Entering China
If you are a newcomer to Macau, you will notice that there is a small shrine in the corner in front of most of the large and small shops. In addition to incense and candles, there are also various offerings, from flowers and fruits to biscuits, cola, and wine.
From the tablet of “Land God of Wealth at the Gate” enshrined in the shrine, it can be seen that this is a long-standing land belief and custom inherited by the people of Macao. The neighbourhood of Macao believes that the land lord can protect the wind and rain, the safety of the family and the prosperity of the family, and is the most down-to-earth immortal.
The second day of the second lunar month is the “Land Day” every year. In Macau, lanterns, bunting and some large flower plaques made of traditional bamboo and wood are hung around the larger land temples.
It is understood that after years of inheritance, Macao’s “Land Festival” has formed a relatively fixed celebration ceremony. From the Shengong drama to open the curtain of a series of activities, to the “lion awakening and offering rui”, cutting and praying for the golden pig, and then to holding banquets, the conditional land temple fair is celebrated from the 30th day of the first lunar month to the fifth day of the second lunar month.
Before arriving at the Land Temple, the cheerful suona sound has entered the ears. When this reporter visited the Land Temple of the Bird Garden on the Macao Peninsula, many neighbors and eager tourists gathered early on the side of the illuminated road.
On the side of the temple, the congratulatory flower baskets are lined up, and the golden pigs for the gods have also been neatly stacked. The lion dance team beating gongs and drums passed by from time to time, and people stopped to hold their mobile phones and cameras high to record the lively scene.
When the auspicious time arrives, the birthday ceremony begins in order. The long-awaited event is naturally the highlight of the “Lion Awakening”. I saw the golden lion move from the stage to the front of the temple, jumping to a high place with the passionate sound of gongs and drums, raising its head, and prostrate on the ground with the weakening drum beat.
It is understood that in order to keep up with the trend, the dance that day was a “Nezha in the Sea”. After the lion dance, it is time to cut the blessed meat, which means to share the blessing with everyone.
“It was the first time I learned about the beliefs and customs of the land, especially today’s birthday celebrations, which was very shocking.” Swiss tourist Rebecca Friedley lamented that Macau is a “wonderful place” where Eastern and Western cultures complement each other and left a deep impression on her.
In 2017, it was inscribed on the list of intangible cultural heritage of Macao, and in 2021, it was included in the fifth batch of the expanded list of representative items of national intangible cultural heritage. Moved here in 1886, the Land Temple of the Church of the Bird Garden is one of the most popular temples in Macao, and its Council is also the protection unit of the Land Belief and Customs Project in Macao.
Luo Shengzong, chairman of the Land Temple of the Bird Garden, said that after years of development, there have been many changes in the “Land Festival”. In addition to paying more attention to the connection with the younger generation, the celebration has increasingly become an important platform for old neighbors and old friends to gather.
Macau is not big, only 33.3 square kilometers, but there are nearly 10 temples dedicated to the land lord on this land, and there are more than 100 public land altars, and the number of land gods enshrined in front of the houses and shops is even more difficult to count.
“In the long process of cultural inheritance, Macao’s land has significant characteristics of beliefs and customs, and has a broad group identity base, which constitutes a cultural symbol that enhances national identity and sense of belonging.” Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences of Macao Polytechnic University, Lam Fa Chin, believes that through the worship of the land in Macao, we can get a glimpse of the modern inheritance of Chinese culture.
The lion dance procession makes a circumambulation around the temple and then picks green from shops in nearby streets and alleys (part of the traditional lion dance). With the departure of the lion dance, the celebration ceremony of the day also came to an end. Accompanied by the singing, many elderly neighbors still stayed in front of the stage, waiting for the gong to begin.
When it comes to Macao’s beliefs and customs, people may think of Mazu at the first time. However, walking on the streets of Macao, the small land shrines that inadvertently flash by will remind you that the same long-lasting land beliefs and customs are the daily embodiment of the simple Chinese folk culture here, and also a vivid display of the neighborhoods of Macao praying for the peace and happiness of the people of Macao.
