- The
daily life of the city
- The agriculture, fishing and other activities
- The seller and the customer
- The funeral ceremony
- The agriculture, fishing and other activities
A Social Panorama of the City Zigzagging across Macau are narrow winding and even dead-end alleys, a typical construction pattern for a small city. Squatting along the roads are buildings of different architectural styles, such as cottages, old Chinese mansions, churches and temples. Bungalows and traditional Chinese buildings in two to three storeys and with tiled roofs dropping at the front and rear are most commonly found. However, the rushing pace of economic development has considerably altered the face of the city as many of the old buildings have been demolished and replaced by multi-storeyed skyscrapers. However, geographical limitations have somehow left certain corners of Macau untouched, where old buildings are preserved and the old face of the city can be traced. An interesting and spectacular scene that can be found on a sunny day in the narrow alleys of these corners, is how people make the best use of sunlight and the limited space of the alleys to dry their laundry. Bamboo poles loaded with clothes are stuck out from the windows into the air and the clothes fly in the wind just like waves of different national flags flowing in the sea. Some simply put the clothes on clotheshorses outside their houses for sun drying like an open clothes display, a street scene found so commonly in the old days.
In the twenties and thirties, roads were built not with cement but pebble stones or flag stone plates, following a Portuguese secular architectural tradition. In fact, pebbled streets had already become a characteristic of Macau. Small pieces of granite were laid on the ground rendering a rough and bumpy surface to the street that could easily trip pedestrians off balance. Experience meant a steady walk.
All walks of life could be found in the streets and the people were usually dressed in plain clothes. Traditional Chinese rather than Western costume filled the wardrobes of people. An open chest jacket with four pockets, two on top and two below, and a pair of loose trousers were the common costume of a man, while a woman wore a jacket with a slanted opening trimmed with embroidered piping or decorative buttons. A more elegant choice would be long robes and Cheongsams. On rainy days, a primitive raincoat made from palm leaves was put on to avoid getting wet. This early version of a raincoat has long disappeared.
Women or children who wanted to maintain their mobility while working or playing while simultaneously looking after babies, found a solution by carrying the babies on their backs using a piece of carrying cloth. It was a square piece of cloth with a long strip of cloth sewn to each corner for wrapping and securing the baby in position. Figures symbolizing luck and good fortune such as dragons and phoenixes, flowers and birds, as well as some blessing words for longevity and prosperity, were embroidered on to the carrying cloth which was indeed a homemade piece of art.
Women did not wear fascinating and stylish hair like today. Long hair made into a bun or braided was most commonly worn. A hair bun was made by coiling and pinning the long hair into the shape of a spiral shell at the back of the head and was usually worn by women. For girls, hair was braided into one or two plaits.
Food was simple. Common people just requested a full stomach with no particular preference for food. Only the rich could afford to go to the restaurant for meals. Restaurants were lavishly decorated in styles so different from today. Flower pots and models of ancient generals were placed outside the restaurants to attract customers. Prices were so overwhelmingly high that the restaurants were literally called "Money Furnaces". Ordinary families could only afford to stay at home for a simple meal of salted fish and vegetables. Children did not care about table manners. Children wandering around in the streets carrying their bowls of rice and eating while playing with their playmates could be taken as one of the civil customs then.
Water did not come from the tap; instead it was drawn from a well, a spring, or a pond on empty land. Wells dotted Macau and were categorized into private and public. Boats transporting spring water from Wan Chai were also one of the sources of drinking water of Macau.
Seven to eight decades ago, Macau was a small and quiet town with little traffic. People mainly walked to their destinations. Rickshaws were the primary means of transportation. Bicycles were few and cars rare. Rickshaws were pulled by men and they could only carry one passenger. For cargo transportation, porters were employed to shoulder or carry the goods on their backs. If the goods were bulky and heavy, plank carts were used. These were built with a wooden frame with a piece of plank placed on top to support the goods. Wheels were fitted to the central bottom and on the sides. It was a strenuous transportation method and has long been abandoned.
The street was a stage where different scenes of plays were performed. There were people fanning leisurely, others carried birdcages and in the mansions there were traditional Chinese lanterns hanging high. All these made up a relaxing and yet charming picture of oriental sentiment.
The old pictures taken in the twenties and thirties act like a time machine shuttling people back to the old days and refreshing their memories of the life patterns of the time.
Hair Cutting and Bun Making A hair bun was traditionally what women wore during festivals and feasts. When there was demand there was supply and so, came the hair makers.
Hair makers, or hairdressers of today, used simple double-edged fine-toothed combs to make ladies's long hair into buns in the styles requested by the customers. The hair buns were then glued into place by a liquid gel dissolved from a plant.
Hair makers served the ladies while hair cutters served the gentlemen. Hair cutters not only cut the hair but also offered massage and ear cleaning services.
Hair cutting stalls were so popular in the past that there was always one on every street corner. For the rich, they had their own private hair makers or cutters who went to their house giving exclusive service. Hair makers and cutters have been replaced by hair stylists with a noticeable rise in their trading status. Hair cutting was considered a low profession then.
Fortune Telling Fortune telling stalls were usually located in the middle section of a street. They were also found inside, outside and within the precincts of temples. The stallholders were called fortune-tellers who usually carried on their business at a fixed location. However, there were also some peripatetic ones who moved around or even travelled from city to city to make a living by fortune telling.
In the early days, when people could not find any solutions to their problems with their jobs, family or marriage, they turned to divination. Through close observation and conversation with the customer, the fortune-teller would use his smart tongue to offer a direction on problem solving. Today, as the society progresses, the prime time of this activity has disappeared.
Rickshaws The sedan chair was the primary means of land transport in Macau until the early twentieth century when the rickshaw was introduced from Japan. The rickshaw was eventually replaced by the tricycle cab or pedicab in the fifties.
The rickshaw was pulled by a man at the front and there were rickshaw stands in the busy streets from where people could take a ride.
Rickshaw men usually came from the poor lower classes. The rickshaw was rented and had simple equipment. When it rained, a cover was pulled overhead and an oilskin spread across at the front to give shelter to the rider. Rich people had their own private rickshaws which were decorated luxuriously. The cabin was fitted with soft flannel material and lanterns were set on the two sides for illumination. To alert pedestrians, the rider pressed a bell with his foot.
The Chinese New Year Eve Fair Chinese New Year is the most important festival for Chinese people. It is closely related to China as an agricultural country. As farming draws to an end in the winter, people take the opportunity to rest and celebrate the rich harvest and at the same time pray for a good year to come.
The celebrations start in the middle of the twelfth month of the lunar calendar and continue until the fifteenth of the next lunar month. The climax is on New Year's eve. After having a family reunion dinner, people go to a New Year Eve Fair. For the last couple of years, the fair has been held at the Leal Senado Square and in the adjacent area.
The flower market is the most important fair, where people can buy different kinds of flowers such as peach blossom, chrysanthemums, daffodils, peonies and many others, all symbolizing fortune and luck.
Paintings, pottery and porcelain ware, gold fish and toys are among the numerous varieties of goods sold in the fair.
The Temples of Macau and The Worshiping of God by Chinese There has been a saying that Macau was built under the watchful eye of the A-ma Temple which, literally, speaks for the longevity of the history of temples in Macau.
In the missionary report of Mathew Ricci, a Catholic Jesuit priest who came to Macau in the early days of Portuguese settlement, there was a description of the early state of the A-ma Temple. "There accommodates an idol statue called A-ma. It still stands today and this place is called Macau lying in the Bay of A-ma."
The Goddesses of A-ma and Mercy, and the God of Earth are amongst the most honorable gods that Chinese in Macau worship. The photographs collected here reflect this.
Music as an Artform Chinese make up the main population of Macau and thus it is not surprising that Cantonese opera is the most popular among all forms of music. Back in the twenties and thirties, Cantonese operas were performed in theatres or squares outside the temples during special commemorative events. Popular venues included the Ching Ping Theatre and the squares of the A-ma Temple, the Pao Kun (the Lord of Justice) Temple, the Tam Kun Temple and the Hong Kun Temple.
Big spenders were never short of amusement in the brothels of Rua de Felicidade where sing-song girls could be summoned to keep them company but they were not expected to accede to any sexual requests. Most of the young singers were also gifted musicians.
Many of the unfortunate blind people led a difficult life in their twilight years. To make a living, they would go and sing happy light songs in restaurants or in the homes of the rich on festive occasions such as weddings and birthdays to amuse the hosts and guests. However, such acts would rarely receive sincere applause and appreciation.
Nowadays, singing has become so popular that one can
easily practice or perform at theatres, workers unions or social
functions, while the sensual period of Rua de Felicidade has faded into
history.
Huang Dehong Huang Jiushun Wu Songjian Chen Shurong Chen Weiheng
The agriculture, fishing and other activities
A Review of the Industries of Macau Several decades ago, modernized factories were few and far between in Macau and handicraft industries were the major economic pillar of the city, among which was the making of joss sticks, matches, candles, wine, ships, tobacco, fruit woollen, goods and cables and particularly reputable fireworks. Fireworks were exported to, and were popular throughout Asia.
The fireworks industry first appeared in the twenties in the Toi Shan area which was remote then and was the biggest industry of Macau for many years. After the tragic explosion of a fireworks factory at Toi Shan in 1925 resulting in heavy casualties, fireworks factories were ordered to move to the island of Taipa. The industry declined in the eighties as the economy of Macau started booming, and so, it is not surprising that the younger generation has only a very vague idea of the manufacturing process of fireworks which has been recorded in these pictures.
Fireworks manufacturing had a vital impact on the livelihood of people as part of the work could be processed outside the factory, thereby offering an auxiliary income to many poor families. Women and children could be seen working outside their houses doing such things as firecracker case paper rolling, bundling, binding and end sealing. In the manufacturing processes, the most dangerous ones were fire-powder inducing and apportioning. Any reckless mistake would result in great disaster.
Seasoning sauce making is a byproduct of fruit processing and is one of the seven most important Chinese daily necessities, the others of which are firewood, rice, oil, salt, seasoning sauce, vinegar and tea.
In addition to the sale outlets, fruit processing plants usually need a big area for sunning as sunlight is one of the processing elements. Fruit is put on big bamboo sieves for sun drying and seasoning sauce is stored in big containers.
The industry flourished in the thirties and forties but started to decline in the sixties. As the city developed and land became valuable, fruit and seasoning sauce processing plants started closing or more profitable construction projects and sales outlets were replaced by supermarkets.
The Fishing Industry Macau was a small fishing village and gradually developed into a modern city. In the twenties and thirties, the fishing industry was in full swing. There were about 60,000 fishermen and they formed the major population of Macau. The Inner Harbour was so jammed with fishing boats that only a small section of the sky could be glimpsed through the numerous masts of boats.
Fishermen lived on the boats. When boats lay anchor in the Inner Harbour, the fishermen made use of the time for repairing boats and sails and replenishing food and water for the next sailing. Sails and oars were the main sailing equipment of the boats which were driven manually and under the blessing of the wind. Nowadays, fishing boats are all driven by engines.
Being situated at the estuary of the Pearl River, Macau is rich in fishing resources. There are about one hundred and twenty eight common species of fish found in the waters of Macau. Its calm waterway makes it an excellent fishing harbour. It is also convenient for fishing boats to go deep-sea fishing. Among the four commonly practiced fishing techniques of trawler netting, angling, gillnetting and seine netting, trawler netting is the most frequently used, at a rate of over 70%.
Before becoming a city, Macau was a small fishing village which gradually also acquired the function of a fishing harbour. The fishing industry occupied a prominent position in the economy of Macau in the forties. Salted fish and shrimp seasoning paste were once the traditional and most popular souvenirs people purchased in Macau.
Fishing boats used to anchor at the harbours of Macau, Taipa island and Ha Sa, Chok Wan and Ka Ho in Coloane island. Nowadays, the shallow waters of Taipa and Coloane islands are not desirable for engine-driven fishing boats to seek anchorage and Aberdeen fishing harbour in Hong Kong eventually attracted the fishing boats of Macau to anchor and sell their high cost catches there. The number of boats coming to Macau has thus plunged from over one thousand in the twenties and thirties to the current five to six hundred.
To facilitate fishing in the shallow waters of Macau, fisherman would use fish netting from fishing huts or along the waterways. Whichever way and wherever he could gain better catches would be his preferred choices of practice.
Fishing boats were primarily used for fishing but sometimes they were also used in transporting gravel and cargo to the shores along Guangdong, to gain extra income. Such acts also helped to promote the interchange of material between Macau and the ports along the river.
The Farming Industry Farming and fishing were two major industries of Macau. As the city developed, farmland gave way to tall buildings to meet the increasing housing demand as the population grew. On the other hand, the influx of abundant and economical agricultural products from Mainland China accelerated the decline of the farming industry in Macau.
In the thirties, Macau turned into a haven for Chinese refugees fleeing from Mainland China during the Sino-Japanese War. The growing population and increased demand for livelihood urged the Macau Government to allocate the area of the Hippodrome and the reclaimed land of the Outer Harbour for cultivation, gardening and poultry raising, while in the islands, Ka Ho and Hac Sa Villages on Coloane Island were two main rice growing areas. Farming flourished in this way.
Following the economic development of Macau, the islands
of Coloane and Taipa saw their work forces gradually depleted,
centralizing in Macau, or traveling overseas to take advantage of working
opportunities. This diminishing manpower eventually undermined the
development of the farming and poultry industries. Farms were abandoned
and the land used for other purposes. Gone with time are the cultivation
and the paddy fields.
Wu Songjian Huang Jiushun
A Commercial Picture of the City At That time Commercial activities were formerly centralized in the main streets in the heart of the city. As time went by, many changes took place. Some industries have either disappeared or have been transformed. The old pictures here capture the images of many of those old commercial activities enabling us to go back and understand life at that time and eventually the developmental pattern and future prospects for our city.
There is a common Chinese phrase numbering seven essential daily life necessities, namely firewood, rice, oil, salt, seasoning sauce, vinegar and tea. From the pictures, we can see how those businesses were run and particularly the special set up of shops and their arrays of goods. Some shops owners still manage to run their shops in the traditional way while many others have undergone changes.
Rice is our main diet. Rice shops were then popular. Rice was stored and displayed in tailor-made barrels placed in the doorways of the shops. People snatched a handful of rice to examine its quality before buying. Deals were concluded and limited to only a few grammes of rice, which was wrapped up in a paper cone and carried home by the customer. Life has changed and so has the diet of people who enjoy a mixed diet or who take their meals in restaurants. Rice is now bought from supermarkets and the business of the traditional rice shops has shrunk so drastically that many of them have stopped operation.
The tea shop in the pictures, Cheong Chan, was located at Rua Cinco do Outubro (Street of the 5th of October) and has already closed down. Interesting to point out its array of tea. Tea was categorized and stored in labelled jars or glass bottles. The containers were then put on high shelves creating an impressive wall of tea. Decades before, tea and cigarette shops were closely related and located, each occupying a half of the shop unit. They lived up to the Chinese motto for receiving guests - to serve your guest with tea and a cigarette!
People selling pottery and porcelain ware, groceries, scales or paper materials usually stuffed their shops with goods. When space ran out, goods were piled up. Thus, just by taking one look, customers knew what kind of business it was. There used to be quite a number of shops selling scales. The last one closed down recently due to poor business. In the old days, steelgoods shops used the old Chinese weighing system of sixteen liangs to one catty. There were different sizes of scales ranging from the delicate ones used in the herbal shops, to those five feet long in the markets. The measuring rod for steel goods was made from Kun Dian. Steelgoods making was meticulous work and the full concentration of the workers was required.
Fish salting is one of the oldest industries of Macau. Salted fish is also a local product of the city. The Manduco area used to be a fishing industry area. Salted fish was dried under the sun along the waterfront. The area round the A-ma Temple was even called the 'Salted Fish Field'. There are still a number of salted fish shops in the city of Macau and the islands of Taipa and Coloane. In fact, there is a street in Macau dominated by salted fish shops and it is known as Salted Fish Street. To attract customers, salted fish drapes the doorways of the shops.
It is only from old pictures that people can learn about the firewood mongers because the profession no longer exists. Firewood came from the shores along Zhong Shan and Xi Jiang. Boats transporting the firewood anchored at the Inner Harbour and loads were distributed to the shops where logs were trimmed into smaller sizes and delivered to the customers by porters. As electricity and gas are now used to generate energy, the role of the firewood shops as fuel suppliers has come to a full stop.
In the old days, it was not unusual to see people working in front of the shops sun drying their goods, but sun drying tangerine peel was a seasonal event. Tangerine from Xin Hui is good for making dried peel. The longer the dried tangerine peel is preserved, the more valuable it is, as it can be used in herbal prescriptions or for food flavoring. Cantonese families find special favour in dried tangerine peel. Since the peel is more useful, the flesh of the tangerine is sold cheaply. People usually collect and sundry the tangerine peel for their own consumption or sale.
Study the old photos and the old commercial world of
Macau will be disclosed before you.
Wu Songjian
Funeral Ceremonies Birth and death are two very important matters to the Chinese people. Death is the ultimate destination of life and is often ended with formalities which are often trifle and complicated. Before the sixties, funeral ceremonies of the rich were extravagant and flaunting. Therefore, there were a number of shops providing professional funeral services to families in mourning and they were mainly located in the area of St Anthony's Church and along Rua de Coelho do Amaral.
Pictures being shown here record the funeral ceremonies
of the upper classes during the twenties and thirties. The ceremonies were
grand ones with very strict demands on the decoration of the coffin case,
ritual offerings and ceremonial bands. Coffins decorated with flowers or
embroidery curtains were carried by over ten porters. Lanterns, ritual
curtains, flower wreaths and tablets were offered by friends and
relatives. The scene was a perfect description of the obituary phrase,
"Glory and Grief to the Ultimate".
長叟 陳煒恆 Chang Sou Chen Weiheng
