use of such belief to forbid young children from wandering about. Just like many mothers would say this to their children: "You naught, mata will come and get you - ". Thus creating a fear to the children that police is scary and they like to catch small kids.


Theories by SPI

Below we summarise several possible theories that cultivate the rumour of chopping human heads and use them to build Sheares Bridge. Please take note that the logical explanation is by our History Department Head, John Kwok.

John Kwok, History Researcher

Theory 1. Children Kidnap

Rumours were created to scare children so to stop them from roaming out at night. In the 70's kidnapping was common in Singapore. A way to prevent children out going at night.

John's explanation:

With regards to Theory 1, where in the 70s, kidnapping was common in Singapore and the myth came about as a result of that trend. Here's something that would explain how that myth came about and became popular.

In 12 Sept 1977, there was an infamous case of kidnapping of an 8 year old boy, Le It Soen, son of a wealthy Indonesian businessman in Singapore. It led to a massive 20-day manhunt and the story finally concluded with the parents paying the ransom money ($350,000). The boy was released after the ransom was paid. He was left blindfolded by the roadside where he was found and recovered 3 days after the ransom was paid. The boy remembered the faces of his kidnappers and in just 10 hours after the boy was recovered the police arrested five suspects. This was headlines in the 1977 and coincidentally 1977 also marked the year when the bridge began construction.

I believe that was why the building of the bridge had a story connected with the kidnapped children. For a kid to be kidnapped for 20 days would surely invite speculation and gossip on his whereabouts and status. One such gossip might suggest that the kidnapped boy had been beheaded and his head placed under the foundation of the bridge. Remember that this is the 1970s, and when studying history we need to get into the minds of the people in the past and view things from their perspective. Back in the 1970s people don't get news updates by the hour...news of boy's recovery may not have reached everyone and therefore such gossip may have persisted. And with time it became an urban legend associated with the bridge's construction.


Theory 2. Inauspicious Year Zodiac

The bridge was constructed in a badly inauspicious Chinese year, it was hence believed that many people who walk near the river would be drowned. Another way of keeping pedestrians away from the bridge to save them from drowning

John's explanation:

Hard to determine this one. 1977 was Fire Snake year. Snake years are not known to be inauspicious...and even then, a year is inauspicious relative only to the person in question. So for those whose signs clash with the snake, it'll be inauspicious, but it'll not be so for signs of those otherwise.


Theory 3. Wrong Architectural Design

Sheares bridge was of a wrong design. It was built too low, without considering that big boats would have to pass through under the bridge. Therefore rumour has it that whoever Sheares the architect was beheaded on the bridge. Hence the rumour of chopping human head and used as foundation.

John's explanation:

Difficult to tell if it were the wrong design. Big ships don't dock at the Singapore port...they do so in the west at Keppel harbour where there's a natural deep water harbour. Therefore there isn't a need for a bridge to allow large ships to pass underneath, and no need for any execution of some unwitting architect.

Secondly, Benjamin Sheares was a medical doctor and a higher regarded one as well. According to the Singapore Istana, Dr Benjamin Sheares was:

As a personal obstetrician and gynecologist to some members of the Malaysian royal families, he was made a Dato of Kedah and of Kelantan for his services. He was directly associated, as a gynecologist, with the problems of family planning in Singapore. Early in 1970 he was also appointed to the Committee on Medical Specialization. He was conferred the following awards:

D Litt (Hon Causa), (University of Singapore), 1970
G C B (United Kingdom), 1972
Star of the Republic of Indonesia Adipurna (Indonesia), 1974
Honorary Fellow, Royal Society of Medicine, 1975
Ancient Order of Sikatuna (Raja), (Republic of the Philippines), 1976
Honorary Fellow, Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists, 1976
(Source:http://www.istana.gov.sg/FormerPresidents/BenjaminSheares)

For someone who's highly decorated in the field of medical science and especially in the field of gynecology, this really contradict the legend of him ordering the beheading of an architect. In any case, Benjamin Sheares died a few months before the bridge was completed, so this beheading episode could not have taken place. Finally, it is extremely rare for a structure to be named after a living person and after someone who is still in office. The Benjamin Sheares Bridge was named in honour after the death of the president. The bridge is only associated with the president after his death.


Theory 4. Barbarian Ritual

Chopping heads of animals as a form of sacrifice was a kind of old traditional ritual. Such rituals were popularly conducted in South East Asia for blessing for the safety of whatever project. (need to trace the original....hmm) Hence the ritual has become a custom to be carried out at the start of projects. Sheares bridge construction has such ritual conducted too. Chicken heads were chopped. But later the legend evolved to chopping human heads.

John's explanation:

This one probably has the most relevance. What began as a common ritual of blessing of sacrificing animals had been twisted to mean the sacrificing of human heads. In Chinese cultural belief, the size of the sacrifice should be related to the size of the project. For Singapore's largest bridge, some chicken heads will definitely been seen as insufficient. The story of human heads buried in the foundations of the bridge probably came out of this story and "logic".


Theory 5. Cover-up for gold

An SPI informant wrote in, and swear to top of his voice that he saw "gold" at Singapore river in his childhood (guess that is quite of old uncle, so that should be in the 50's or 60's). That fellow said that he eye-witness that many treasures were just taken up from Singapore river and piled up along the river banks. It is not one or two pieces, but piles of them. (wouldn't this relate to fort-canning in the old usage as jewelry metallurgy melting pot??). Anyway, he told us that the guards who over saw the treasure harvesting project would not hesitate to execute anybody who tried to walk near to the Singapore river. Some executions took place on Sheares Bridge. Those who witness the killing spread the hearsay of heads were chopping for the bridge till today

John's explanation:

The informant was probably correct over the dredging of the river banks and river bed. This is because the bridge was built over reclaimed land and spanning across the river, foundation works and earthworks were required for a bridge of that size. Furthermore, rocks and mud dredged from the river would be wet and when light is reflected on it...it'll look like what the informant thought he saw; gold. For someone observing the work from the distance, it can be easily misunderstood as a treasure digging operation. And finally, such construction works are often dangerous, thus the need for tight security, not that there was any treasure to protect.


Conclusion by John Kwok

I might also want to close with a comment on Chinese cultural beliefs. It was not uncommon for the Chinese from an older generation to be wary and skeptical of modernisation. China's first attempt at Western modernisation during the late Qing period contains stories of the local Chinese rejecting modernisation in, by our standards today, bizzare ways. For example, the local Chinese would rip up railway tracks after they were laid because they thought that these iron rails and nails hurt the Earth Dragon. Structures like telegraph lines and poles, train tracks, etc. were thought to be destroying the sacred lands and disturbing the spirits. With China at the same time suffering from imperial domination and famine caused by official mismanagement and corruption, it reinforced the local Chinese' beliefs. Everyone blamed what they could see and what they thought was alien to the land; Western infrastructure. But that was before the turn of the century. From the reaction of the Chinese Singaporeans over the construction of Singapore's longest suggests that such attitudes might have prevailed in Singapore. The Benjamin Sheares Bridge is Singapore's largest bridge and to some, this was a huge alteration of the familar Singapore landscape. Uncomfortable with the alteration, they created "black" stories to discredit the structure and the government. The legends and myth were therefore an emotive response in the late 1970s to the construction of the bridge. These days the legend and myth is hardly mentioned...perhaps that's what they were in the first place, an emotive response. How many today actually know of the legends and myths surrounding the construction of Singapore's longest bridge?

In addition to the write-up, here's some data on serious crime trends from 1975 to 1980, covering the years when the bridge was under construction. This is related to Theory 1.

It shows that in 1977 there was a minor spike in kidnapping cases but compared to just two years earlier, the numbers were relatively low and fairly consistent with the following years. Secondly, the numbers do not indicate how many of the kidnapped victims were children. For the moment we have one confirmed case of a kidnapped child. In your experience, I am sure the case of a kidnapped child grabs the headlines better than cases of kidnapped adults.

What would be interesting would be the total number of homicide cases. 1977, when construction of the bridge began, it was the lowest in the recorded number in the time period. This trend contradicts the myth that human heads were sacrificed to commence the bridge building project.

SPI Investigation at Benjamin Sheares Bridge on February 16, 2008

1. SPI team proceeded to the base of the Sheares bridge to check out the paranormal side of this legend
2. Some members who claimed to have psychic power trying to 'feel' if the pillar has any human skull underneath
3. Suddenly, Kelvin left the crowd, went straight to the deeper end of the bridge as if he has seen something sinister
Nobody knew what happened to him, Kelvin didn't explain on the spot too. But as the photo shows, there is a dark apparition in the position
of the red circle, standing in agony. The height seems to be of a young child. Click here for a cut out photo of the alleged apparition.


1. The SPI team came to set up some offering ritual in the bid of luring out the spirits if any
2. The crowd browsed around for anything unusual in the surrounding. Allegedly they should have come...
3. Our guest for unknown reasons suddenly stared into a direction. Is it a coincidence? A streak of smoke was floating at the direction of her sight.


1. See this carefully. Is it a face of a skull as rumour has it that children's heads were chopped and buried there? Or just random pixels?
2. & 3. Anything strange in the scene?


1. Lets change to another angle, the skull face seems to be still there, implying that it indeed exists in this physical dimension. Is it just tree leaf?
2. & 3. Anything strange in the scene?

At the end of the investigation, the believers and the psychic confirmed there are some spiritual presences under the bridge. Skeptics claim the footages are merely smoke and random pixels come by coincidence. Some believe however the spirits are just wondering spirits, not those victimized children's souls - the dark and secluded bridge bottom is an ideal haven for them....

What view is yours in this place and this urban legend? Welcome to share you opinion here.

Know of something or any place strange? Report to SPI for a recee at here.