China

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Macao (Macau)

For nearly 300 years the Portuguese paid China an annual tribute for the use of the peninsula, but in 1849 Portugal proclaimed it a free port; this was confirmed by China in the Protocol of Lisbon in 1887.

Until trade through Hong Kong was established, almost all trade between Europe and China passed through its seaport. For centuries, seaborne traders took advantage of the monsoons, moving north and east to arrive off the southern coast of China in the spring and summer, and departing for South and Southeast Asia in the winter. The Canton fairs of January and June were held to coincide with the monsoons. Macao had the dubious distinction, along with other great seaports, such as San Francisco, as being one of the wickedest cities in the world. Macao was a primitive outpost, far from polite society. Explorers sought precious spices, the Portuguese accumulated bullion in the Japan trade, and British and American sailors traded opium for sea. Hong Kong and Macao were the hub of the whole underground traffic in opium. There was no income tax and no exchange control, complete freedom of import and export of foreign currencies, and all forms of bullion.

Macao played a small and long forgotten role in U.S. history: On July 3, 1844, the first Chinese-American treaty, known as the Treaty of Wang Xia, was negotiated and signed here. With that treaty, the United States acquired the same "most favored nation" status in China that the British enjoyed, not by force of arms but by convincing the Chinese that it sought no unfair advantage and, above all, did not seek territory. (Image: The Praya Grande, showing the Cathedral, the Facade of St. Paul's and Fort Monte. The principal waterfront promenade when the Portuguese held the peninsulia of Macao.)

The Treaty of Wang Xia gave American cargo ships access to the five Chinese treaty ports, forced open to foreigners as a result of the Opium War, and it also gave Americans the right to construct hospitals, churches, and cemeteries in China, a privilege the missionaries who served as Caleb Cushing's translators in Macao were especially anxious to obtain.

The Imperial commissioner Qiying had been China's representative at the acrimonious Nanjing negotiations, and his large entourage of soldiers, servants, officials, and advisors was lodged at the Temple of Kun Iam during the negotiations with Cushing. The Treaty of Wang Xia, which governed the American relationship with China until 1905, committed the United States and China "to a perfect reciprocity." As Qiying wrote to Cushing when inviting him to take "fruit and tea" at the temple of Kun Iam: "This conduct is vastly different from that of the English taking and keeping possession of Hong Kong. . . " (Above right: Fishing village on stilts. Macao.)

In the middle of its vice, the rocky ridge of the peninsula was covered with churches, convents, turrets, and tall houses. A narrow, sandy isthmus joins the peninsula to the heights of Heang-shan, which are crowned with forts.

August 30, 1849, Alta California, San Francisco, California

Emeute at Macao.

The Hong Kong Register, Extra, gives the following particulars of an excitement at Macao:

SATURDAY, 3 P. M., 9th JUNE, 1849

We deem the following account of an exciting affair at Macao worthy of an Extra. We had heretofore given Senhor D'Amaral much credit for his courage and determination, and we had esteemed him as not wanting in general good sense; but, on learning the following particulars, for the general correctness of which we can vouch, we are quite at a loss to account for conduct so unworthy of any enlightened governor of a colony in this the middle of the 19th century. From the manner in which the circumstances were detailed to us, we cannot see any excuse which Senhor D'Amaral can make for the unwarrantable seizure of a British subject. The whole case will doubtless form matter for much official correspondence. The English residents in Macao may see some little cause for alarm; but we trust, His Excellency's after-conduct will show that the present unfortunate transgression arose from an excitement of temper, which he will in future study to keep under due control.

The particulars which reached us are us follows:

"Mr. Summers, a resident of Hong Kong, landed at Macao on the evening of the 7th inst. On passing along a street, through which the procession of the Corpus Christi was passing, he was desired, as he supposed by some Catholic priest, and afterward by a soldier, to take off his hat; but, being a Protestant, and having religious scruples, he refused to comply; whereupon he was taken to the guard house, and kept there through the night without any food. Mr. Summers made a respectful communication to Senhor D'Amaral, the Governor, regretting the circumstance, and requested to be released on the grounds that he was ignorant of the customs of Catholic countries; else, as he could not have complied with the ceremony, he would have avoided the procession. Of this communication no notice was taken; but early on the morning of the 8th, he was removed to the common jail.

Upon this Mr. Summers wrote a note to Capt. Staveley, who happened to be at Macao at the time, begging his interference with the Governor, with the view of getting released. Capt. Staveley immediately waited on Capt. Keppel, detailing the circumstances of the case; when that officer, with his characteristic energy and determination, waited on the Governor, demanding the immediate release of Mr. Summers, and the reason for his having been thrown into confinement. We hear that the Governor distinctly separated the alleged offence from anything connected with religion; but threw it upon the grounds that Mr, Summers had refused to obey the Governor's orders to uncover, and was placed in custody accordingly that as the whole affair was in the hands of the judicial authorities, the case must wait the usual process, and that perhaps in a week judgment might issue upon it. This reply not conforming with Captain Keppel's notions of what was due to a British subject in a dependency of Portugal, demanded formally by letter, the immediate liberation of Mr. Summers, with a full explanation of the causes of the imprisonment. Senhor D' Amaral treated the demand with great nonchalance; whereupon Capt Keppel, not being able to get any satisfactory reply, immediately ordered the boats of the squadron, already preparing for work of another class -- namely, boat racing to be manned and armed, and to land at a certain point, where he and Capts. Troubridge, Hay, and Staveley would be ready to head them.

A Market in Macao Auguste Borget

The moment the first boat touched the beach, the crew were ordered to land and form, and proceed, under Capt. Keppel's direction, through Mr. Brane's house; they got into the square behind it, dispersed the guard, took possession of a park of artillery in front of the guard house, and released Mr. Summers.

While these things were passing, boat after boat, fully manned, came tumbling on to the beach, following the route of the first party; the Portuguese guard, adjoining the Governor's residence, looking with astonishment and consternation at the rapidity of the movement, and wondering what was coming next. Recovering from their astonishment, and hearing the report of musketry, (shots having been exchanged at the jail,) a party was detached to intercept the rescuing force; but they arrived at the scene of action too late, and only in time to discharge their muskets at the party retiring. No one was hit by the discharge, and within four minutes of the landing of the first boat's crew, Mr. Summers found himself released from prison, thus depriving Governor Amaral, and his judicial staff of much unnecessary discussion. Mr. Summers was brought over in H. M. brigColumbine, doubtless singing in his sleeve the popular melody of "We'll gang nae mair to you town."

His Excellency Senhor D'Amaral, while the above events were taking place, was enjoying the hospitality of Commodore Geisinger, on board the U.S. frigate Plymouth, and landed a short time after all was over, on which great excitement was apparent in the town, signals being passed through the forts, where the whole of the guns were apparently being loaded. At this time the boats, so recently employed in upholding the honor of their country, were engaged in the pleasant pastime of racing, in which two of the Meander's boats were winners.

We cannot say too much in praise of the gallant and dignified manner in which the whole affair was conducted by Capt. Keppel. We presume it will give occasion for correspondence between Senhor D'Amaral and the Governor of this place; but we trust such a foolish and indiscreet act, on the part of the Governor of Macao, will be looked over by the respective governments in Europe.

By the late nineteenth century, Macao was a European oasis for tycoons, with gambling, women and gold, and no one to answer to. By the 1840s, one writer reported that romantic Macao bore a striking resemblance to Naples with its curving beach and hills, and European buildings. Large houses had vast rooms, palatial staircases, and mysterious verandahs. On the opposite side of the peninsula, however, are filthy, old Chinese tenements, filled with wretchedly poor Chinese laborers who negotiate dark alleys by day and night.

Also on the back side of Macao is a deeply spiritual hillside along the shoreline. The A-Ma Temple -- Also known as the Ma-Gao Temple, it is the oldest temple in Macao with a history of over 500 years. The temple stands against the hill facing the sea. It is made up of the central hall, prayer halls and pavilions. The temple is dedicated to the Queen of Heaven, who is worshipped as the guardian of fishermen. The temple is crowded on March 23 every year on the lunar calendar, which is believed to be the birthday of the Queen of Heaven. Among the relics in the temple are a couple of stone lions carved 300 years ago, a 400-year-old stone tablet with carving of foreign ship and many stone inscriptions of verses of literary figures. During Chinese New Year, thousands of people flock to light incense and firecrackers to the goddess of the sea, the air fills with dark-grey smoke from the incense and firecrackers. Chinese ships nudge into the shoreline, cover their bows with 20 and 30 foot long strings of red firecrackers and light them for good fortune.

At one point in her history, Macao had a female dubbed the "Queen of the Macao pirates." Lai Choi San is said to have inherited the business and ships from her father, a brigand who had been granted refuge in Macao with the understanding that he and his gang would protect the colony's enormous fishing fleets. He owned seven fully armored junks when he died. Lai Choi San took them over, added five more, and was said to have barrels of money and absolute control. As a "protector", she was up against gangs who kidnapped men, women and children, burning their sampans and holding the families for ransom. Lai Choi San avenged the families, was said to be ruthless and cruel, and profitable in the business of protection.

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This book synthesizes 25 years of archaeological research to reconstruct the 14th-century port of Singapore in great detail. The picture that emerges is of a port where people processed raw materials, used money, and had specialized occupations. Within its defensive wall, the city was well organized and prosperous, with a cosmopolitan population that included residents from China, other parts of Southeast Asia, and the Indian Ocean. Fully illustrated, with more than 300 maps and color photos, Singapore and the Silk Road of the Sea presents Singapore's history in the context of Asia's long-distance maritime trade in the years between 1300 and 1800. The author is Associate Professor, Southeast Asian Studies at the National University of Singapore, and Head of the NSC Archaeology Unit, Institute of Southeast Asian Studies.

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Historical Fiction

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