Historical Background

Long before this tiny patch of land became associated with Portugal, Macau was a haven for seafarers. Pirates and fishermen alike sought refuge from typhoons within Macau's natural harbors and small inlets. Bringing their beliefs with them, these seafarers built a temple to their goddess of safe passage, A-Ma. From this springs the name "A-Ma-Gau" (Bay of A-Ma), the forerunner of the modern name of Macau.

It was not until 1557, after many protracted rounds of negotiation with the Chinese, that the Portuguese rented the Macau peninsula as a trading base. In exchange, the Portuguese had to evict the marauding pirates from the surrounding seas. A fair price, some would say, since this could only have served Portuguese interests.

Once legally established in Macau, the Portuguese set about establishing trade routes. Since imperial decree forbade Chinese citizens to leave China, the Portuguese acted as sole agents for mainland traders. No doubt the barrier gate saw many a trader passing through into China.

The most lucrative trade route started with Chinese silks and porcelains to India’s west coast, where the Portuguese exchanged goods for textiles. The sea merchants then took their cargo of fabrics to Malacca, another one of their Asian outposts, before departing to Japan with cargo of aromatic woods and spices. After a trading stop in the land of the rising sun, it was back to Macau, laden down with beautiful lacquer-ware, intricate fans, swords and silver. The Portuguese would then barter this booty for more Chinese goods, and so the whole cycle started all over again.

Of course, acting as sole agents for the Chinese made the Portuguese very rich. One just has to look at the beauty of the Leal Senado and the colonial villas that dot the hills of the peninsula to appreciate the wealth that came with this trade.

Religion has also played a major part in Macau's history. In 1575, the Catholic diocese of Macau was established. The territory was now Catholic, even if it was not Portuguese. Taking on the role of "City in the Name of God," Macau soon boasted a multitude of churches, the most of impressive of which was the Basilica of Sao Paulo, of which only the façade remains today. Other more complete examples include the Guia Chapel, Sao Agostinho, Sao Domingos, Sao Lorenco and the Chapel of our Lady of Penha.

Unfortunately, a rapid descent into obscurity soon followed Macau's meteoric rise. The Dutch, jealous of Portugal’s monopolizing trade between the Chinese and Japanese, attempted several attacks on Macau, which the Portuguese thwarted, despite relying on half-finished fortifications. Instrumental in the defense against the major Dutch attack of 1627, was the centrally-placed Monte Fort, as well as the coastal forts of Barra, Sao Francisco, Penha and Sao Januario.

In 1637, the Japanese ceased trading with the outside world, cutting off Portugal’s supply of silver. Hot on the heels of this came another disaster when the Dutch took Malacca in 1640, leaving the Portuguese without the last of their trading commodities—spices. This sealed Macau's fate, and by the end of 1640 all trade with China had ceased. Easy come; easy go. A once prosperous territory was heading for ruin.

In an effort to revive Macau's fortunes, restrictions on foreigners setting up shop in the territory were lifted in the mid 18th Century, making Macau the main European trading post, at least until the British successfully took Hong Kong in 1841. It was a simple law change, but one that sparked a religious crisis.

Macau being Catholic territory, Protestants could not be buried within city limits. So Protestants started burying their dead just outside the city walls. The Chinese were not impressed, considering the practice a desecration of their land. The only route left to Protestants was to bury their dead in neutral territory under the city walls. The establishment of the Protestant Cemetery in 1821 finally resolved this fraught situation.

Desperate to bring wealth back into the formerly successful enclave, governor Isidoro Francisco Guimaraes (1851-1863) hatched the idea of licensed gambling. This was a stroke of genius, judging by the throngs that crowd into the gambling halls of the Lisboa, Mandarin, Hyatt Regency and Kingsway, to name but a few.

Like Hong Kong, Macau saw a rapid population rise during the mid 20th Century, as refugees flooded over the border from the mainland. Today, no longer a Portuguese enclave, the territory is now a fully-fledged Self Administrative Region, following the handover on December 20, 1999 in the Macau Handover Pavilion. Steeped in multi-cultural history, Macau remains quiet but unforgettable.

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