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"Macao" or
"Macau"? |
There is a
mixed use of the terms "Macao" and "Macau" in everyday use.
"Macao" was an archaic Portuguese spelling; as Portuguese
language evolved, "Macao" was gradually transformed into
"Macau" and became widely used in modern Portuguese and
English alike.
Since the handover in 1999, both "Macao" and "Macau" are
officially recognized as correct English spellings, whereas
"Macau" remains the official Portuguese spelling. However,
"Macao" is relatively less used on the Internet.
(source: macau.com) |
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Geography and
Climate of Macao (Macau) |
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Brief History of Macao (Macau) |
Fishermen
from Fujian and farmers from Guangdong were the first known
settlers in Macau, when it was known as Ou Mun, or "trading
gate", because of its location at the mouth of the Pearl
River downstream from Guangzhou (Canton). During ancient
times port city was part of the Silk Road with ships loading
here with silk for Rome.
Even after China ceased to be a world trade centre,
Guangzhou prospered from seaborne business with the
countries of Southeast Asia, so the local entrepreneurs
welcomed the arrival of Portuguese merchant-explorers. They
followed in the wake of Jorge Alvares, who landed in
southern China in 1513, and set about finding suitable
trading posts.
In the early 1550s the Portuguese reached Ou Mun, which the
locals also called A Ma Gao, "place of A Ma", in honour of
the Goddess of Seafarers, whose temple stood at the entrance
to the sheltered Inner Harbour. The Portuguese adopted the
name, which gradually changes into the name Macau, and with
the permission of Guangdong's mandarins, established a city
that within a short time had become a major entrepot for
trade between China, Japan, India and Europe.
It also became the perfect crossroad for the meeting of East
and West cultures. The Roman Catholic church sent some of
its greatest missionaries to continue the work of St Francis
Xavier, (who died nearby after making many converts in
Japan). A Christian college was built, beside what is now
today's Ruins of St Paul's, where students such as Matteo
Ricci prepared for their work as Christian scholars at the
Imperial Court in Beijing. Other churches were built, as
well as fortresses, which gave the city an historical
European appearance that distinguishes it to this day.
Portugal's golden age in Asia faded as rivals like the Dutch
and British took over their trade. However the Chinese chose
to continue to do business through the Portuguese in Macau,
so for over a century the British East India Company and
others set up shop here in rented houses like the elegant
Casa Garden. As Europe's trade with China grew, the European
merchants spent part of the year in Guangzhou, buying tea
and Chinese luxuries at the bi-annual fairs, using Macau as
a recreational retreat.
Following the Opium War in 1841, Hong Kong was established
by Britain and most of the foreign merchants left Macau,
which became a quaint, quiet backwater. Nevertheless it has
continued to enjoy a leisurely multicultural existence and
make daily, practical use of its historical buildings, in
the process becoming a favourite stopover for international
travellers, writers and artists.
Macau has developed in the past industries such as textiles,
electronics and toys, while today has built up world class
tourism industry with a wide choice of hotels, resorts, MICE
facilities, restaurants and casinos. Macau's economy is
closely linked to that of Hong Kong and Guangdong Province,
in particular the Pearl River Delta region, which qualifies
as one of Asia's 'little tigers'. Macau provides financial
and banking services, staff training, transport and
communications support.
Today Macau is a Special Administrative Region of the
People's Republic of China, and, like Hong Kong, benefits
from the principle of "one country, two systems". The tiny
SAR is growing in size - with more buildings on reclaimed
land - and in the number and diversity of its attractions.
The greatest of these continues to be Macau's unique
society, with communities from the East and West
complementing each other, and the many people who come to
visit.
(source:
Macau Government Tourist Office)
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Macao (Macau) Local Products, Shopping |
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Macau
shopping bargains include Chinese antiques, leather, and a
delicious array of Portuguese wines and ports. Others enjoy
purchasing dried seafood, Chinese herbs and medicines, and
Macanese pastries as gifts for friends. Cameras and
electronics are also available at bargain prices, although -
as with jewelry and antiques - it is wise to ask for a
warranty or guarantee when purchasing them, particularly if
the brand is not familiar. Porcelains and fine ceramics are
also popular buys in Macao. Some factories will even custom
make a vase or set of tableware with your family crest, or
in a pattern copied from your curtains.
Clothing:
Macau has 500 active garment factories, and overruns and
seconds can be found in shops and market stalls, for a small
percentage of what they would cost in the world's leading
boutiques.
Gold:
Macao is a free port, so items are bought at duty-free
prices, and no sales tax applies. Gold never goes out of
style, and is one of the most popular buys in Macao, with
jewelry shops everywhere offering gold in different grades.
(source: china.org.cn, China
Internet Information Center) |
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Macao (Macau) Local Cuisine |
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Places of Interests and Tourist Attractions: Macao (Macau) |
The
Ruins of St. Paul's
(also known as Sam Ba Sing Tzik) stands adjacent to the
famous Mount Fortress and Macao Museum. The front façade and
the grand stone stairs are the only remains of the greatest
church in Macau. First constructed in 1580, St. Paul's
Church caught fires in 1595 and 1601. However,
reconstruction started in 1602 soon after the church was
burnt down. Completed in 1637, the church became the biggest
Catholic Church in East Asia at that time. Unfortunately, a
violent typhoon hit Macau in 1835 and the church caught fire
for the third time leaving its glory a history. According to
historical materials, St Paul's Church, built with white
stones, had a grand vaulted roof. It had three magnificently
decorated halls. Built with granites, Sam Ba Sing Tzik has a
baroque facade rich in ornamentation but with classic
oriental characteristics. From the bottom up, the structure
has five tiers. The first tier is comprised of ten Ionic
columns with three entrances. The entrance in the middle has
'MATER DEI' carved into it. The two entrances on each side
are decorated with bas-reliefs in the pattern of 'HIS'. The
second tier features ten Corinthian columns with three
windows. A Catholic saint is enshrined in each of four
tabernacles between columns. The two tiers as a whole is
said to represent the Society of Jesus and the activities of
missionaries. The remaining three tiers are the most
decorated. The statue of Madonna stands in the middle of the
third tier, while the statue of Jesus stands on the fourth.
The walls are covered with bas-reliefs in various patterns
like devils, angels, symbols of crucifixion, a Portuguese
sailing ship, etc. The triangular combination of the upper
three tiers reflects the Holy Trinity (the Father, the Son
and the Holy Spirit) as well as the Blessed Virgin Mary. A
cross stands at the coping of the wall. It is worth
mentioning that the stone lions at the sides of the third
and fourth tiers are distinctively Chinese. There are also
bas-reliefs in designs of chrysanthemum and cherry, as well
as Chinese inscriptions. The surviving façade has long been
acknowledged as a perfect fusion of western and eastern
cultures. The Ruins of St. Paul's has been restored during
1990 and 1995. The Museum of Sacred Art and Crypt was also
built at that time. It has exhibitions of religions artworks
including paintings, sculptures and statues.
A Ma Temple:
Macau's name is
derived from A-Ma-Gau or Place of A-Ma and this temple
dedicated to the seafarers' goddess dates from the early
16th century. According to legend, A-Ma, a poor girl looking
for passage to Canton, was refused by the wealthy junk
owners but a lowly fisherman took her on board. A storm blew
up and wrecked all but the boat carrying the girl. On
arrival in Macao she vanished, to reappear as a goddess, on
the spot where the fishermen built her temple. It consists
of prayer halls, pavilions and courtyards built into the
boulder-strewn hill and connected by winding paths through
moon gates and tiny gardens. At the entrance is a large rock
on which is engraved a traditional sailing junk. On other
boulders are carved red characters invoking the gods or
repeating a prayer. Three of the four pavilions are
dedicated to A-Ma and contain some fine statues of the
goddess together with a model of a junk with cannons, brass
vessels and chapels to Buddhist and Taoist gods. The top
shrine honours Kun Iam. This temple is distinguished by
beautiful tiled roofs and spectacular views from the upper
gardens. The festival of A-Ma takes place on the 23rd day of
the 3rd moon (April or May). Firecrackers, to scare away
evil spirits, are exploded in the entrance courtyard to
greet tour groups and lions dances are performed here on
weekends.
The Senado Square
is paved with a wave-patterned mosaic of colored stones,
created by Portuguese experts. From the main road to the
church of St. Dominic, the pavement extends to the ruins of
St. Paul's, making the heart of the city a pedestrian
paradise.
The Handover
Gifts Museum of Macao is
located next to the Macao Cultural Centre in Avenida Xian
Xing Hai (NAPE), the very same area that was used for the
Handover Ceremony on 20th December 1999 in which Macau was
returned to the Mainland. When the hall was dismantled after
the ceremony the area became part of the Macao Cultural
Centre. The handover gifts exhibition gallery mainly
exhibits the handover gifts presented by the State Council
of The People's Republic of China, its country-wide
provinces, municipalities, autonomous regions and Hong Kong
Special Administrative Region. The special exhibition
gallery will be used to hold different exhibits, which are
mainly themed on the local culture and history of Macao. The
museum is closed on Mondays and open on public holidays.
Free admission.
Lou
Kau Mansion: Built
in 1889, during the Qing dynasty, Lou Kau Mansion in
Travessa da Se No.7, an alley off Senado Square was the
former residence of the Lou Kau family until 1910. The grey
two-storey brick house is one of the very few xinguan-style
mansions still standing in Macao, and a prime example of the
mixed Chinese and Western architectural styles unique to
Macao. The oyster shell windows, hanging scrolls, plaster
molding and brick carvings are commonly found in the central
Guangdong Province. But false ceilings, stained glass
Manzhou windows and cast iron railings are Western
characteristics. On the ground floor, there are two
courtyards separating three main halls on the ground level,
the Entrance Hall, Tea Hall and Senior Hall which is
reserved for more senior members of the family. Despite the
fact a lot of time and money was spent on workmanship, the
Lou Kau Mansion actually fell into disrepair in the 1970s
with up to 20 families living in it at one point in time. In
July 2002, the Cultural Institute of the Macao SAR restored
Lou Kau Mansion to its original glory and it is now open to
the public with regular exhibitions of Chinese arts and free
guided tours. Lou Ka, a businessman made a fortune through
his money exchange business Bou Hong Bank, was heavily
involved in philanthropy, launching schools, rebuilding
ancestral temples and selling rice to the public at a low
prices. He was knighted by the King of Portugal in 1890 and
also has a street in Macao – Lou Kau Street – named after
him.
Dr.
Sun Yat Sen's Memorial House:
Sun Yat Sen was the mentor and driving force of the Chinese
republican revolution, which overthrew the weak regime of
the Qing Dynasty. A charismatic personality that unites the
Chinese soul, he is therefore considered as the "Father of
the Nation". This place bears witness to his short but
significant stay in Macao in the beginning of the century
when, while fleeing the power of the imperial mandarins, he
tried to move his supporters in order to establish a new
regime in China. In Macao he received the support of some
friends, at the time important and powerful persons in the
political and social life of Macao.
Na
Tcha temple was built in
1888 and dedicated to Na Cha in an attempt to halt the
Plague rampaging at the time. In contrast to buildings such
as the Ruins of St. Paul's around it, the Na Tcha Temple is
only a small structure, built with simple materials, but the
use of a mixture of reality and illusion in its design
manages successfully to create a sense of delicacy and
exquisiteness.
Guia
Fortress, built in
1637-38, occupies the top of Guia Hill, the highest point in
Macau. It was designed to defend Macao from attacks from the
sea, but because of its position overlooking the entire
city, its chief value has been as an observation post. It
originally contained barracks, a water cistern, ammunition
and equipment stores, the commander's house, and a chapel
dedicated to Our Lady of Guia. Today the Fort's most
prominent feature is the lighthouse, built in 1865 and the
oldest on the China coast. It is 91 meters high and has a
light which can be seen for around 20 miles in clear
weather. Near the lighthouse is the chapel which contains an
image of the Virgin Mary, a few antique pictures, and
vestiges of paintings that date back to the construction of
the chapel in 1626. Also nearby is a post where signals are
hoisted to warn of an approaching typhoon. In earlier times
storm warnings were announced from the bell-tower of the
chapel.
Kuan
Tai Temple is situated
on the site of the old Macao bazaar, whose sign still
exists. Originally it was a meeting place for merchants, and
was very important to the local Chinese community. Prior to
the establishment of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce in
Macao in 1912, the area surrounding the temple was the
centre of Chinese trading in Macao. After the decline of the
bazaar, the temple rose to importance in this area.
St. Dominic's
Church: Standing on
the site of a chapel and convent built by the Dominicans in
the 1590's St. Dominic's Church dates from the early 17th
century. It has an imposing facade of cream-colored stone
with white stucco moldings and green-shutter windows.
Inside, white pillars support a flat ceiling and apron
balconies trim the walls. The great baroque alter contains a
cream and white statue of the Virgin and Child and a
painting of Christ. The church has a fine collection of
exquisitely-carved ivory and wood saints. St. Dominic's
Church has a violently dramatic past. In 1644 a military
officer who supported the Spanish against the Portuguese was
murdered at the alter during Mass. In 1707 the Dominicans
sided with the Pope against Macau's bishop in the Rites
Controversy. When local soldiers tried to enforce an
excommunication order on them, the friars locked themselves
in the church for three days and pelted the soldiers with
stones. In 1834 the monastic orders were suppressed and for
a time the church was used by the government as barracks,
stable and public works office. St.Dominic's Church was
renovated in 1997 and opened to the public with a museum, on
the 1st, 2nd and 3rd floor. The museum shows paintings,
sculptures and liturgical ornaments that illustrate the
history of the Roman Catholic church in Asia.
(source: china.org.cn, China
Internet Information Center) |
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Useful Links about Macao (Macau) |
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Macao (Macau)
Related Article and Report Links |
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Macao (Macau) Related Pictures |
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