Macao

Publish Time：2016-05-18 16:19:32Source：WTCF

【Introduction】：Macao is situated in the southeast coastal area of Mainland China. Over the past four hundred years, this was the place for fusion of Chinese and western cultures

City Introduction

Macao, officially known as the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, is a special administrative region on the southern coast of the People's Republic of China. Macau lies on the western side of the Pearl River Delta across from Hong Kong, which is about 60 kilometers to the east, and it is also bordered by Guangdong of Mainland China to the north and the South China Sea to the east and south.

(Source: Internet)

In 1553, Macao was leased to Portugal from Ming Dynasty China as a trading port. The Portuguese Empire administered the city under Chinese authority and sovereignty until 1887, when Macao became a colony. Sovereignty over Macao was transferred to China on December 20th, 1999. After being exposed to western culture for over 400 years, Macao is now a unique city integrated with both western and eastern cultures with the existence of many historical cultural heritages. On July 15th, 2005, Macao was officially placed on the UN list of World Culture Heritage.

Macao is an international free port with the highest population density. Attributing to its famous light industries, tourism industries, hotel industries and recreational grounds, Macao is one of the most developed and affluent places in the world.

History

Macao was known as Haojing or Hao Jing Ao. The name Macao is thought to be derived from the A-Ma Temple. It is said that when the Portuguese sailors landed at the coast just outside the temple and asked the name of the place, the natives replied "妈阁" (pinyin: Māgé). The Portuguese then named the peninsula "Macao."

After 1849, the Portuguese toke sovereignty of Macao Peninsula, Taipa Island and Coloane Island subsequently. In 1887, the Portuguese forced a written note of “perpetual occupation of Macao” in the “Sino-Portuguese Treaty of Peking.” On December 1st, the Qing Dynasty confirmed the right of "perpetual occupation and government of Macau by Portugal." In April, 1928, the Chinese government notified Portugal to abort the “Sino-Portuguese Treaty of Peking.” The Chinese and Portuguese governments commenced negotiations on the question of Macau in June 1986. The two signed a Sino-Portuguese Joint Declaration the next year, making Macau a special administrative region (SAR) of China. The Chinese government assumed formal sovereignty over Macau on 20 December 1999.

Culture

Its special historical background enables Macao as a living testimony to the integration and co-existence of eastern and western cultures over a unique chapter in history, which can be manifested in the variety of eastern and western festivals.

People in Macao celebrate traditional Chinese festivals, such as the Spring Festival, the Tomb-sweeping Day, the Dragon Boat Festival, the Double Ninth Festival, the Mid-autumn Festival and so on. During the Spring Festival, people would rush to A-Ma Temple to pray for a happy and prosperous new year. On the Double Ninth Festival, there are dragon boat races held as well.

Western festivals like the “Procession of the Passion of Our Lord, the God Jesus, Procession of Our Lady of Fátima, A-Ma Festival, Feast of the Drunken Dragon, Tam Kong Festival” are also celebrated.

Climate

Macao has a humid subtropical monsoon climate and it also bears the characteristics of tropical climate. The average annual temperature of Macao is 22.3 °C. The yearly temperature difference is between 11 °C to 14 °C. It’s humid and rainy during spring and summer, while, in winter and autumn the weather is mostly dry with little rain. Typhoon season is from May to October with a higher frequency from July to September.

Best Time for Travelling

Macao is situated at a seaside region, and its weather is warm, humid, rainy, and distinctive. Spring is from April to May, followed by summer from May to September. Autumn is from September to December, while, winter falls on January and ends in March. The coldest month is January with average temperature of 14.6 °C, and the lowest temperature is above 5°C, so for tourists from the Northern China, weather would still be very pleasant, which makes autumn and winter the best season for travelling.

Summer is not a good time for sightseeing with its high temperatures, but it is a good time to swim at the Black Sand Beach.

Holiday Arrangements

2016 Macao Public Holiday Arrangements

Jan. 1: New Year's Day

Feb. 8-10: Chinese New Year Holidays

Mar. 25: Good Friday

Mar. 27: Easter

Apr. 4: Ching Ming

May 1: Labour Day

May 14: Feast of Buddha (Feast of the Bathing of Lord Buddha), Feast of the Drunken Dragon, Tam Kong Festival

Jun. 9: Dragon Boat Festival (Tun Ng Festival)

Sept. 15: Mid-Autumn Festival