Culture and Sport - Macao Yearbook

Eastern and western cultures
have co-existed in Macao
for over 400 years. A wide
variety of cultural traditions,
languages, values, religious
beliefs, and customs have
all existed side by side and
influenced one another.
Out of this melting pot, a
regional culture unique
to Macao has gradually
developed into its present
richness. Macao’s culture
is thus a diverse mixture,
with traditional Chinese
culture as its heart, and it
has assimilated Western,
particularly Portuguese,
cultural influences in perfect
harmony.

CHAPTER 9
CULTURE
AND SPORT

Rugby Match (Photo: Government Information Bureau)

Part 2 Chapter 9
Culture and Sport
Culture Culture and and Sport Sport
Eastern and western cultures have co-existed in Macao for over 400 years. A wide variety of
cultural traditions, languages, values, religious beliefs, and customs have all existed side by
side and influenced one another. Out of this melting pot, a regional culture unique to Macao has
gradually developed into its present richness. Macao’s culture is thus a diverse mixture, with
traditional Chinese culture as its heart, and it has assimilated Western, particularly Portuguese,
cultural influences in perfect harmony.
Following its policy of promoting Chinese culture while preserving the unique pluralistic
cultural heritage of Macao, the Government has hosted various cultural and artistic activities
invited art troupes from the mainland and overseas, as well as Macao, to perform. These have
created opportunities for audiences to learn more about the history, society, and culture of different
regions, as well as enhancing cultural exchange and the quality of cultural life of Macao’s residents.
Cultural Affairs Bureau
The Cultural Affairs Bureau is a Government department that sets out the Government’s key
objectives in cultural matters.
The bureau is also responsible for organising cultural entertainment programmes, such as
concerts, exhibitions, seminars, music classes, dance and drama courses, the Macao Youth Music
Competition, Macao International Music Festival, Macao Arts Festival and the Macao Annual
Visual Arts Exhibition. It also provides subsidies and research bursaries to support the publication
of research and advanced studies about the arts.
Cultural and Creative Industries
In 2010, the bureau established the Department for the Promotion of Cultural and Creative Industries,
to proactively promote cultural and creative industries and so boost their development – including
through promoting and exhibiting cultural and creative products; conducting studies on the cultural
and creative industries; formulating a policy framework and measures for development of cultural
and creative industries; and collecting information on local cultural and creative industries.
At present, information in the database is used in business matching, and selecting cultural and
creative institutions and companies for participation in local and overseas activities and fairs, to
foster Macao’s culture and creativity.
The 22nd Macao Arts Festival
The 22nd Macao Arts Festival was held from 29 April to 28 May. With the theme of “Enjoy Life
through Art”, the festival invited outstanding performance artists from the territory and all over the
world to participate in over 100 shows in 29 cultural performances and exhibitions. There were also
various complementary activities including workshops, seminars and sharing sessions. The event
was nearly 90 percent sold out, with a total of over 19,000 tickets sold, a notable record in Macao.
Events at this year’s festival included a French multidisciplinary dance show Marco Polo, a
337

Macao Yearbook 2012
show titled “che… malambo” from Argentina, a multimedia dance show Momentum by modern
percussion and dance team Mayumana, The Imaginary Book, Stones and Ti-to-tis – Dance and
Music for Babies. There were also performances from active local dance, drama and Chinese opera
organisations including the Macao General Association of Cantonese Opera and Music, Macao Kai
Fong Chinese Opera Children’s Troupe, Step Out, Hiu Kok Drama Association, Theatre Farmers,
Macao Little Mountain Arts Association and Black Sand Theatre. It was the first time that local
organisations had contributed more than half of the festival shows, with the highest number of
such shows ever.
Encounters: Audiovisual Mapping of St Paul’s Ruins was a combination of the beauty of
music, video and world heritage. The show was very well received, attracting an average of 4,000
audiences a day. Many audiences videoed the show and shared it through the Internet, increasing
the show’s reach through the region and overseas, making the show a highlight of the festival. It
also raised the public’s awareness of and concern for world heritage and the arts in Macao. Due to
the overwhelming response, the organiser staged the show again from 26 August to 4 September,
attracting more visitors with the charm of the show.
25th Macao International Music Festival
The 25th Macao International Music Festival was held from 7 October to 5 November, with a total
of 36 shows in 20 events. The festival was a high-class and diverse music event, complemented by
the Silver Jubilee exhibition, documentary films, promotion ambassadors and a series of musicoriented
activities, to celebrate a quarter of a century of the MIMF.
Programmes of this year’s MIMF included Fame – The Musical, Der Freischutz Opera in 3
Acts by Carl Maria von Weber, and concerts by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, violin master
Itzhak Perlma, Juilliard String Quartet and Akademie fur Alte Musik Berlin. This year’s MIMF
featured world heritage sites as concert venues, including Dom Pedro V Theatre, the Mandarin's
House, St Dominic's Church and Hac Sa Beach. To mark the centenary of the Revolution of 1911,
a musical Rising Sun – a musical, and Xinhai Revolution Commemorative Concert were performed.
During 2011, the MIMF first joined hands with international non-profit organisation Orbis to
organise a World Sight Day Commemorative Concert, from which all gate money would be donated
to ORBIS for its latest medical project in Nepal.
The MIMF was 86.7 percent sold out. There were also complementary activities including six
music seminars, master classes and backstage guided tours of the opera, which effectively promoted
local arts education.
Parade through Macao, Latin City
To celebrate the 12th anniversary of Macao’s return to the motherland, the Cultural Affairs Bureau
organised for the first time the Parade through Macao, Latin City. Performance groups from Portugal,
Italy and France are joined by performers from Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Venezuela, Peru, Ecuador
and Costa Rica, among other Latin American countries, together with groups from Macao and
mainland China, for a total of nearly 700 performers in the event. The parade started from the Ruins
of St Paul’s, passing through the Southern European parish of St Lazarus, along extraordinary streets
and lanes with all the groups performing on stage at Tap Seac Square symbolising Love, Peace and
Cultural Integration. Through a live show on television, it was estimated that the 3.5-hour show
338

attracted an audience of over 100,000.
Macao Orchestra
Culture Culture and and Sport Sport
Through a series of eight programmes spanning the whole concert season, the Macao Orchestra
presented masterpieces from the past and present. During the year, the orchestra performed 75
concerts in front of 44,912 people.
As well as the central focus of the Classic Series, the Festive Series and the Chamber Music
Series, the orchestra strove to provide musical education for the next generation. It organised
educational activities including a University Concert, Campus Concerts and Journey into the World
of Music, through which the orchestra reached 13,000 students from 37 university, primary and
secondary schools. It also collaborated with choirs, music students and music lovers in the event
titled On the Wings of Musical Dreams. During Chinese New Year, the orchestra staged a Chinese
New Year Concert that was attended by 24 charity organisations, to send greetings to the elderly
and socially vulnerable.
Macao Chinese Orchestra
The Macao Chinese Orchestra is a professional Chinese Orchestra under the Cultural Affairs
Bureau. Its current Musical Director and Principal Conductor, Peng Jiapeng, is a State Grade One
conductor. There are currently 42 musicians in the orchestra. Bolstered by the addition of a number
of versatile young musicians, the orchestra’s performance standard has further improved, gaining
recognition and praise from the Chinese music sector.
In 2011, the orchestra gave 51 concerts and performances, attracting a total audience of 33,000
people. Their important performances included Dream of the Red Chamber at Macao Arts Festival
and Xinhai Revolution Commemorative Concert at the Macao International Music Festival. The
orchestra was also invited to perform at Macao Impression concert held at Nanjing Culture and
Art Center during Jiangsu Macau Week and the Dynamic Macau event.
Macao Youth Music Competition
The annual Macao Youth Music Competition, which is organised by the Cultural Affairs Bureau,
aims to promote the development of culture and art in Macao, and to provide valuable opportunities
in performing, learning and the exchange of experience. Through musical competitions, many
prizewinners have already entered into the music profession, while the number of music students
wishing to continue professionally is increasing steadily.
In addition to the first three prizes, the bureau also presents the Cultural Affairs Bureau Prize,
the Talent Prize and the Best Ensemble Performance Prize. Prominent prize winners are invited
to perform in the Awards Ceremony and Winners’ Gala Concert, in which a special award was
presented.
The 29th Macao Youth Music Competition was held from 18 June to 11 July, with competition
events including Piano Solo, Piano Duet, Harp Solo and Harp Duo. There were a total of 37
competitions in 24 categories, with 963 competitors and a total audience of 2,570.
339

Macao Yearbook 2012
Visual Arts Exhibition
In 2011, exhibitions and activities organised by the Cultural Affairs Bureau included Written in
Water – Works by Erik A. Frandsen, the 2011 Macao Annual Art Exhibition: 10 Years – A Decade
of Glory, A Glimpse of French Contemporary Painting, Code – Prizewinners in the Poster Design
Competition, Creation of Civilisation – Chinese contemporary sculpture exhibition, Beyond Space
– Exhibition by Chu The I and Kim Yong Sik, European Splendour: Photo Exhibition of UNESCO
World Heritage Sites in the European Union, and Infection, Industria and Upsych Contemporary
Photography Exhibition. In June 2011, Macao artists participated in the Embracing Mount Tai
Heng Exhibition and sketching activities at Mount Tai Heng.
Cultural Information Platform
The website of the Cultural Affairs Bureau (www.icm.gov.mo) and mobile site (m.icm.gov.mo)
aim to provide cultural services information regarding cultural activities, performances, exhibitions,
heritage protection, promotion of arts education, and academic research. There are affiliated websites
for cultural facilities including the Macao Central Library, Macao Historical Archives, Macao
Conservatory, Museum of Macau, and the Tap Seac Gallery. It also provides detailed information
on cultural events including the Macao Arts Festival, the Macao International Music Festival,
Celebration of the 12th Anniversary of Macao’s Return to the Motherland, and Parade through
Macao, Latin City. In 2011, the website received 2,808,333 visits.
Macao Heritage Net (www.macauheritage.net) and Macao Art Net (www.macauart.net) are two
of Macao’s most important cultural information platforms. Macao Heritage Net reports on the latest
progress in cultural heritage conservation, and provides an easy way to search for and download
information about local and world heritage. The website serves both promotional and educational
purposes. Besides, to help visitors and citizens to understand World Heritage sites in Macao, the
website includes Macao World Heritage (www.wh.mo) as an affiliated website. the sites of the
Historic Centre of Macao. The site received 571,625 visits in 2011. In 2011, an application for
iPhone/Android, WH MACAU, was launched. It lets users to get comprehensive information and
news about World Heritage sites in Macao any time through their mobile phone.
Macao Art Net gathers information about art and literature in Macao and nearby regions. It also
offers a Chinese-language web-hosting service to local art organisations and the community, thereby
expanding Macao’s arts online database. It has also become Macao’s partner websites for the cultural
cooperation project between Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao, PRD Cultural Information Net
(www.prdculture.org). In 2007, it launched a column titled “Artist of the Month”. Every month,
an interview with a local veteran artist and his or her works are featured on the website. This will
bring artists closer to the people, and offer a public channel for learning more about local artists.
The site received 660,072 visits in 2011.
To enhance local exchange of information in the cultural creativity industry, deepen communities’
understanding of the cultural and creativity industry and its development, the Cultural Affairs
Bureau launched a website called Macao Cultural Creative Industries (www.macaucci.com). The
public can browse this website and get the latest news from the cultural and industrial sector, while
people working in this industry can promote new products and activities through the website, for
commercial matching and facilitating cross-sector cooperation and exchange.
340

Macao Conservatory
Culture Culture and and Sport Sport
A subsidiary of the Government’s Cultural Affairs Bureau, the Macao Conservatory is a public
educational institution that provides lower secondary education, vocational education of higher
secondary level in dance, music and drama. The Conservatory comprises a School of Dance, School
of Music, and School of Drama. It is a local education institute that trains competent professionals
in the performing arts, and strives to discover and nurture local performing arts talents. Additionally,
the conservatory offers the public a range of training courses in various performing arts disciplines.
It regularly organises various kinds of dance performances, concerts and drama performances, to
offer its students opportunities to display their skills and gain stage experience. It currently has
over 2,000 students and over 120 teachers.
The School of Dance is a formal arts school that offers career-oriented education. It co-launched
the full-time course in classical dance techniques in collaboration with the Shanghai Dance School,
to foster knowledge and creativity in local dance talent. It offers students comprehensive and
systematic professional dance training, as well as cultural courses equivalent to junior secondary
and senior secondary education. Additionally, the school provides general training courses in
Chinese dance and ballet to primary and secondary students, and a two-year introductory dance
course to pre-school children. To offer students diverse training in dance, the school has broadened
its curricula by adding Chinese Dance Course for Youth, Modern Dance Course for Youth and
Adults, Latin Dance Course for Children and Youth, and Jazz Dance Course for Youth and Adults.
The School of Music is a formal arts school that offers career-oriented education. It is Macao’s
largest music education institute in terms of disciplines and numbers of professional teachers and
students. It co-launched the course in music techniques in collaboration with music schools such
as the Middle School of the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, offering systematic and
professional music education to those who wish to enter the music profession. The school also
provides students with a systematic and comprehensive basic education and popular education
in music. Students can choose from courses in Chinese or western music, with major and minor
studies. The school has also formed a concerto group, an ensemble group, a choir and a student
chamber orchestra to enhance students’ abilities to play in ensembles and nurture their teamwork.
The School of Drama is the only formal school in Macao offering basic training in stage
performing arts. Through systematic, standardised and extended training, the School of Drama
offers various drama courses to discover and nurture local performing talents, and to promote
artistic appreciation among the public. Its programmes for the academic year encompass Theatre
for Children, Theatre for the Young, Presentation, Playwriting and Directing, and Introduction to
Drama, providing its students with a comprehensive arts education in drama. Every year, the school
stages several performances at schools, for practice, and large open activities, in a bid to facilitate
students’ learning in situ. To provide a more professional drama education, the school established
the Macao Conservatory Youth Repertory Theatre Group in 2009. This integrates teaching, learning
and acting to provide continuous and regular training throughout the year. It also produces a variety
of performances, to comprehensively assess students’ performing abilities.
Throughout the year, the Macao Conservatory invites leading experts and scholars from around
the world to conduct thematic lectures, workshops, short courses and master classes to broaden the
insights and vision of its students, whilst providing artists and art lovers with opportunities to have
close contact with the experts and enhance self-learning and improvements.
341

Macao Yearbook 2012
Protection of Architecture, Scenic Spots and Cultural Heritage
To safeguard Macao’s heritage and enable it to shine in all its unique glory, Decree-Laws Nos.
56/84/M and 83/92/M, were passed and gazetted in 1984 and 1992, respectively. These specify
that all buildings of historical significance or artistic value must be renovated in accordance with
officially approved plans. Macao currently has 128 such heritage sites, which are classified into
five categories: Monuments, Buildings of Architectural Interest, Classified Complexes, Classified
Sites and Protected Areas. They are distributed across the Macao peninsula, Taipa and Coloane.
Various conservation measures have been formulated for each category. The Government sets great
store by the significance of Macao’s architectural heritage. It has established clear policies on the
protection, renovation, restoration, and compilation of a list of heritage sites in Macao, all of which
are characterised by unique multicultural diversity and harmony.
Protecting cultural heritage has always been one of the priorities of the Government. In 2005,
the Historic Centre of Macao was inscribed on the World Heritage List, further advancing heritage
protection work in Macao. In 2006, through Executive Order No. 202/2006, the area of heritage
protection was further expanded.
Intangible cultural heritage
In recent years, the conservation of intangible cultural heritage has been a subject of worldwide
concern. The Convention on Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage came into effect in Macao
in September 2006. During the same year, Cantonese Opera and Chinese herbal tea have already
been added to the state intangible cultural heritage inventory, through a joint application by
Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao. In 2008, thanks to a joint application by the Museum of Macau
under the Cultural Affairs Bureau and the local religious figure carving industry, on 14 June Wood
carving - Macao’s religious figure carving was successfully added to the second inventory of the
state intangible cultural heritage, marking the first successful independent application by Macao
regarding the listing of state-class heritage. In 2009, the Cultural Affairs Bureau and the Museum of
Macau made further applications to put Naamyam (Cantonese narrative songs), Taoist ritual music
in Macao, and Feast of the Drunken Dragon on the list of state intangible cultural heritage. On 30
September 2009, Cantonese Opera was officially inscribed onto the UNESCO Representative List
of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity as a result of a joint application by Guangdong,
Hong Kong and Macao. In May 2011, “Cantonese Naamyam (Singing and Narrative Songs)”,
“Macao Taoist Ritual Music” and “Festival of the Drunken Dragon” were inscribed on the Intangible
Cultural Heritage List at national level.
Research Bursaries
To promote academic research, the Cultural Affairs Bureau released the revised Academic Research
Grant Regulations in 2006. Based on the experiences gained through 13 previous Academic
Research Scholarship Schemes, this revision was a further step in enhancing the incentive system
to encourage Macao studies.
Academic Research Grant Regulations aim to encourage forward-looking and innovative research
projects conducive to the understanding of Macao, and of the relationship between Macao and
other regions in the humanities field. The bursary for each project has been increased, varying from
110,000 patacas to 180,000 patacas. Applications may be submitted at any time throughout the year.
342

From 2006 to the end of 2011, a total of 34 people received the bursaries.
Macao Central Library
Culture Culture and and Sport Sport
Founded in 1895, the Macao Central Library is under the Cultural Affairs Bureau. It comprises
the Macao Central Library (main branch), Sir Robert Ho Tung Library, Library of the Civic and
Municipal Affairs Bureau Building, Ilha Verde Library, Mong Ha Library, Coloane Library and
mobile libraries. Currently the largest public library network in Macao, it houses a collection of
740,000 books and 35,000 multimedia items.
Major services of the Macao Central Library include: lending book materials, providing current
and back issues of newspapers and periodicals, advising readers on Macao information, access to
broadband Internet, making microfilms, on-line newspaper clippings, and e-resources database,
and photocopying of materials. Publishers can apply for an ISBN, ISSN or International Standard
Recording Code (ISRC) through the ISBN Centre in the library.
To highlight the many facets of Macao’s libraries and promote the use of their resources for
educational purposes, every year the central library hosts a range of activities that encourage reading
and on how to use library services. It also receives group visits.
Macao Central Library (Main Branch)
Located on Conselheiro Ferreira de Almeida Avenue, the main branch of the Macao Central Library
is housed in a 1,371-square-metre residential-type building in the neoclassical style of the early
20th century. It has a seating capacity of 256, stocks about 259,585 books (including 35,693 books
on Macao), and provides 77 newspaper titles and 651 periodical titles. In 2011, the library received
493,488 visits, lent a total of 287,683 items on 114,929 occasions, and recorded 40,956 uses of
wireless internet broadband service.
Sir Robert Ho Tung Library
Steeped in history and culture, the three-storey complex of Sir Robert Ho Tung Library is an
important example of the blend of Chinese and Western architecture. After Sir Robert’s death in
1955 in Hong Kong, his family, in accordance with his will, presented the mansion at St Augustine
Square (Largo de Santo Agostinho) to the former Portuguese administration, together with a donation
of HK$25,000 for the purchase of books to establish this Chinese public library.
The library was officially opened in 1958. A collection of 5,000 ancient Chinese books is kept
in Sir Robert Ho Tung’s Study on the second floor. It includes literary and historical classics from
the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty, and 16 precious books of the Jiayetang Library collected
by the famous present-day bibliophile, Liu Chenggan.
To enlarge the space for collection and reading, the Cultural Affairs Bureau launched an expansion
project by the backyard of Sir Robert Ho Tung Library. It opened to the public in 2006. Covering a
total area of 2,323 square metres, the four-storey new building has a children’s room, a multimedia
room, indoor and outdoor reading zones, and stacks.
The library covers an area of 4,778 square metres, with a seating capacity of 547. It has a collection
of approximately 115,353 books, 5,601 items of multimedia audiovisual materials, 55 newspaper
343

Macao Yearbook 2012
titles and 531 periodical titles. During 2011, the library received 315,320 visits, lent a total of
121,931 items on 46,345 occasions, and recorded 27,434 uses of wireless internet broadband service.
Library of the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau Building
The Library of the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau Building is housed in the same building as
the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau; and it is richly decorated in a style similar to the Library
of Mafra Convent in Portugal (Biblioteca do Convento de Mafra). Situated on Almeida Ribeiro
Avenue, the library is profusely adorned and furnished in a classical fashion. Opened in 1929, it
was originally called the Central Library of Macao. It is also home to the most valuable collection
of books and documents among local libraries. This mainly comprises foreign-language books
published between the 17th century and the 1950s, some of them being precious items. Covering
an area of 454.9 square metres, it has a seating capacity of 12, a collection of about 20,000 books,
43 titles of bound back-issue Portuguese newspapers, and 22 current newspaper titles. In 2011,
the library received 37,808 visits and recorded 2,304 uses of wireless internet broadband services.
Ilha Verde Library
Ilha Verde Library is located on the fourth floor of May Fair Garden, Ilha Verde. Since its opening
in 1995, it has become a cultural, educational, information and leisure hub for residents of the
district. It accommodates a Children’s Reading Area, General Reading Area, Multimedia Room
and a seating capacity of 82. Covering an area of 482 square metres, the library has approximately
65,308 books, 4,679 items of multimedia audiovisual materials, 43 newspaper titles and 348
periodical titles. During 2011, it received 186,254 visits, lent a total of 100,768 items on 39,425
occasions, and recorded 17,260 uses of wireless internet broadband services.
Mong Ha Library
Opened in 1988, Mong Ha Library is a three-storey block in Mong Ha Estate. During April 2011,
to facilitate the Mong Ha Estate redevelopment project, the library was temporarily closed due to
the deconstruction work. It reopened in December on the 3rd Floor of Mong Sin Block in Mong
Ha Estate. The library has a single-level design which greatly increases the sense of space. The
new library consists of four areas: the General Reading Room, the Children’s Reading Room, the
Newspapers and Periodicals Section and the Multimedia Room. With an area of 360 square metres,
it has a seating capacity of 92 and a collection of around 23,500 books, 33 newspaper titles and
160 periodical titles. During 2011, the library received 34,093 visits, lent a total of 12,387 items
on 4,579 occasions, and recorded 2,085 uses of wireless internet broadband services. In November
2011, its opening hours were formally extended to 12.00pm to 7.00pm from Monday to Sunday.
Coloane Library
Built in 1911, Coloane Library is housed in a simple yet elegant Portuguese-style building on 5
de Outubro Avenue, Coloane. Formerly a public primary school, it was converted into a library in
1983. Covering an area of 170 square metres, it has a seating capacity of 21, and a collection of
about 8,076 books, 17 newspaper titles and 50 periodical titles. During 2011, the library received
344

Culture Culture and and Sport Sport
24,479 visits, lent a total of 3,397 items on 1,249 occasions, and recorded 951 uses of wireless
internet broadband services.
Mobile Libraries
The mobile library service was introduced in 1986. The library vans have a collection of 2,848
books. From Monday to Saturday, they stop at service points in different districts, and chiefly offer
a lending service and process reader card applications. During 2011, they received 7,301 visits,
and lent a total of 16,820 items on 7,413 occasions.
Libraries Managed by the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau
The Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau manages a number of libraries, including Wong Ieng
Kuan Libraries located in Dr Sun Yat Sen Municipal Park, Luis de Camoes Garden, Areia Preta
Urban Park and in Taipa, Ho Yin Garden Library, S. Lourenco Library and Children’s Library in
Areia Preta Urban Park.
These libraries purchase books and periodicals according to the needs of the people living in their
districts. They also regularly host storytelling, thematic lectures, film sessions, and reading camps.
In 2011, the libraries managed by the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau organised 678 activities
to promote reading, attracting 27,097 participants. During the year, the seven community libraries
under the bureau received 720,080 visits.
The Wong Ieng Kuan Library in Dr Sun Yat Sen Municipal Park is located in Dr Sun Yat Sen
Municipal Park (the Canal dos Patos Park). It was built with a donation by Wong Ieng Kuan, a
Peruvian Chinese. Opened on 26 April 1996, the floor area of the two-storey library is 212 square
metres. The upper floor is a reading room and the lower floor is a children’s room. The library
provides 80 seats and 18,000 books.
The Wong Ieng Kuan Library in Luis de Camoes Garden was also built with a donation by
Wong Ieng Kuan. It was opened in November 1999 in Luis de Camoes Garden. The floor area of
the two-storey library is 675 square metres. The lower floor is a book, newspaper and periodicals
reading area which provides 80 seats, 24,000 books mainly related to literature and art, and over
180 periodicals. The upper floor is the children’s room.
The Wong Ieng Kuan Library in Areia Preta Urban Park is located in Areia Preta Urban Park.
It is the third library that was built with a donation from the Wong Ieng Kuan Foundation. Opened
on 15 November 2004, the library has a total floor area of 220 square metres, comprising a reading
room and a children’s room with 80 seats, with an inventory of 18,000 books. The children’s library
relocated to the Children’s Library adjacent to the Wong Ieng Kuan Library in Areia Preta Urban
Park from 2 July 2011.
The Children’s Library in Areia Preta Urban Park was formerly the Northern District Community
Services Centre. The Centre had been turned into the first library of IACM ever dedicated to children
and was officially opened to the public on 2 July 2011. The library is 210 square metres in area
and is divided into the Children’s Reading Area and Periodical Reading Area. It has a collection of
6,000 children’s books, the largest collection among all IACM’s libraries. The collections are mainly
children’s literature and picture story books. It also provides 15 periodicals related to children or
parent-child relationships. As well as 50 seats for reading, the library has a circular children’s play
345

Macao Yearbook 2012
area for kids and for holding activities.
The Ho Yin Garden Library is located in Ho Yin Garden in the Outer Harbour. To coordinate
with the reclamation project at the Outer Harbour area in 2005, it had to be rebuilt and was closed
until 10 February 2009. The two-storey library has a total floor area of 368 square metres. The
first floor comprises the newspaper reading area and the multimedia area, and the second floor is
a general reading room. It has 16,000 books and 80 seats for readers.
The Wong Ieng Kuan Library in Taipa is situated on the second and third floor of Hei Loi Tang
Plaza in Taipa. Opened on 31 January 2005, it is the fourth library to be built with a donation from
the Wong Ieng Kuan Foundation. The second floor is an activity centre of 660 square metres for
different purposes, including reading newspapers, periodicals and self-study. Movable partitions can
be used to divide the centre into several rooms for talks, film appreciation, courses and recreational
classes. On the second floor, there is also a children’s reading room with a capacity of 60 people
providing more than 3,000 books for children under 12 years old, and parents who read with their
children. With a floor area of 420 square metres, the third floor comprises a small exhibition area,
multimedia room with a capacity of 18 people, 60 seats in the book reading area and an inventory
of 25,000 books.
The S. Lourenco Library is a community library built in response to the S. Lourenco Market
Reconstruction Plan. It aims to provide the area’s citizens with a site for leisure and life-long
learning. With a total area of 1,245 square metres, the library is on the third floor of the S. Lourenco
Market. It is the largest community library under the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau. The
library comprises a multimedia room, a children’s reading room, an activity room and a newspaper
reading room. With a collection of 16,000 books, the library provides 120 seats for readers. The
activity room can accommodate 50 people.
Macao has many other smaller libraries, including the octagonal Chinese Library. In addition,
various Government departments and tertiary educational institutions have their own libraries.
Each of them contributes to the ever-expanding supply of books available to the people of Macao.
Macao Historical Archives
The Macao Historical Archives is the master archive in Macao. The Archive is mainly responsible
for collecting, organising, safekeeping, protecting and providing Macao’s documents that have
historical value. A majority of the documents are papers and documents from various Government
departments, while there are also donations from private and social organisations, as well as books.
The documents are mostly papers, but there are also photographs, slides, video tapes, cassette tapes,
CDs and other physical materials. The earliest documentary item is from the Leal Senado in 1630.
The Macao Historical Archives has a reading room especially for local and overseas readers to
view and use the documentation. Moreover, the official website (www.archives.gov.mo) provides
a search and view capability of digital images of some documentation.
Tap Seac Gallery
The Tap Seac Gallery is the base of visual arts exhibition and arts education in Macao. Built in
the 1920s and divided into two blocks, this two-storey building was originally a typical residence
of one of Macao’s elite families. The two blocks join into one after reconstruction. The ground
346

Culture Culture and and Sport Sport
floor has been converted into a 400-square-metre exhibition venue. The front part forms the main
exhibition area, while the rear is ideal for holding exhibitions, seminars and lectures.
The gallery and its peripheral buildings were all constructed during the same period. Together,
they form a unique cluster of historic monuments in the Tap Seac area, one of Macao’s designated
heritage sites. The Cultural Affairs Bureau uses the gallery as a venue for visual arts exhibitions
and other cultural activities. During the year, the gallery received 42,866 visits.
Handover Gifts Museum of Macau
The Handover Gifts Museum of Macau is situated next to the Macao Museum of Art, which is
an integral part of the Macao Cultural Centre on Xian Xing Hai Avenue in the Outer Harbour
Reclamation Area (NAPE). This was the site of the temporary venue where the Macao Handover
Ceremony was conducted by the Chinese and Portuguese governments on 20 December 1999.
The structure was dismantled afterwards, and its location became the construction site of the
Handover Gifts Museum of Macau, to commemorate the momentous occasion of Macao’s return
to the motherland.
The Handover Gifts Museum is a three-storey building. Its entrance lobby and administrative
offices are located on floor zero. The first floor houses the Handover gifts exhibition gallery and a
thematic exhibition gallery, while the second contains an auditorium.
The Handover gifts exhibition gallery mainly showcases gifts presented by the State Council,
as well as provinces, municipalities directly under the central government, autonomous regions
and the Hong Kong SAR. The thematic exhibition gallery is the venue for displays about Macao’s
social and cultural history, which showcases a myriad of Macao’s cultural features.
The gallery also organises quality exhibitions to enhance citizens’ cultural life and promote
cultural development.
Museums
Centuries of East-West cultural interaction have endowed Macao with many unique museums. They
range from the Museum of Macau, Museum of Sacred Art and Maritime Museum, to the Grand
Prix Museum, Wine Museum and Fire Service Museum.
Museum of Macau
The Museum of Macau is situated on the heritage site of Mount Fortress, which is a part of the
Historic Centre of Macao, while to its immediate west is the Ruins of St Paul’s.
The Museum of Macau houses a rich display of Macao’s history and diverse culture. With a
collection of deep historical and cultural value, the museum highlights the changes to Macao over
several hundred years, and tells the story of people from different countries and cultural backgrounds
settling in Macao and living in harmony. The Museum of Macau was opened on 18 April 1998. Its
exhibition area occupies a total of 2,100 square metres over three levels. The first floor explains the
development of Chinese and western cultures before the Portuguese arrived in Macao during the 16th
century, as well as the early history of Macao, the interactions between Chinese and Portuguese in
trade, religion and culture, and tells how Macao’s unique culture has developed during the several
347

Macao Yearbook 2012
hundred years since then. The second floor displays Macao’s traditional culture and folk art from
different angles, bringing to life the ways Macao people lived in the past, especially their leisure,
religious rituals, and social customs and celebrations. The third floor displays the urban city and
urban lifestyles of Macao today, whilst introducing works of literature and art themed on Macao.
In 2011, the Museum of Macau continued to present exhibitions and seminars to broaden the
cultural vision of the local community. During the year, it received 194,259 visits, and provided
over 1,362 guided tours to 18,543 people. It also held 25 scheduled summer activities, which
attracted 766 participants.
Monte Fort Corridor
Located at the foot of Mount Fortress’s east, Monte Fort Corridor is a passageway linking the S.
Lazaro Area pedestrian zone to Mount Fortress. Thus, it facilitates the robust development of the
city’s entire historical centre. A public space not to be ignored, the corridor has often been chosen
as the venue for various arts exhibitions.
Maritime Museum
One of the oldest museums in Macao, the Maritime Museum was founded in 1987. The museum
reflects the vital role of the sea in Macao’s history, as well as vividly portraying the remarkable
achievements of China and Portugal in maritime history. Visitors to the Maritime Museum can gain
a deeper appreciation of the relationship between cultural exchange and the sea.
The museum’s three floors focus on themes that echo the seafaring history of China, Portugal
and Macao. The ground-floor exhibition hall describes the lives of the Macao fishing community.
Chinese and Portuguese maritime history is depicted on the first floor. The second floor features
items relating to maritime technology and the evolution of navigation. Explaining complex
issues in plain terms and supported by multimedia systems, the museum showcases customs
and traditions of the local fishing community, the development of navigational technology, the
evolution of maritime traffic, marine biology and other related areas of knowledge. In addition,
many precious models, pictures and replicas of ships are displayed. The museum also has an
aquarium and an esplanade.
Wine Museum
The Wine Museum was opened in 1995. It introduces the history of wine production from its
origin in the Caucasus around 10,000 BC up to the present day, with a special focus on Portuguese
winemaking. The exhibition covers a wide range of old vintage wine vessels and accessories. There
are 200-year-old wine presses, traditional mule-drawn carts used to carry wine casks, and sheepskin
wine containers. Other exhibits include brass vessels used for distillation, and casks of all sizes.
Visitors could understand the various aspects of traditional winemaking methods.
The museum boasts 1,000 wine labels; 800 of them are for commercial wines and the others
are for collectors’ wines. The oldest wine in the museum is from Porto and dates back to 1815.
A selection of Portuguese wines is provided in the museum. Visitors can purchase wine-tasting
coupons, as well as vintages in the museum liquor store.
348

Grand Prix Museum
Culture Culture and and Sport Sport
The Grand Prix Museum was inaugurated on 18 November 1993. Various Government departments
and private institutions have donated exhibits, such as racing cars driven on the Guia Circuit over
the years, including by the late celebrated Ayrton Senna and motor racing champion Michael
Schumacher. Valuable pictures and trophies are also exhibited.
Macao Museum of Art
The Macao Museum of Art is the only museum in Macao with arts and cultural heritage as its main
theme. Covering a total area of 10,000 square metres, this five-storey museum has seven exhibition
halls boasting 4,000 square metres of display space. It is the largest museum in Macao that’s
devoted to the visual arts. Many precious works of art and antiquities, such as Chinese paintings
and calligraphy, seals, ceramics, Western-style paintings, contemporary arts and photographs are
displayed. Exhibits include Shiwan ceramic figurines created by Huang Bing, Pan Yushu, and Chen
Weiyan, masters of the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republican era. There are also works by
the famous 19th Century British painter George Chinnery, and Chinese trader and painter Guan
Qiaochang, commonly known as Lam Qua; and watercolours painted by Russian artist George
Smirnoff when he stayed in Macao from 1944 to 1945. Besides showcasing its collections, the
museum holds exhibitions in collaboration with other prestigious museums, cultural agencies,
consulates-general in Hong Kong, famous artists and collectors. Macao connects to the broader
artistic world by staging high-calibre exhibitions including the annual thematic exhibition on cultural
relics in collaboration with Beijing’s Palace Museum.
The museum founded the Friends of Macao Museum of Art. By encouraging interested parties to
join its occasional art-related activities, the museum aims to enhance communications and maintain
a dialogue with the community.
The Macao Museum of Art houses the Museum Shop and the Palace Museum Shop. The
Museum Shop sells museum publications, characteristic souvenirs, cultural and creative products,
and souvenirs from the Shanghai Museum and overseas cultural organisation and museums, while
the Palace Museum Shop sells souvenirs featuring arts and history of the Imperial Palace. Both
aim to increase cultural benefits.
In 2011, the Macao Museum of Art held more than 30 exhibitions and conducted a range of
activities including lectures, seminars, art workshops, and activities of friends of the museum.
Library of the Macao Museum of Art and the Art Square
The Library of the Macao Museum of Art is a reference library specialising in arts materials. It has
a collection of over 20,000 books, primarily about visual arts, covering subjects ranging from arts
history, calligraphy and painting, cultural heritage and archaeology, ceramics, Western fine arts,
architecture, design, films, photography, to illustrated children’s books. Nearly 50 arts periodical
titles, as well as Chinese, Portuguese and English newspapers are also available.
The library houses computers for citizens to browse artistic websites. Visitors may also choose
from the collection of nearly 600 titles of classic movies and animations, and enjoy their selections
in the two audiovisual rooms.
349

Macao Yearbook 2012
The Art Square studio of the Macao Museum of Art has an area of 700 square metres. It comprises
a printmaking room, a painting room, a multifunction room and an audio-visual room, which are
primarily used for teaching visual art creation and theory.
Pawnshop Museum
In partnership with a non-governmental organisation, the Government has established the first
museum dedicated to the pawnshop industry. The opening of the Pawnshop Museum in March
2003 marked the success of a new mode of heritage protection.
Built in 1917 as the Tak Seng On Pawnshop, the museum building consists of a three-storey
pawnshop and an eight-storey storage tower. The pawnshop boasts eclectic architectural features,
while the storage tower is similar to watchtowers that can be found around Taishan and Kaiping
in Guangdong Province. The building’s interior decoration and design are typical of a Chinese
pawnshop. Besides artefacts from some other pawnshops, signboards, account books, pawn tickets,
a privacy-protection board, and a safe from the original Tak Seng On Pawnshop are all on display.
These enable visitors to get a clearer picture of the pawnshop’s layout and operation in its heyday.
In September 2004, the Tak Seng On restoration project was awarded an Honourable Mention
in the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards for Culture Heritage Conservation. The project was
awarded the title of Urban Best Practices Area (UBPA) of World Expo Shanghai 2010, demonstrating
to the world Macao’s fruitful efforts in conserving and recycling historic buildings. The museum
received 14,051 visits during 2011.
Treasure of Sacred Art of St Joseph’s Seminary
St Joseph’s Seminary was established by the Jesuits in 1728. For more than two centuries, it has made
a significant contribution to training Catholic clergymen engaged in missionary careers in Macao,
the mainland and Southeast Asia. For this reason, it was awarded the title of “Royal Seminary”.
The seminary houses a number of religious canvases, sacred statues and religious objects. To
give public access to these historic treasures, the Government, with the seminary’s consent and
support, began preparatory work to establish the Treasury of Sacred Art of St Joseph’s Seminary. The
two-storey exhibition gallery covers an area of 470 square metres, and displays over 100 religious
canvases, holy statues and religious artefacts from 18th to early 20th centuries.
Crypt and Museum of Sacred Art
Between 1990 and 1995, the former Portuguese administration conducted archaeological excavation
and repaired the Ruins of St Paul’s (the Church of Mother of God or Mater Dei), and built the
Museum of Sacred Art and Crypt on the site of the grave of Father Alexandre Valignano, the founder
of St Paul’s College, according to the research findings.
The museum houses religious paintings, carvings and liturgical objects carefully selected
from the collections of the churches and abbeys in Macao. Religious paintings are of particular
significance, and include St Michael the Archangel, Martyrs of Nagasaki, as well as four paintings
on the life of St Francis. At the crypt beside the museum, visitors can observe relics of Japanese
and Vietnamese martyrs.
350

Dr Sun Yat Sen Memorial House
Culture Culture and and Sport Sport
Originally built by Dr Sun Yat Sen as a home for his family in the years after 1918, this Islamic
style residence was opened as Dr Sun Yat Sen Memorial House in 1958.
It contains furniture and other items used by Dr Sun when he practised medicine in Macao, and
when he was the Great Commander in Guangzhou. Among its collections are calligraphy by Dr
Sun and photos he took with his martyr-comrades of the 1911 Revolution. There is also a bronze
statue of Dr Sun in the garden, where visitors can pay their respects.
Lin Zexu Museum
The Lin Zexu Museum in Lin Fong Temple was completed in November 1997, in memory of Imperial
Commissioner Lin Zexu, who defied the powerful and the mighty to institute a ban on opium and
the opium trade. On 3 September 1839, Lin Zexu, who was then in charge in Guangdong, and Deng
Tingzheng, the Governor of Guangdong and Guangxi, met the Consul of the former Portuguese
administration to proclaim the prohibition of opium and China’s sovereignty over Macao.
The museum displays pictures showing opium being destroyed in Humen, and the old days in
Macao. It also houses documents on Lin Zexu’s communications with the imperial government,
as well as models of Chinese Qing Dynasty warships and Portuguese vessels, and the types of
boats used to carry opium. Life-sized tableaux show Lin’s meeting with foreign officials. There are
instruments used by opium addicts too: a reminder to visitors not to forget the evils of drug addiction.
Fire Service Museum
Founded in December 1999, the Fire Service Museum is located inside the central operational fire
station on Repouso Road. It is open to the public, and received 31,573 visitors in 2011.
The museum has two exhibition halls designed in different styles, which occupy a total area of 350
square metres. The main hall’s display – of vintage manual water pumps made in China and Britain,
two old-style British fire engines, various historical artefacts and pictures, and fire service flags,
emblems, decorations and badges – is designed to help visitors understand the bureau’s development
over the years. The inner exhibition hall contains a model of the Fire Service’s central station, an
electronic board showing the distribution of operational fire stations, firemen’s helmets and boots,
water nozzles, various fire appliances, protective equipment, pictures of disasters that have happened
in Macao, and a model simulating the scene of a fire in a squatter hut area. The museum aims to
increase the knowledge of visitors about fire appliances, and enhance their understanding of the
damage that fires can cause, thereby raising their awareness about the importance of fire prevention.
Museum of Nature and Agriculture
The first museum to be built on Coloane island, the Museum of Nature and Agriculture, under
the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau, is within the Seac Pai Van Country Park. Built by the
then Municipal Council of the Islands, the museum was opened on 21 March 1997. It is a cultural
amenity with an educational purpose.
The museum’s five thematic exhibitions are devoted to the Geography of Macao, Farming
351

Macao Yearbook 2012
Tools of the Islands in Olden Days, the Specimens of Animals, the Specimens of Plants, and the
Simulated Mangrove Swamp.
The museum also houses a number of traditional Macao agricultural implements, which have
gradually been vanishing since the 1970s, such as a grain barrel for threshing wheat, bellows
for separating grains and waterwheels for irrigation, so that visitors can gain a full picture of
Macao’s agricultural past. Also, over a hundred kinds of fossils of prehistoric animals and plants,
as well as specimens of animals, plants, insects, and skeletons of the endangered animals Chinese
White Dolphins are exhibited, so visitors can understand Macao’s ecological situation and nature
conservation.
Taipa Houses-Museum
The Taipa Houses-Museum is a collection of residential buildings that form one of Macao’s eight
most-famous landmarks. Constructed in 1921, these five European-style buildings were the official
residences of the island’s officers and the homes of Macanese families. The former Portuguese
administration’s Tourist Department bought and redecorated them in the 1980s. In 1992, they were
collectively classified as an architecturally important monument. The government thoroughly
refurbished them and converted three of them into a museum. From east to west, they are known
as the Macanese House, the House of the Islands and the House of Portuguese Regions. The other
two buildings are the exhibition gallery and reception hall. The museum opened in December 1999,
and it officially adopted the name Taipa Houses-Museum in 2002.
The Macanese House is an especially unique museum in Macao. Many of its exhibits come
from long-established Macanese families. Its furniture, ornamentation and decorations reveal a
seamless blend of east and west, while the old black-and-white photographs hanging throughout the
house provide glimpses into the daily lives of the Macanese, who combined elements of Chinese
and Portuguese culture to create a unique and picturesque way of life. The photographs and the
Macanese House as a whole vividly portray turn-of-the-century Macao.
Two exhibitions were hosted by the House of the Islands in 2011: Reminiscence of Time –
Photography Exhibition of Resplendent Taipa and In Love with the Macanese – A Photograph
Exhibition. The former featured exhibits relating to the history of Taipa, including photos and items
mainly from the 1920s to 1970s, which enriched the exhibition of Taipa’s history, encouraging
visitors to learn more about bygone times in Taipa from a variety of perspectives. In Love with the
Macanese – A Photograph Exhibition explored the origin of historical Macanese culture, featuring
the history of the Portuguese in Taipa and their religious culture.
The House of Portuguese Regions is the third of the Praia Avenue residences. The museum
primarily displays photos, costumes and handicrafts related to different cultural traditions in various
regions of Portugal. Here, visitors can learn about the lifestyles and traditions of these people who
– though far away – contributed to Macao’s culture.
The exhibition gallery houses various types of exhibitions staged by the museum throughout the
year. In 2011, the Taipa Houses-Museum received 106,391 visitors. They included 2,093 visitors
on 97 guided tours for overseas visitors, local students and community groups. The museum also
participated in various major celebratory events organised by the Civic and Municipal Affairs
Bureau and other Government departments.
352

Communications Museum of Macao
Culture Culture and and Sport Sport
Inaugurated on 1 March 2006, the Communications Museum of Macao aims to promote stamp
collecting and the stamps of Macao to citizens and tourists. In 2011, it received a total of 30,804
visits, 58.49 percent of which were made by local teachers and students.
Macao Tea Culture House
The Macao Tea Culture House, which is managed by the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau, is
the first exhibition gallery in Macao devoted to displaying tea-related artefacts. It was opened to the
public on 1 June 2005, with a total floor area of 1,076 square metres. Its huge collection includes
19th-century tea paintings, Canton enamel export teapots, as well as items used in old tea houses
and tea shops. Through short-term and long-term exhibitions of various formats, as well as various
tea culture activities, it is dedicated to demonstrating Macao’s tea culture and everything about
tea in China and the West. It also hopes to promote worldwide tea culture, knowledge and studies.
During 2011, the Tea Culture House organised three exhibitions that attracted a total of 40,518
visitors. It also provided 10 free guided tour services, which received 214 visitors.
The House organised 22 Public Tea Tastings and Taste the Tasty Culture - Tea Culture Promotion
Programme events, in which 1,239 visitors participated.
Museum of Taipa and Coloane History
Opened on 7 May 2006, the Museum of Taipa and Coloane History consists of nine exhibition
rooms and a souvenir shop. Built in 1920, the 638-square-metre, two-storey museum building was
formerly the building of the former Island Municipal Council of Taipa.
On the first floor are relics unearthed in Coloane, stone architectural remains of the basement,
religious and cultural documents and relics from the transformations of the villages on the two
islands. These items provide visitors with an overview of the early history and culture of Coloane
and Taipa.
The exhibition rooms on the second floor have different themes, including the history of the
former Municipal Council of the Islands, a look back at agriculture and handicrafts in the old days,
the architectural features of buildings on Coloane and Taipa and the recent development of the
two islands. It provides visitors with a better understanding of the modern political and economic
development of Coloane and Taipa.
The Museum of Taipa and Coloane History attracted a total of 47,006 visitors in 2011. It provided
23 free guided tours, which received a total of 691 visitors. The Museum continued to showcase
the Nighttime Drama Show – The Dramatic Dream of Taipa, with a new play, Back to the Future
2101, which allowed audiences to learn the history of Taipa and Coloane in a relaxing way. There
were 20 shows during the year, attracting 267 people.
Iong Sam Tong Pavilion
Iong Sam Tong Pavilion was built during the early 20th century as a part of Yu Yuen (the old name
353

Macao Yearbook 2012
of Lou Lim Ieoc Garden). It was turned into a library between 1938 and 1952, when Pui Ching
Middle School rented the Lou Lim Ieoc Garden to be its schoolhouse. Later, Iong Sam Tong Pavilion
was used by Leng Nam Primary School as a classroom. In the 1980s, it became the Floral and
Faunal Specimens Room of the Municipal Council of Macao, and was also formerly the offices and
warehouses of various government departments. The renovation of Iong Sam Tong Pavilion was
completed in 2011 and it was reopened on 18 May 2011. It showcases 50 historical pieces of the
Lou family including photographs, letters, biographical materials, handwritten drafts and recordings.
It is open from Tuesday to Sunday, and received a total of 14,978 visitors through the year.
Lou Kau Mansion
Completed in 1889, Lou Kau Mansion used to be the residence of the prominent merchant Lou Kau
and his family. It retains a large number of exquisite carvings made of wood, stone and brick; plaster
mouldings; pottery decorations; murals; and garden designs, which are typical of the architectural
style of traditional Lingnan dwellings.
With a view to promoting Chinese traditional culture by introducing outstanding Chinese folk
crafts and conducting arts activities, Lou Kau Mansion conducts regular live demonstrations by
famous Chinese folk craft masters. A different theme is introduced each week, attracting many
citizens and visitors to exchange ideas and learn from the master craftsmen. In 2011, 34 well-known
craftsmen from Shangdong Province were invited to Macao.
Lou Kau Mansion attracted 212,175 visitors, plus 316 weekend workshop participants who had
the chance to experience the pleasure of making folk craft items.
Mandarin’s House
The Mandarin’s House is the family residence of the modern Chinese master Zheng Guanying.
Zheng’s world-famous book Shengshi Weiyan (Words of Warning in Times of Prosperity) was
completed here. The building of the Mandarin’s House was initiated by Zheng Wenrui, the father of
Zheng Guanying, and the Zheng brothers expanded it. The house was probably built before 1869.
Covering an area of 4,000 square metres, the Mandarin’s House is the largest private mansion
in Macao. The Mandarin’s House has the characteristics of traditional Guangdong homes. Yet, it
also features a fusion of architectural influences from western cultures, making it a unique product
of Chinese and western cultural interchanges.
During the mid-20th century, as Zheng’s descendants lived in different places, many rooms of
the house were rented. At one time, the house was crowded with many tenants, and multiple parts
of the building had been reconstructed and new parts were added. Together with a lack of long-term
protection and maintenance, the house was damaged by fire several times and part of the structure
was destroyed. When the Government acquired the property rights to the house, 80 percent of the
building had suffered damage of different extents. Thanks to assistance from building restoration
experts and past tenants, under the principles of authenticity and integrity, the Government took
eight years to repair and refurnish the building. The original characteristics have been basically
restored. In February 2010, the Mandarin’s House was opened to the public. During 2011, it
attracted 101,900 visitors.
354

Kun Iam Statue
Culture Culture and and Sport Sport
The Kun Iam Statue is a 32-metre-tall structure on an artificial island in NAPE, which is connected
to the land by a 60-metre bridge.
The Kun Iam Statue comprises the statue and lotus flower base. The bronze statue stands 20
metres tall and weighs 50 tonnes. The 16-petal lotus flower base is seven metres high and 19
metres in diameter.
The Kun Iam Statue was built in March 1999. It has two storeys: the upper storey is an observation
room with an information desk and a shop selling books and souvenirs; the lower storey consists of
a small library with religious books and a multi-purpose room. The capacity of the multi-purpose
room is 50. Small-scale activities like talks, exhibitions and concerts can be held there. From January
to October 2011, the statue received 91,567 visits. It was temporarily closed during November and
December for maintenance work.
Macao Cultural Centre
The Macao Cultural Centre is situated on Xian Xing Hai Avenue in NAPE. Completed and opened
in March 1999, it covers an area of 45,000 square metres. The complex comprises the Auditoria
Building, the Macao Museum of Art Building, Macao Cultural Centre Square and the Handover
Gifts Museum of Macao.
The Auditoria Building contains two performance venues. One is a 1,076-seat multipurpose
complex theatre with an orchestra pit that is suitable for different types of stage performances,
such as concerts, dances, operas and dramas. The other is a 389-seat mini-theatre that can be used
for movies, conferences, mini-drama performances and concerts.
During 2011, the Macao Cultural Centre organised spectacular performances covering dance,
music, drama and multimedia: there were 55 programmes with a total of 478 performances or
activities. The centre also continued to offer cultural facilities and professional services to various
local groups and organisations. During the year, 248 programmes and 818 performances were
organised by the centre and its tenants, receiving 176,846 visits.
The Cultural Centre also continued to promote exchanges and cooperation among local and
overseas artists, to promote performing arts to the public. It organised the Artist-in-Residence
Project and the Art-in-Residence Project to enhance exchanges between local and overseas artists.
Likewise, it continued to work as a bridge for cultural exchanges between Macao, China and
overseas countries and places.
Cultural and Recreational Activities
The Government is committed to promoting sports for all, encouraging citizens to participate in all
kinds of sports and recreational activities as a way to promote one’s health. Upholding the values of
sports-for-all and life-long fitness spelled out in public slogans, the Government has led the citizens
towards building healthy lives by enjoying everyday sports. At the same time, the Government
emphasises enhancing the standards of sports at the local level, and fully supports and encourages
local sports institutions with organising and participating in tournaments in Macao and overseas.
The coordinated development of popular sports and athletics can only be realised through the
355

Macao Yearbook 2012
provision of comprehensive modern sports facilities and sports medicine, thereby allowing citizens
to exercise conveniently and scientifically, ultimately enhancing their quality of life.
Macao Sports Development Board
Macao Sports Development Board is responsible for instructing, encouraging, assisting and
promoting sports events, establishing the requisite conditions for the development of sports, and
coordinating between sports organisations and related staff.
Sport for All
During 2011, the board continued to promote sports in Macao and publicise the benefits of physical
exercise.
In 2011, a total of 344,374 people took part in the 18 activities organised by the board, of whom
49,239 participated in the 1,935 Sport for All Fitness and Recreational Classes. A total of 46,674
people joined the annual summer activities, with 18,496 participating in sport activities. In all, 103
activities and 667 classes were organised.
Competitive Sport
The Macao Sports Development Board supported the Macao Sports Association to organise and
participate in 226 competitions, 123 training sessions and 46 international conferences through
special funding.
During 2011, a total of 81 athletes and coaches in 11 sports were awarded cash prizes in eight
events for their excellent performances, while 327 athletes and coaches from 26 sports associations
were awarded certificates of merit.
Sports Medicine
With technological support from the China Institute of Sport Science, under the General
Administration of Sport of China, the Macao Sports Development Board conducted the second phase
of monitoring residents’ physical fitness with the Health Bureau, the Education and Youth Affairs
Bureau, the Social Welfare Bureau, the Tertiary Education Services Office and the Macao Polytechnic
Institute, from January to April 2010. Follow-up work in 2011 included publishing the 2010 Macao
Residents Physical Fitness Monitor Report and formulation of policies for improvements based on
findings of the project with the five coordinating organisations, which are the Health Bureau, the
Education and Youth Affairs Bureau, the Social Welfare Bureau, the Tertiary Education Services
Office and the Macao Polytechnic Institute.
4th East Asian Games
The 4th East Asian Games, from 29 October to 6 November 2005, was the first major comprehensive
games organised by the Macao Government. Athletes from China; Macao, China; DPR Korea;
Mongolia; Hong Kong, China; Chinese Taipei; Japan; Guam; and South Korea competed in 17
sports events.
356

First Lusofonia Games
Culture Culture and and Sport Sport
The First Lusofonia Games was held between 7 and 15 October 2006 in Macao. The 11 participating
countries and regions were Angola; Brazil; Cape Verde; Guinea-Bissau; Macao, China; Mozambique;
Portugal; Sao Tome & Principe; Timor-Leste; and two non-official members India (Goa) and Sri
Lanka. Over 1,000 athletes competed in eight events.
2nd Asian Indoor Games
The 2nd Asian Indoor Games was held from 26 October to 3 November 2007, and was the third
comprehensive athletic meet organised by Macao. It also marked the first time that Macao held a
comprehensive athletic meet at the Asian regional level. All 45 member countries and regions of
the Olympic Council of Asia sent their athletes to participate in the games. Over 3,000 athletes
competed in 17 official events and two demonstration contests.
Sports and Recreation Venues
Most sports and cultural activity venues in Macao are managed by the Macao Sports Development
Board or the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau.
In response to the ever-changing demands of users and to meet the needs of different sports,
the board constantly improves and diversifies the venues under its jurisdiction. These facilities are
conveniently located for Macao residents, and the Sports Development Board intends to eventually
establish a sports complex in every district. They are:
Macao
Peninsula
Venue Area Main Facilities Sports/Purpose
Tap Seac Multisport
Pavilion
5,539 sq m Two indoor sports
halls, table tennis
room
Victory Sports Centre Two gymnastics rooms,
two squash courts
Artur Tamagnini
Barbosa Sports Centre
1,085 sq m One indoor heated
swimming pool, one
multipurpose sports
field
Bosco Sports Complex 2,265 sq m One indoor heated
swimming pool, one
artificial pitch, two
gymnastics rooms
Volleyball,
basketball, wushu,
taekwondo,
karate, handball,
badminton, table
tennis, and futsal
Indoor sports
Swimming, football,
basketball, table
tennis, and air
hockey
Swimming, sevena-side
soccer, and
various indoor
sports
357

Macao Yearbook 2012
Macao
Peninsula
Taipa
358
Venue Area Main Facilities Sports/Purpose
Lin Fong Sports Centre Natural grass football
filed, running track,
indoor heated
swimming pool, indoor
stadium
Nam Van Lake Nautical
Centre (managed by the
Civic and Municipal
Affairs Bureau)
Olympic Complex 76,877
sq m (not
including
Olympic
Aquatic
Centre and
Multipurpose
Zone)
151,000 sq m Six 500-metre-long,
13.5-metre-wide,
3.5-metre-deep lanes;
boat storage; land
platform
1. Stadium
2. Hockey Filed
3. Multipurpose Zone
4. Aquatic Centre
5. Multi-storey car park
6. 3 on 3 Basketball
Field
7. Badminton Zone
Carmo Swimming Pool One indoor heated
swimming pool, one
outdoor swimming
pool, and two
gymnastic rooms
Football Pitch/ Athletics
Ground of the Macao
University of Science
and Technology
(MUST) (managed by
MUST)
Sports Training Centre Covering a
building area
of 2,460 sq m
44,800 sq m Grass football pitch;
10-lane tartan running
track
Two multipurpose
rooms, gymnastics
room, multifunction
room, conference room
Football, track and
field, swimming,
table tennis, kendo,
taijiquan, aerobics,
rouli ball, karate,
judo. One of the
swimming pools
is reserved for
the disabled and
those required
rehabilitation
training.
Morning exercise,
Aquatic activities
Morning exercise,
track and field,
various types of
football, basketball,
volleyball,
badminton, table
tennis, handball,
wushu, karate,
hockey, tennis,
gateball, rugby, as
well as swimming,
water polo,
synchronised
swimming and
diving
Swimming and
indoor sports
Combining the
functions of
instruction and
sports
(Cont.)
Karate, chess,
physical training and
sports classes

COTAI
Macao East Asian
Games Dome
Culture Culture and and Sport Sport
Venue Area Main Facilities Sports/Purpose
International Shooting
Range
Approximately
140,000 sq m
1. Indoor Arena
2. Theatre
3. Exhibition Centre
4. Macao International
Convention Centre
52,355 sq m 1. Management Centre
2. 10-metre Shooting
Range
3. 25-metre Shooting
Range
4. 50-metre Shooting
Range
5. Finals Shooting
Range
Bowling Centre 5,830 sq m 24 bowling lanes, three
international standard
squash courts, one table
tennis zone and one
sports experience zone
Tennis Academy 15,304 sq m Eight tennis courts, one
centre court
Cheoc Van Nautical
Club
4,547 sq m Aquatic activity
facilities and storage
service
Hac-Sa Nautical Centre 4,749 sq m 220 indoor, semiindoor
and open-air
berths
Coloane Go-Kart Racing
Course
Approximately
43,000 sq m
1.2 km-long, 10 m
wide track comprising
straight and winding
sections
Gymnastics,
volleyball,
basketball, wushu,
taekwondo,
karate, badminton,
fencing, indoor
cycling, futsal,
dancesport, indoor
athletics, major
exhibitions, trade
fairs, conferences,
receptions
Shooting
Bowling, squash,
table tennis, air
hockey and other
sports experiences
Tennis
(Cont.)
Centre for sailing,
windsurfing and
sea canoeing and
training
An integrated sports
centre for launching
and berthing nonmotorised
boats
A small but wellequipped
kart-racing
circuit complying
with international
standards
359

Macao Yearbook 2012
The Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau is also responsible for the sports and recreation venues
at Dr Sun Yat Sen Municipal Park, Mong Ha Municipal Park, Guia Hill Municipal Park, Ho Yin
Garden, the Municipal Swimming Pool, Cheoc Van Swimming Pool, Hac Sa Park and Swimming
Pool, Water Activities Centre at Hac Sa Reservoir, Hac Sa Summer Camp Area, Ponte Negra
Municipal Recreation Centre (fitness centre), Carmo Sports and Recreation Ground, Ilha Verde
Sports Ground, Avenida do Comendador Ho Yin Sports Ground, Avenida do Conselheiro Borja
Sports Ground, Weng Neng Sports Ground, Rua Central da Areia Preta Sports Ground, Almirante
Magalhaes Correia Sports Ground , Doca Lam Mau Sports Ground, Coloane Sports Ground, Hac
Sa Beach Sports Ground, Canal dos Patos Sports Ground and Barra Sports Ground.
There are also many other sports venues owned by associations, institutions and individuals,
such as the Workers’ Soccer Pitch and a golf course.
Macao Forum
The Macao Forum is one of the most popular venues in Macao for entertainment and sporting events.
Opened on 27 May 1985, Macao Forum is divided into two sections. Forum I has a seating
capacity of 4,062 and an area of 7,280 square metres. The sports floor was built to international
standards. It measures 45 metres by 25 metres and has a ceiling height of 15 metres, and can
accommodate professional sports events, such as handball, rolling field hockey, tennis, volleyball,
indoor soccer, badminton, table tennis, gymnastics, fencing and wrestling. It is also an ideal venue
for concerts, dance shows, acrobatics, music concerts, conferences and meetings. Forum I houses
a lobby and an exhibition gallery, which can accommodate exhibitions.
Public Swimming Pools and Beaches
Swimming is one of the most popular recreational activities among Macao residents. The swimming
pools managed by the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau include the Municipal Swimming Pool,
and the swimming pools at Dr Sun Yat Sen Municipal Park, Cheoc Van and Hac Sa Park. The
Macao Sport Development Board also manages a number of swimming pools, including those
at the Lin Fong Sports Centre, Bosco Sports Complex, Artur Tamagnini Barbosa Sports Centre,
Olympic Sports Centre and Carmo.
In Macao, only two beaches – Hac Sa Beach and Cheoc Van Beach, both managed by the
Maritime Administration – are available for public use.
Trails
Topographically, Macao has a lower elevation in the north and a higher elevation in the south.
Thirteen trails covering a total length of 33 kilometres are located on Taipa and Coloane islands.
These provide access to replanted forest areas where saplings still require care, and serve as
firebreaks and access routes for fire fighters. For the vast majority of Macao’s residents and visitors,
however, the primary function of the trails is to facilitate exploration and enjoyment of the natural
attractions of the islands.
360

Basic Information about the 13 Trails
Name Location Length Characteristics
Ka Ho
Reservoir
Trail
Coloane
Fitness
Trail
Taipa
Grande
Trail
Taipa
Pequena
Trail 2000
Coloane
Trail
On reserved
land inside
the Ka Ho
Reservoir
Country Park,
Coloane
The entrance
is at the
intersection of
Alto Street in
Coloane and
Militar Street.
It encircles the
Coloane High
Hill at midway.
Inside Taipa
Grande Nature
Park
Taipa Pequena
Hill
The trail
begins and
ends near
Alto Street in
Coloane.
1,550
metres
1,225
metres
4,000
metres
2,300
metres
8,100
metres
The route goes uphill from the starting
point, but the remaining sections are
flat and wide. Hikers can appreciate
the wildlife. Coloane Northeast Trail is
accessible from here via a branch trail.
Coloane’s first fitness trail. Along it are
nine fitness areas with free facilities.
There are two intersections with the
Coloane Trail.
The first section is a 600-metre eco-trail,
which is wide and with very little incline.
Family members young and old can enjoy
this easy hike. There is also a garden
with different varieties of camellias and
osmanthus. Visitors can appreciate the
beauty and fragrance of the flowers. The
middle stretch — the pedal fitness trail
— is more challenging. Following the
stone steps, hikers reach Taipa’s highest
point, which is 158.2 metres above sea
level. Alternatively, they can choose to
head southeast along the 1,200-metre
bird-watching trail, which affords
opportunities to see egrets in flight and an
excellent vista of Taipa.
2.5 metres wide, the trail encircles Taipa
Pequena Hill. En route are five outdoor
fitness areas, a children’s playground
and some leisure areas. Along this route,
visitors get excellent views of the Macau
peninsula, Taipa and Hengqin Island in
Zhuhai.
The trail encircles the central area
of Coloane island at an average of
100 metres above sea level. En route,
visitors can see areas of Coloane that are
inhabited by a rich variety of plants and
birds. It is the longest trail in Macao, and
was the first to be built on Coloane.
Culture Culture and and Sport Sport
Walking
Time
About
30
minutes
About
25
minutes
About
90
minutes
About
150
minutes
361

Macao Yearbook 2012
362
Basic Information about the 13 Trails
Name Location Length Characteristics
Coloane
Northeast
Trail
Hac Sa
Reservoir
Circuit
Hac Sa
Reservoir
Fitness
Circuit
Hac Sa
Long
Chao Kok
Circuit
Ka Ho
Height
Circuit
On the hills
east of Seac
Pai Van
Inside Hac
Sa Reservoir
Country Park
Inside Hac
Sa Reservoir
Country Park
Hac Sa Long
Chao Kok
(Dragon Paw
Corner),
southwest of
Coloane
Entrance
inside the Ka
Ho Height
Barbecue Park
4,290
metres
2,650
metres
1,505
metres
2,150
metres
1,490
metres
The trail has an average altitude of 55
metres above sea level. It has 10 sections,
the first of which is a nature trail with
very little incline. Two minor trails
branch off the main one. One is called
the “Yearning Trail” after the Acacia
Confusa trees (“Taiwan Lovesickness” in
Chinese) that line the way. The other is
the Golf Trail, from which the entire area
of the golf course, Ka Ho Village and Ka
Ho Reservoir are visible. A 500-metre
tree walk connects this trail with the
rural area opposite the Ka Ho Height
Barbecue Park, thereby completing the
trail network on Coloane.
Located halfway up and around the hill.
Besides views of the reservoir, visitors
can also enjoy the attractive scenery
of Hac Sa Beach. The trail links to the
Coloane Trail.
Hikers may use nine fitness stations along
the flat route to jog and do callisthenics
while enjoying the views of Hac Sa
Reservoir.
A circuit divided into the Rockview Path,
Seaview Path and Red Leaves Path, this
is the only trail from which one may
simultaneously enjoy views of mountains
and the sea in close proximity.
The circuit begins with a climb up a
280-metre-long, 50-metre-high stone
staircase. After reaching an altitude of
100 metres above sea level, it encircles
the central hill. It offers visitors attractive
views of Hac Sa Reservoir and the lush
greenery of a golf course. The Coloane
Trail and the Hac Sa Reservoir Country
Park are both accessible from here via a
branch trail.
(Cont.)
Walking
Time
About
90
minutes
About
55
minutes
About
30
minutes
About
45
minutes
About
30
minutes

Basic Information about the 13 Trails
Name Location Length Characteristics
Seac Pai
Van Park
Trail
Coloane
Stone
Washbasin
Ancient
Route
Long
Chao Kok
Coastal
Trail in
Hac Sa
Inside Seac Pai
Van Country
Park
Entrance
at Hac Sa
Village,
Coloane
Entrance next
to the Hac Sa
Beach villas
Gardens and Parks
1,680
metres
Around
1,500
metres
Around
1,120
metres
The trail has a number of branches. A
935-metre section is a nature education
trail equipped with 24 explanatory
signposts.
Coloane’s most historic and ancient trail.
Twisting and turning, it spans both the
east and west valleys.
Located at the southernmost tip of
Macao, the trail runs from the Hac Sa
Beach villas, extending westward to the
Cheoc Van Beach villas. It passes coastal
features and lavish vegetation, which
includes Lygodium microphyllum (Cav.)
R. Brown, Nepenthes mirabilis (Lour.)
Druce and Bryophyllum pinnatum (Airplant).
Culture Culture and and Sport Sport
Walking
Time
About
40
minutes
About
35
minutes
About
25
minutes
Though small in area, Macao is renowned for its many gardens in a variety of scenery and styles,
offering a host of attractions. These form one of Macao’s unique features as a tourist destination.
The gardens are not only tourist attractions, but are also popular spots where local residents relax
and exercise.
Guia Hill Municipal Park
(Cont.)
Guia Hill Municipal Park is one of Macao’s major sources of fresh air. This tourist attraction boasts
extensive natural resources. Of all the parks in Macao, it ranks first as a site for Chinese red pines,
both in terms of their quantity and age.
Built in 1622, an ancient fortress occupies approximately 800 square metres at the top of Guia
Hill. Inside the fortress is the Chapel of Our Lady of Guia on Guia Hill, built and dedicated to Nossa
Senhora da Guia (Our Lady of Guia). This is the origin of the fortress’s name – Fortress of Our Lady
of Guia. A historic lighthouse on the southern coast of China, the Guia Lighthouse, stands within
the fortress. The lighthouse still serves as a navigation guide for ships sailing in the area. Whenever
typhoons approach, the lighthouse hoists coded signals to notify residents of their intensity.
A health trail and a series of fitness facilities have been installed on Guia Hill, making it an
ideal destination for residents seeking to exercise or simply take a stroll during their leisure hours.
363

Macao Yearbook 2012
Luis de Camoes Garden
Luis de Camoes Garden is one of the oldest gardens in Macao. It has a total area of 19,200 square
metres. It was the residence of a rich Portuguese merchant named Lourenco Marques. He loved to
feed the pigeons and hundreds of birds nested around his home, creating a spectacular view. From
a distance, the garden looked like one giant bird’s nest, and the name has been used ever since.
The hill on which the garden is located was also known as Phoenix Hill, as many phoenix
trees have stood there since the Qing Dynasty. Famous writers Qiu Fengjia and Li Xialing of the
Qing Dynasty, and Wang Zhaoyong of our own time, have written poems in appreciation of this
beautiful view.
Also to be found in the garden is “The Cave of Luis de Camoes”. Legend has it that more than
400 years ago, after offending the powers-that-be in his native Portugal, Luis de Camoes was exiled
to Macao. There, he took up residence in this very cave and wrote his famous poem, The Lusiadas.
The statue of Camoes that still stands in the garden was erected in 1866.
A sculpture named “Embrace”, symbolising the friendship between Portugal and China, stands
within the garden.
Ho Yin Garden
Ho Yin Garden is situated to the north of Amizade Avenue. It was built to commemorate the late
Chinese community leader, Ho Yin, and was opened to the public in 1993. In line with urban
development, an underground car park was built there in 2005. The redesigned park is separated into
south and north sections, and interconnected with a pedestrian subway. The Reunification Pavilion
and open-air theatre have been retained at the original site. It was reopened to the public in 2007.
Carlos d’Assumpcao Park
Carlos d’Assumpcao Park is situated to the south of Amizade Avenue, opposite Ho Yin Garden. It
commemorates the Macanese community leader and former president of the Legislative Assembly,
Carlos d’Assumpcao, and it was opened to the public in 1996. It has an area of 23,200 square metres
and includes a playground, a pergola and resting areas. A musical fountain is located in the outer
area of the park, near the seashore. In front of the park and close to the seashore stands the statue
of the goddess Kum Iam.
Flora Garden
Flora Garden is located at the foot of Guia hill. At the end of the 19th century, it was bought by
the former Portuguese administration to serve as the Governor’s summer residence. Sir Robert Ho
Tung, a philanthropist, later bought it, but afterwards returned it as a gift to the former Portuguese
administration. For this reason, the garden is still called “Ho Tung Garden” in Chinese. It is also
known as “I Long Hau Fa Yun”, as it is at close proximity to a spring.
This is the only botanical garden in the Macao peninsula; it contains a great variety of plants,
flowers, and birds. There is a small zoo with various species of birds, mammals and reptiles. An
artificial waterfall, stream and aquarium have been built at its centre.
364

Culture Culture and and Sport Sport
A cable car was completed and went into service in 1997. It runs from the garden entrance to
the top of Guia Hill Reservoir, conveniently linking the two locations.
Lou Lim Ieoc Garden
Lou Lim Ieoc Garden is the only garden in Hong Kong and Macao with the classic ambiance of
those found in Suzhou. It features pavilions, terraces, lakes, zigzag bridges, rocks and cascades,
all of which reflect the beautiful scenery of the Jiangnan area on the southern, lower reaches of
the Changjiang River.
The pavilion is the garden’s main building. Visitors may stroll beside the pool in front of it,
past zigzag bridges, stone hills, tranquil bamboo groves, a waterfall and passageway, all of which
make a deep impression.
The garden’s attractive stone hills with their variously shaped rocks are reminiscent of Lion
Grove Garden in Suzhou. The stone hill next to Nine Curves Bridge has zigzagging corridors and
walkways; and water trickles from a waterfall, combining to create an unforgettable scene. The
refreshing pool and the enchanting lotus flowers on it produce a stunning effect as willow trees
wave in the breeze at the water’s edge.
Steles engraved with couplets have been erected in the pavilions, especially the newly renovated
Green Fragrant Pavilion, Jade Pavilion, and Longevity Pavilion, and these are much admired by
passing visitors.
Dr Sun Yat Sen Municipal Park
Located on a former landfill at Ilha Verde in northern Macao and close to the Border Gate, Dr Sun
Yat Sen Municipal Park covers a total area of 52,700 square metres.
The park’s scenic spots fall into two categories. The northeastern part is Chinese in style, with
an artificial lake, zigzag bridge and pavilions, while the southwestern section is in the Western
tradition. The pavilion in the northeastern area stands on an artificial hill, and gives a sweeping view
of Zhuhai’s Gongbei area. This small red and green building creates a very peaceful atmosphere.
The zigzag bridges and corridors are interestingly laid out.
A 500-metre-long cloister, the longest in Macao’s gardens and parks, links most of the scenic
spots in the park. An open-air theatre, a sport court, other sports facilities and a swimming pool
are situated in the park. The park also has a community library, completed in 1996. “Permanent
Handshake”, a sculpture representing the friendship between Portugal and China, is another of its
features.
There are many other gardens and parks in Macao, including Mong Ha Hill Municipal Park,
Russa Hill Park, St Francis Garden, Victory Garden, Vasco da Gama Garden and Areia Preta Seaside
Park, Iao Hon Market Garden, Art Garden, and Areia Preta Urban Park on the Macao peninsula;
Lakeside Garden, Flower City Garden, Monument Garden, Laurinda Marques Esparteiro Garden
and Pier Garden on Taipa island; and Hac Sa Sports and Recreation Park, Hac Sa Arboretum and
Coloane Height Park on Coloane island.
365

Macao Yearbook 2012
Macao Yearbook 2012
366

Chief Executive Chui Sai On presents trophies to the winners
of the Macau Grand Prix, on 20 November.
367
Culture and Sport

Culture and Sport
368
Chief Executive Chui Sai On attends the opening ceremony of the exhibition,
River of Wisdom – Animated Version of the Riverside Scene at Qingming
Festival, which is held in March.
Chief Executive Chui Sai On attends an activity to celebrate the centenary
of the Revolution of 1911, on 4 September.

Chief Executive Chui Sai On attends the 2010 Awards Ceremony of Prizes and
Certificates of Merit in Sports to Outstanding Athletes and Coaches, on 17 January.
369

Culture and Sport
370
Macau Creative Pavilion, an exhibition showcasing creative products designed
and made by Macao artists, is opened by the Cultural Affairs Bureau, on 5 March.
International Challenge Day on 25 May.

The Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Cheong U, with more than a hundred photographers and
journalists participating in the “China (Macau) International Photography Forum and Focus on Macau
Photojournalism”, in Golden Lotus Square on 9 December.
371

Culture and Sport
372
The 22nd Macao Arts Festival: The musical Legend of Lilau staged on 27 May.
The Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau stages Tap Seac Art Fair at
Tap Seac Square from 18th to 27th November.

The Parade of Macau City Fringe 2011, on 20 November.
373

Culture and Sport
374
Lusofonia Festival and Cultural Week of China and Portuguese Speaking
Countries 2011 are held in late October.
Striving for the Best (Photo: Tam Kam Weng)

Chief Executive Chui Sai On attends the opening ceremony of FIVB World
Grand Prix Finals Macau 2011, on 24 August.
375