About Macau

Macau is a Special Administrative Region (SAR) in China. Macau has a surprisingly old heritage. It dates back to around 221 to 206 BC when the Qin Dynasty was in power. The region was under the jurisdiction of Panyu country at that time. People were fleeing from the terror and wrath of the Mongols who were invading their area and so the relocated themselves and settled in the region of Macau during the Southern Song Dynasty. It was during the Ming Dynasty in 1368 to 1644 AD when fishermen from Guangdong and Fujian provinces migrated to Macau.

Even after this, it was the arrival of the Portuguese that led to Macau developing as a major settlement for the first time until the Portuguese arrived in the 16th century.Jorge Álvaresis the first noted Portuguese to have land in China in 1513. Soon afterwards, they obtained trading rights and began to anchor ships in theharbors of Macau. Carrying out trading activities began to increase their influence, and after some time, they also obtained temporary permission to build storage sheds onshore, for the purpose of drying out goods that had gotten wet by the sea water. This led to the Portuguese building rudimentary houses made of stone in an area now known as called Nam Van. In 1557, this further led to the establishment of a permanent Portuguese settlement in Macau, where they would have to pay a yearly rent of 20 kilogram of silver. This tradition was continued till the year 1863.

The Portuguese tried doing trade through a western route with China, but to their dismay, China treated them quite coldly and indifferently. However, on the plus side, the Portuguese were permitted by the Pope Gregory XIII, who had also established the Roman Catholic Diocese of Macau, to set up a Senate, and this gave them some command over the administration of Macau, especially matters pertaining to social and economic affairs, even though the Chinese strictly supervised all actions at all times.

Macau prospered and the Portuguese squashed any one, such as the Dutch, who tried to conquer this region. The Opium War, from 1839 to 1842, led to Portugal occupyingTaipa and Coloane. The Qing and Portuguese governments signed a treaty in which China agreed to give up its right of “perpetual occupation and government of Macau by Portugal.”

In 1928, the Qing Dynasty was overthrown and the Kuomintang (KMT) government took control. It signed a new treaty that did not change the sovereignty of Macau and the Portuguese government of Macau was allowed to continue with its regularities.

In 1949, the People’s Republic of China was established. There was a dissatisfaction with the Portuguese government in mainland china, by this time, worsened by the Cultural Revolution. Hence, riots broke out in 1966. The Portuguese dictatorship was overthrown and the new Portuguese government decided that it would let go of all of its overseas possessions. For some time, Macau was considered a Chinese territory with Portuguese administration, but finally in 1986, the Chinese and Portuguese governments signed a declaration that made Macau a special administrative region (SAR) of China.