HISTORY OF MACAO
SOME CONTRIBUTIONS TOWARDS A GENERAL APPROACH

In June of 1990, I presented a Paper at the ENCONTRO SOBRE A HISTÓRIA DE MACAU (MEETING ON THE HISTORY OF MACAO), held at the Universidade de Macau (University of Macao), Macao, June 1990. ** Reviving certain of those ideas I shall debate here only some reflections, Study Notes and experiences which, based on my earlier Paper, I have later developed and examined in depth, at the I SEMINÁRIO INTERNACIONAL DE HISTÓRIA E CULTURA DE MACAU (FIRST INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR ON THE HISTORY AND CULTURE OF MACAO), Macao, 13-15 Jan. 1994. ***

As in 1990, I would like to emphasise that the aim of this Article is not to present destructive criticism of the considerable amount of work done by all those who have devoted their time to studying the History of Macao, leaving a legacy of invaluable works and Records. Rather, I would like to repeat that in this field, as in many others, we should take a general approach to the subject and apply criteria, concepts, methodologies and means that are scientifically and technically up to date.

In this Article, I consider only Synthese written in (or translated into) Western Languages. I am fully aware of the limitations of such an approach; however, I am confined to it for purely practical reasons, namely the fact that it is difficult to get access to Chinese Sources and, above all, that presently, I have very little time for research.

Based on my Study of the History of Macao, I will present a breakdown (not an exhaustive one, naturally) of the subject as follows:

§1. Historiography

§2. Methodology

§3. Historical research and Historiography

§4. Documentation

§5. Teaching

§6. Publication

§1. HISTORIOGRAPHY

My Historiographical analysis does not cover the innumerable factual works, descriptions, Reports and testimonies that have been produced over the years. It is limited to Syntheses produced in Western Languages, and more specifically to those in which operational categories and concepts have been applied in dealing with space, time and cause, which -- in a relative and differentiated way -- conditions and focuses description, explanation and problematisation. In this lies the distinction between "Chronicle and Science", to paraphrase -- though simplistically -- the words of wellknown Portuguese historian Joaquim Barradas de Carvalho. 1

With this in mind, the most recent synthesis available on the History of Macao is Historic Macao [...], by Montalto de Jesus, 2first published in 1902, 3 with further editions in 1926 and 1984, 4 and only lately translated into Portuguese. 5 Although it is out of date, has limitations with respect to concept and form, and contains many mistakes, inaccuracies and defects, it is still essential reading.

As far as methodology is concerned--and taking into account the Historiography of the Period, in light of which it must be analysed--this book, which aims to correct the errors made by Ljungstedt, is presented as a Study in which the author compares Sources (most of them secondary and incorrectly quoted), some of which are Chinese. Montalto de Jesus proves to have a critical mind, but his arguments are sometimes too linear and subjective. The book, like others, suffers from the fact that the analysis and description of Macao's History are not presented within the context of what was happening in the World at the time. Although it contains some explanations and comparisons, Historic Macao [...] is predominantly a descriptive work written by a student of History who considered this discipline to be far more a means for civic and moral intervention than a Science--an approach that reflects the thinking of his day and Age--and it should be viewed as such.

I will not dwell on the reactions this book provoked, nor on an analysis of the Period--during which Macao, like the rest of the World, witnessed times of extreme difficulty--or on Montalto de Jesus's intellectual approach, a subject on which I have already published a few lines. 6

Going back almost a century, the first attempt at a synthesis of the History of Macao, again highly descriptive, was the work of a foreign author. Iam referring to the book by Swedish author Anders Ljungstedt, 7 An Historical Sketch of the Portuguese Settlements in China and of the Roman Catholic Church and Missions in China [...], 8 which was published posthumously, in 1836. This edition, produced in Boston, consists of corrected and updated versions of two earlier Essays published by Ljungstedt in Macao and Guangzhou, respectivelly in 1832 and 1834. Since the book is extremely rare (although there is a copy in the Arquivo Histórico de Macau (Historical Archive of Macao) [AHM], it was reprinted in 1992, in Hong Kong, by Viking Hong Kong Publications, who launched it in Macao.

When writing his book, Ljungstedt consulted Documents9 that are now considered lost. Although the final product is highly descriptive,outdated and contains errors, it has merit because it was the first attempt at producing a systematic Synthesis of the History of Macao. The author, a Swedish merchant who spent about thirty-seven years in Macao and Guangzhou, felt the need to question what, in my opinion, is the key issue around which any attempt to write a History of this small City must revolve. I am naturally referring to the issue of Sovereignty over the Territory of Macao, which was finally resolved less than a decade ago but remains an easy and attractive topic that -- through conceptual, ideological and Political projections--can be used as a multi-purpose argument for all interpretations of the Period of almost four-hundred years of Portuguese presence in Macao.

Texts on this subject date back to at least the early eighteenth century. Most of them are Memoirs, Relações (Narratives) or Memoranda that deserve a Monographic Study10 examining under categories11 the effectiveness, or better still, the real application of all this theoretical production, as well as the reaction that it, and the consentaneous directives regarding Policy and standards, elicited from around the circuit, mainly Portugal, Goa [and the Portuguese State of India], Macao, China, Guangzhou [and Guangdong] and Hong Kong.

The section of Ljungstedt's book that is most directly related to Macao was not inserted by chance in the already existing Portuguese version, 12 without lapses and changes, and in the works Impressão Confidencial e Reservada de Documentos Respeitantes à Peninsula de Macau e Suas Dependencias13 and Memorandum Sobre a Questão de Macau, 14 respectivelly published, in Macao, in 1909 and 1921, when unsuccessful attempts were made to resolve the delicate question of Macao's boundaries and, implicitly, of Portuguese Sovereignty over the Territory. An appeal was even made to International Authorities, but without success. 15 Ljungstedt's book was the only work available at the time and, what's more, one written in English, that unequivocally illustrated the multi-secular presence and Administration of the Portuguese in Macao. However, it gave rise to a protest movement among authors in the last century and in the present one--the heirs or promoters of a Nationalist and Colonial concept--who went as far as to call Ljungstedt tendentious.

But I have strayed from Ljungstedt and his Synthesis on Macao. Notwithstanding the fact that it was written during the Imperialist race waged by the European powers that were trying to penetrate into China in the nineteenth century, the book benefits, to a certain extent, from an Historical contextualization, and the author has taken the first steps towards classification, quantification, problematization and comparison of Sources. Written to appeal to readers of the period, it includes a Historical and Topographical description of the City, as well as descriptions of the population, the forms of Administration -- Municipal, Political, Judicial, Civil, Military, besides its Economic and Religious facets -- as well as Education, Welfare, and Foreign and Diplomatic relations.

National authors did not venture as much, with the exception of José Manuel de Carvalho e Souza, 16 whose incomplete História de Macao[...], 17 published in 1845 and reprinted in 1973, 18 is more of an updated recompilation of work by other authors--something the author does not hide--than an original attempt at systematization and interpretation. It is interesting to note that the motives that led this Official to study the History of Macao--apart from the fact that no Portuguese author had ever produced a similar work--already contain the seeds of autonomy. The defence of such autonomy was to disgrace Montalto de Jesus, although much later and in a different context.

Let's re-examine the question of Historiography. After Ljungstedt's book, the first Synthesis to be edited in Portuguese--whose main difference was the Language in which it was published--was also the work of a foreign author, Fr. Régis Gervaix, 19 who wrote it, in 1923, under the pseudonym of Eudore de Colomban. It was the only text20 submitted in a competition promoted by Governor Rodrigo Rodrigues (1923-1925) and aimed at providing schools in Macao with a textbook on the History of the Territory. Four years later, Jacinto José do Nascimento Moura published the book, with some changes, under the title Resumo da História de Macau [...].21 Two other editions of the book were published in Macao, the most recent one in 1980. 22

A text at present out of date and supreceeded, of essential pedagogical aims and meant mainly for the classroom, this somewhat syncopated synopsis contains factual errors, giving a relative curtailed version of the facts and is not completely unbiased, since the author at times makes value judgements23 and takes a reductionist view. Despite all this, the book does have merit.

It may have weaknesses in form (for example, in the list of Sources and the Bibliography), but it is divided into Periods, though sometimes questionably, which in a way reflect the Political and Institutional reality of Macao under Portuguese Administration. This is a clear way of dealing with the problem in a work of this type, as long as it is presented, both dialectically and dynamically, within the proper Historical context.

The main aspects of Gervaix's book worth highlighting are that it is a clear Synthesis suited to its purpose, introduces sources and quotations into a textbook, and is divided into Periods.

In an Paper of this size I cannot list all the fragmented works and literary Synthesis, 24 that have been produced on the History of Macao. These are often inadequate because they are too general, descriptive or critical, something that was highlighted in 1943 by José Maria Braga in a short Article entitled "Precisamos de Historiadores!" ("We need Historians!"). 25 Much work has been done, some of it since then, but I will mention only the names of Charles Ralph Boxer, José Maria (Jack) Braga, Luís Gonzaga Gomes, Jordão de Freitas, Artur Levy Gomes, Benjamim Videira Pires, Manuel Teixeira and, even earlier, António and João Feliciano Marques Pereira and Bento da França. However, there seems to be a consensus that the History of Macao needs to be re-written using upto-date scientific criteria and methodologies. That will no doubt be a difficult task, as António da Silva Rêgo pointed out in 1946. 26

§2. METHODOLOGY

This brief analysis of works on the History of Macao, which entails conceptual and methodological problems, has revealed a considerable wealth of invaluable publications--particularly Documents--but, as mentioned earlier, they are extremely fragmented, and offer little in the way of problematization and explanation. With some rare exceptions, local Historical writing has taken a positivist, descriptive approach--both emphasising factual research--without placing data in context using operational categories and concepts that are supported by theory. The problem of cycles, structure and context, social and quantitative History, general History, and the more recent petite histoire, is almost completely absent when dealing with Institutions, Politics, Economics, Social attitudes and daily life.

When it comes to Syntheses, the situation is not that encouraging. Chinese sources, and particularly Historical works, are sometimes consulted, but this is rare. The main purpose of such Syntheses is to problematise and explain the major structural and contextual issues related to the analysis, as well as to encourage the exchange of opinions and leads, the development of ideas, the adoption of concepts, research and discussion.

Right now in Macao there is a certain interest in the writing of its History, and proposals for the production of Syntheses and the collection of data have been made here and elsewhere. The Territory will soon be returned to the People's Republic of China, although under special conditions, thus closing a long chapter in its History. Obviously, the fact that Portugal will cease to Administer this small Territory, in 1999, is making people more determined to produce a definitive Record of its History and explain what Macao was, because it is about to change. However, we must remember that Macao will not end in 1999. Furthermore, the process of reflection, as well as the Study and Recording of Macao's History can go on indefinitely, if we wish. I am not saying. that significant, duly researched, conceived and structured Studies on the History of Macao should not be produced. It is our obligation to carry out such Studies, but calmly and scientifically.

There is no such thing as a definitive History, and analyses are never completely objective. For this reason, in the field of History there will never be the danger of journalistic competition for first-hand news. This is so because of the flow of events, knowledge and people themselves, because there is no scarcity of topics, and because the scope of Historical analysis is so vast. Even the production of a basic reference work, such as a Synthesis of the History of Macao--which, as we have pointed out, does not currently exist but is necessary--is not to be confined to a single work. No matter how complete and exhaustive such a History may be--or perhaps because of this--it will always lead to even more detailed and thorough studies and reflection on the problems it contains, as I emphasised earlier.

For this reason, I claim that an updated History of Macao based on work and efforts done in recent years and obviously including the results of latest Research would be extremely useful, but I continue to maintain that one of our priorities is to collect, preserve and safeguard all Documents on Macao, as well as Record its History.

Such enthusiasm is no doubt beneficial, but it is perhaps time to reflect on the reasons behind it, to redefine strategies and rethink situations where competition could weaken our efforts.

With this in mind, I think we need to take other approaches to the problems involved in writing the History of Macao, and consider Historical research and Historiography, Documentation, Teaching and Publication. Although interrelated, these are different approaches that are not necessarily diachronic and have distinct aspects and problems, which should preferably be defined.

§3. HISTORICAL RESEARCHAND HISTORIOGRAPHY

When it comes to Historiography and research, one of the approaches to be implemented must consider methodology and concepts, as explained earlier. The History of Macao needs to be liberated from the anthropomorphic and atomistic ideas that have characterised it, and be integrated once and for all into the context of World History and, in this specific case, the general context of the Portuguese presence in the East without overlooking trends that are increasingly important, in Historiographical terms, namely those of Local, Regional and of the vast Geographical areas. 27

Only thus will it be possible to evaluate the situation in Macao throughout the. centuries, thus contributing to the understanding -- and, consequently, the strengthening -- of its identity, and to its International recognition.

The above are no doubt worthy Political objectives, but they imply a thorough understanding to make them feasible and real. To be worthwhile, all efforts in this area should be made in a proactive and practical manner (through Teaching and Publication), with the people of Macao, as well as with those Countries and Regions with which we wish to forge bonds of friendship and co-operation, as I will show later.

The following are two possible approaches to Historiography and Research:

a) Problematization (in light of new Historiographical concepts) that generates hypotheses to be followed by demonstration using short, selective Monographic Studies;

b) An attempt at surveying the structural issues and, consequently, the main problems inherent in the situation in Macao over the years, in order to articulate them in a heterogeneous whole that is placed in the proper International/Regional context. In other words, to produce the aforementioned Synthesis that is required, taking into account problematization and periodization.

Such an approach would be a great Political opportunity, and its objective should be to give the public a global, diachronic and contextual view (by including the largest possible number of references/interpretations of events from different Sources), in order to stimulate an exchange of opinions and foster a broad perspective, by encouraging reflection on the interrelationship between the various problems and events.

Priority should be given to placing Portugal's presence in Macao in the proper inter-Regional context. This will necessarily be based28 on the History of Europe and Asia, and to a greater extent on the History of Portugal and its Dominions, which, in my opinion, need to be mediatised and relativised as thoroughly as possible. At the very least, they should include the points of view or interpretations found in Chinese Historical texts on the most important of these subjects.

It was with this in mind that I made a modest contribution to a list of the main topics to be discussed at a possibly Seminar on the History of Macao.29 The list, which was very general30 and meant to be only a working tool, resulted mainly from the acknowledgement of the major controversies related to the study of the History of Macao.

Some examples are:

•the hypotheses concerning the settlement of the Portuguese in Macao;

•Institutional, Political, Economic, Social, Cultural, Intellectual and Racial co-existence in the Territory;

•Treaties and Agreements, rejections and conflict between Portugal and China; and

•the xenophobia of the Chinese and Portugal's monopoly on trade with Insulindia.

These should never be treated separately from numerous structural problems--except for those inherent in the global context of each Period --, such as:

•Changes in Chinese foreign Policy, the Country itself experiencing internal conflict and Regional problems, in which Guangdong played an dominant role, as well as the permeation of influential groups (ie: the Jesuits) and the penetration of other Nations into the Empire (ie: the Dutch and the English in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries).

In 1685, Guangdong opened its doors to foreign trade, which later spread throughout China. Three years later, the first Chinese Customs House was established in Macao. This was followed, in 1691, by an increase in the ground rent and the imposition of the payment of anchorage Duties by the Portuguese in Macao. One must not forget that at the time Malacca was already Dutch since 1641, the Philippines were Spanish, and a good fifty years before Sino-British trade had begun in Guangzhou. After the decline in trade with the Philippines, Portugal never regained its monopoly on trade with China. Furthermore, as Pierre Chaunu explains,31 the conquest of Malacca by the Dutch, apart from corresponding to the Country's Policy to control Maritime routes, had far less to do with the spice trade than with the hegemony of Macao in relations with China.

•China's needs and rates of productivity, duly placed in the context of International trade and, in particular, Portuguese trade. China always cleared its commercial, industrial and even agricultural products through Macao, although not exclusively. The routes to Japan, India, Timor and Manila, in particular, merit special mention in this context. The History of Macao in later years can never be considered separately from that of other European Settlements in the Far East, and particularly Hong Kong.

•The co-existence and conciliation of parallel Jurisdictions in the Territory of Macao, taking into account the presence of two Nations and the repercussions of the pluralist Power systems prevailing in each one of them up to today. Once again, this should be considered in relation to Portuguese Overseas Policy, and to the interventionist and mediating effect of the Estado da Índia (Portuguese State of India).32

•To this may be added issues such as the institutionalisation of the Portas do Cerco (Border Gates); the ground rent, an annual tax paid to the Mandarinate of Guangdong, and anchorage and fishing Duties; the establishment of Chinese Custom-Houses, in Macao, and associated legislation, in accordance with the ethnic origin of the communities to which this Legislation applied, etc.

•Cultural, religious, intellectual and Political balances and imbalances between communities, such as the Question of Rites, the so-called "1,2,3" incidents during the Cultural Revolution [in Macao], Chinese emigration through Macao's ports and 'the coolies', which cannot be viewed as specific to Macao. On the contrary, they are the local expression of prevailing thought, interests, opinions and attitudes.

Apart from the Classic work33 by Zhang Tianze [T'ien Tsê Chang] and the well-known writings of Charles Boxer, there are more recent works that make important contributions to the study of some of these topics. I will mention only those of Manguin, Roderich Ptak, Bryan Souza, Huang Qichen, Deng Kaisong, Kai Cheong Fok, Benjamim Videira Pires and Jorge Flores.

There are no doubt other aspects to be mentioned, apart from the Historical approach, but I will emphasise only the lack of production centres that systematically and continuously conduct research on Macao, in an integrated manner and from an inter-disciplinary and inter-Cultural perspective.

§4. DOCUMENTATION

Within the context of the aforementioned transfer of Macao to China, [after 1999] it will no doubt be more difficult to obtain material and Documentary Sources for study purposes such as Manuscripts and printed, oral, audio-visual and Iconographic Sources--simply because the Territory's current community and lifestyle will change. I leave aside the Bibliography available in Macao, which is being published systematically34 by the Biblioteca Central de Macau (Central Library of Macao) [BCM] in its Boletim Bibliográfico de Macau (Bibliographic Bulletin of Macao), as a result of the pioneering work done by Luís Gonzaga Gomes. 35

There is a need to create dual Archives, to acquire material that is scattered throughout the World, to do an Inventory of Documents (including current ones) available in Macao and to gain access to Chinese Sources.

Efforts are already under way to compile Documents (Primary and Secondary sources), taking into account classification and problematization; and to systematize and Record Data that could be used for future Studies on Macao, once its Historical heritage has been identified and preserved. This task has been undertaken by the Instituto Cultural de Macau (Cultural Institute of Macao) [ICM]. Based on the systematization of the Projecto de Pesquisa e Publicação de Fontes Comparadas Para a História de Macau (Project for the Research and Publication of Comparative Sources for the History of Macao), which I had the honour of implementing, in 1988, and to which I devoted all my time over a Period of almost two years, some important steps have already been taken within the ICM and, in some cases, in co-operation with other Institutes.

From the Historiographical point of view, this may not be the best option, but I have no doubt that it is a fundamental one, although not exclusive, in keeping with what Macao is today.

However, and apart from all the Surveys and Compilations that may be carried out, I feel that the following are indispensable and should take priority:

•An Inventory of all public and private Documents produced in Macao over the years, whatever the Language they are written in, to be incorporated into the AHM. This would naturally be done in compliance with the applicable International Standards and by means of appropriate Legislation.

I will cite a few examples, other than Government Documents (in which I include the Government's Archives): Documents from the Misericórdia (Misericordy); the Diocese; commercial establishments; notaries; families; parish, civil and building registries; schools and others.

We have the appropriate Legislation in Macao, but I fear that the process of incorporating the material into the Archives will be slow. It may be a good time to launch an initiative and to increase public awareness on this matter, emphasising the importance of preserving these Documents for posterity, not only from an academic point of view, but because its real necessity.

•Security microfilming of all the Documents in the AHM (or in other Archives), for consultation and for deposit in an appropriate centre in Portugal, in order to make them more accessible to academics and anyone else who may be interested in them.

A tripartite Agreement has already been signed by the ICM, the Fundação Oriente(Orient Foundation) [Lisbon, Macao and others] and the Instituto de Investigação Científica Tropical (Institute for Tropical Scientific Research) [Lisbon], but it is necessary to guarantee its implementation by satisfying both the spirit and the letter of the Agreement.

•The locating of all Documents on Macao to be found abroad.

Relac, am / Da Viagem, Que / Por Ordem De S. Mgde. Fez / Antonio Fialho Ferreira. de∫te / Reyno à Cidade de Macao / na China: E Felicissima Acclamac, am De S. M. / El Rey no∫∫o Senhor Dom Joaõ o IV. que Deos / guarde, na me∫ma cidade, & partes do Sul, Macau. Instituto Cultural de Macau, 1988 -- Reprint of the 1st Edition: Lisboa, na officina de Domingos Lopes Rosa, 1643 (6 folia) ; (vol.1, pp. 1 17-126, 24 cm.).

This is an arduous, time-consuming task that will never be finished, but a good Collection of microfilms has been obtained and deposited in the AHM.36 Numerous Bibliographic references have also been collected and incorporated into the Base de Dados de Apoio à Investigação (Research Support Database), which students may consult in the Divisão de Estudos, Investigação e Publicações (Division of Studies, Research and Publication) [DEIP], of the ICM.

•The collection, processing and preservation of data for the publication of the History of Macao, using oral, Iconographic and audio-visual sources.

This was included in my initial proposal for a complete Survey of Sources for writing the History of Macao, one the ICM intends to develop in the near future.

§5. TEACHING

As I mentioned earlier, efforts to produce a History of Macao will be of little worth outside the limited circle of researchers, students and other interested people if the results do not become an integral part of the school curriculum, in Macao itself.

The introduction of strong components on the History of Macao into the school curriculum --which in Macao is offered in Portuguese, Chinese and English--is, in my opinion, 37 a fundamental priority and, in fact, the only way to reach a wide audience. In this area, I am only aware of the pioneering, but incomplete, 38 work by Beatriz Basto da Silva, Elementos da História de Macau. 39

Whatever the Language used in teaching, the situation is basically the same. For this reason, the publication of a textbook on the History of Macao will be announced shortly. Not since 1923 has such a book been produced, as I mentioned earlier.

In the area of children's literature, Alice Vieira's book Macau: Da Lenda à História, 40 deserves special mention. It is not a textbook, but it could be used as such, to supplement instruction in the absence of another resource.

§6. PUBLICATION

In recent years, Macao has seen the publication of numerous works on Architectural and Artistic heritage--the result of praiseworthy, dedicated public and private efforts.

The prolific and prolix press in Macao, and the role played by magazines such as "Tai-Ssi-Yang-Kuo", "Renascimento", "Boletim Eclesiástico da Diocese de Macau", "Arquivos de Macau", "Boletim do Instituto Luís de Camões", the more recent "Revista de Cultura" ("Review of Culture") and, on occasion, even the magazine "MacaU", among others, are worthy of note. These are excellent working tools for researchers and students, ones that are often underestimated. The Base de Dados Sobre a Imprensa Periódica (Data Base on the Regular Press)41 provides greater access to this material, and it has complete data on the nineteenth century.

In summary, there is no shortage of Iconographic, Architectonic and Photographic works on Macao, but the Ethnographic, Anthropological, Sociological and Historical aspects of the Territory have not been dealt with systematically enough or, in some cases, sufficiently developed.

In conclusion, research or innovation on the History of Macao will not end with any one of the aforementioned tasks. To deny this would be to deny not only the Historical process itself, but also the characteristics of History as a Science. On the contrary, new approaches for more detailed studies will continue to be generated, and these will be all the more successful if we can keep up with the abundant and rich Sources available, though they may be fragmented and syncopated, and give Macao the means to carry out research in a concerted, scientific, modern and continuous manner.

Translated from the Portuguese by: Sheilah Cardno

Revised by: Paula Sousa

CHINESE GLOSSARY

Da Xi Yang Guo [Ta-Ssi-Yang-Kuo] 大西洋国

Deng Kaisong 邓开颂

Huo Qichang [Fok Kai Cheong] 霍启昌

Huang Qichen 黄启臣

Zhang Tianze 张天泽

RC POSTER

View of the Peninsula of Macao, seen from the Colina da Penha (Penha Hill).

WILLIAM ANDERSEN-Scottish School.

Mid-late eighteenth century.

Oil on canvas.

Fundação Oriente (Orient Foundation), Lisbon.

NOTES

** SENA, Tereza, Que História Temos? Que História Poderemos Ter? , in ENCONTRO SOBRE A HISTÓRIA DE MACAU (MEETING ON THE HISTORY OF MACAO), Macao, 16-17 June 1990 -- Oral communication.

*** SENA, Tereza, Contributos para uma Abordagem Global, in I SEMINÁRIO INTERNACIONAL DE HISTÓRIA E CULTURA DE MACAU (FIRST INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR ON THE HISTORY AND CULTURE OF MACAO), Macau, 13-15 Jan. 1994 -- ["Actas das Comunicações... "], Macau, Instituto de Estudos Culturais de Macau, 1994, pp. 94-105. Reprint in "Revista de Cultura" (Edição em Português) Macau, 19 Abril/Junho 1994, pp. 102-112.

1 CARVALHO, Joaquim Barradas de, Da História Crónica à História Ciência, Lisboa, Livros Horizonte,1979.

2 Carlos Augusto Montalto de Jesus (°1863-†1927) was born in Hong Kong (where he died in poverty) into a Macanese family whose roots were in Macao and Shanghai. He was the only author of Portuguese descent to produced a work of this scope on the History of Macao. His sound knowledge of Languages (at least English, Portuguese, Spanish and French) would have been extremely useful to the foreign trading Companies established in the aforementioned financial Capitals, for which he worked as a professional translator. He was also a publicist, and some of his Articles were published Internationally (Brazil, Portugal, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, as well as Hong Kong and Shanghai, of course) in various newspapers. A straightforward Republican who was somewhat tempestuous, temperamental and eccentric, Montalto de Jesus was a Member and correspondent of the Sociedade de Geografia de Lisboa (Geography Society of Lisbon). He also assured the liaison with the Chinese Section of the prestigious Royal Asiatic Society and belonged to the Sociedade de Geografia do Rio de Janeiro (Geography Society of Rio de Janeiro).

3 JESUS, Carlos Augusto Montalto de, Historic Macao: International Traits in China: Old and New, Hong Kong, Kelly and Walsh, 1902.

4 JESUS, Carlos Augusto Montalto de, Historic Macao: International Traits in China Old and New, Macao, Salesian Printing Press and Tipografia Mercantil, 1926 (reprint: in facsimile by Hong Kong & others, Oxford University Press, 1984).

5 JESUS, Carlos Augusto Montalto de, JORGE, Maria Alice Morais, trad., Macau Histórico, Macau, Livros do Oriente, 1990.

I was assigned the task of presenting this book when it was launched. Shortly after, I published a short Article (Montalto de Jesus: Da Polémica à História, in "MacaU", 28 Oct. 1990, pp. 54-58) based on the initial text of this Paper, which naturally had not benefitted from a reading of Carlos Estorninho's interesting introduction to the Portuguese version.

6 See: Note 5 supra.

7 Anders Ljungstedt was born in Linköping, on the 23rd of March 1759. After having lived and taught for close to a decade in Russia (1784-1794) he arrived in Guangzhou, in 1798, on the Drottninged, a ship belonging to the Swedish East Indies Company (1731-1813), for which he had worked for about a year, beacoming one of the Company's local sobrecargo residents. He came to Macao for the first time, in 1802, as a Member of the abovementioned company. After the Company was dissolved, in 1813, he set up his own business in Macao, making a fortune in the opium trade. He later donated part of his fortune to worthy causes. In 1820 he became the first Swedish Honorary Consul General, in China, after being made a Knight of the Swedish Royal Order Waza, in 1815. According to Mgr. Manuel Teixeira (Grãozinhos de Bom Senso, in "Gazeta Macaense", 9 March 1993, p.4), when Ljungstedt was in Macao, he lived on Rua da Praia Grande, where he died on 10th of November 1835. He was buried in the City's Protestant Cemetery.

8 LJUNGSTEDT, Andrew, An Historical Sketch of the Portuguese Settlements in China; and of the Roman Catholic Church and Mission in China, By Sir Andrew Ljungstedt, Knight of the Swedish Royal Order Waza. A supplementary chapter, Description of the City of Canton, republished from the Chinese Repository, with the editor's permission, Boston, James Monroe & Co., 1836 (reprint: Hong Kong, Viking Hong Kong Publications, 1992).

9 As he himself stated, much of the material he used was collected and preserved by the Bp. of Beijing, Joaquim de Sousa Saraiva (°1765-†1818), and also, according to Monsignor Manuel Teixeira, by José Baptista de Miranda e Lima, a Macanese writer and Royal teacher of Latin and Portuguese Grammar, both of whom made it available to him. Ljungstedt also consulted works in the rich Library that the British East Indies Company began to set up in Macao, in 1806.

10 Apart from the notable work by RÊGO, António Silva, A Presença Portuguesa em Macau, Lisboa, Agência Geral das Colónias, 1946, which is still unsurpassed though necessarily out of date, the only one that comes close to being such a Study is the work of USELLIS, William R., The Origin of Macau, Chicago, University of Chicago, 1958, -- MA Thesis no4343, Department of History. FOK, Kai Cheong, The Macao Formula: A study of Chinese Management of Westerners from the Mid-sixteenth Century to the Opium War Period, Hawaii, University of Hawaii, 1987--Unpublished Ph. D Dissertation; is an excellent and significant contribution to the subject.

11 The need to proceed with the differentiation between theory and praxis was well emphasised by Dr. Kai Cheong Fok during the debate sessions of the I SEMINÁRIO INTERNACIONAL DE HISTORIA E CULTURA DE MACAU (FIRST INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR ON THE HISTORY AND CULTURE OF MACAO), Macao, 13-15 Jan. 1994.

12 At least three editions of the Portuguese version of this work, have been published. It was initially published as a serial under the title: LJUNGSTEDT, Andrew, "Esboço Historico dos Estabelecimentos Portuguezes na China[...] publicado em Boston no anno de 1836. Vertido do inglez, "Echo Macaense", Macau, 1 Aug. 1893-13 Dec. 1896.

13 LJUNGSTEDT, Andrew, Esboço Histórico dos Estabelecimentos Portuguezes na China, [...] publicado em Boston no anno de 1836. Vertido do inglez Macau, Imprensa Nacional, 1909, pp. 131-224.

14 LJUNGSTEDT, Andrew, Esboço Histórico dos Estabelecimentos Portuguezes na China, [...] publicado em Boston no anno de 1836. Vertido do inglez Lisboa, Imprensa Nacional, 1921, pp. 377-481.

15 JESUS, Carlos Augusto Montalto de, op. cit., pp. 293-94.

16 All we know about him is what was written by Inocêncio and transcribed by Luís Gonzaga Gomes (See: Note. 18 infra). In short: José Manuel de Carvalho e Souza (°1807-†1860) was apparently born in Goa. His father, José Joaquim de Souza, who was from the Algarve, was a Captain in the Portuguese Navy. Following in his father's footsteps, José Manuel chose a career in the Armed Forces, enlisting in Damão, in 1824, and reaching the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel, in 1859. He held numerous civilian and military posts, the first one as Aide-de-camp to the Governor General of the Portuguese State of India, Baron of Sabroso (1836-1838), in 1838. That same year he was placed in the Second Infantry Company of the Battalion of the Prince Regent, in Macao. He also served as Secretary to Adrião Acácio da Silveira Pinto, the Advisor and Governor of Macao (1837-1843), during the latter's special mission to China, in 1841, as well as the following year, in Macao. Appointed Commander of the Barra Fortress in 1846, he occupied this position until around 1851 when, it is believed, he returned to India, where he spent the rest of his life.

17 SOUZA, José Manuel de Carvalho e, História de Macau Recopilada de Authores Nacionais, e Estrangeiros, comacrescentamento de várias notías collegidas de Documentos Officiaes, e manuscriptos antigos. Perspectivas, e Plantas de todos os seus Edifícios publicos. Varias Pinturas curiosas sobre o costume Chinez. Por [...], Capitão d' Infantaria do Batalhão Principe Regente, Macau, Typographia de Silva e Souza, 1845.

This work, which Carvalho e Souza wanted to publish monthly through public subscription, was never completed because it was not sufficiently well received.

18 SOUZA, José Manuel de Carvalho e, GOMES, Luís Gonzaga, ed., História de Macau Recopilada de Authores Nacionais, e Estrangeiros, com acrescentamento de várias notícias collegidas de Documentos Officiaes, e manuscriptos antigos. Perspectivas, e Plantas de todos os seus Edifícios publicos. Varias Pinturas curiosas sobre o costume Chinez. Por [...], Capitão d' Infantaria do Batalhão Principe Regente in "Boletim do Instituto Luís de Camões", Macau, VII (4) Inverno [Winter] 1973, pp. 333-393.

19 Of French nationality, Fr. Régis Gervaix (°1873-†1940) was a Member of the Sociétè des Missions Etrangères (Society of Foreign Missions), of Paris, which he later left, but in whose service he went to Guangdong, in 1898. Between 1919 and 1925, he lived in Macao, where he taught French and Greek, wrote his Histoire Populaire de Macao (Resumo da HistÓria de Macau [...]) and collaborated assiduously on the "Boletim Eclesiástico da Diocese de Macau", writing with the same zeal and vigour for the foreign press, in the Territory. In 1925 he left Macao in order to teach French literature at the University of Beijing. He left there around 1931 and went to Paris, where he died, in 1940.

20 COLOMBAN, Eudore de (GERVAIX, Régis), Histoire Populaire de Macao, in "Boletim Eclesiástico da Diocese de Macau", Macau, Dez. 1923, A.21-A.23 (246-264/267) Sept./Oct. 1925.

21 COLOMBAN, Eudore de, Resumo da HistÓria de Macau, Refundido e aumentado pelo editor Jacinto José do Nascimento Moura, Macau. Tipografia da Imaculada Conceição, 1927.

22 COLOMBAN, Eudore de, Resumo da HistÓria de Macau, Refundido e aumentado pelo editor Jacinto José do Nascimento Moura, Macau, Tipografia Mandarim, 1982.

23 The comments made by the Government of the time provide some indication of this:

"[...] this work does not show any connection or natural relationship between the History of Macao and National History [...] there is no map of Macao [...] Some of the statements made cannot be taken as true [...] the Ecclesiastical part is unreasonably long [...] in the History of Macao there is no reference to the origin of the Portuguese communities in the Far East. [...] The meaning and Historical essence of the Amaral Government are completely adulterated [...]" [translation].

The critics do, however acknowledge that the work has merit and go on to say: "After all, it is easier to criticise than to produce a work of Art [...]", in: Governador rejeita HistÓria, in "Gazeta Macaense", Macau, 10 Feb. 1993, p.2.

24 In addition to the works of wider scope that offer greater explanation, I must equally mention all the selective Studies, the useful compilations of Documents and the Listings of: Almanacs, Bibliographies, Duties and Ranks, etc. -- obviously too numerous to list here. To these we should add the publication of SILVA, Beatriz Basto da, comp., Cronologia da História de Macau, 3 vols, Macau, Direcção dos Serviços de Educação, 1992-1995.

25 BRAGA, José Maria, Precisamos de Historiadores!, in "Renascimento", Macau, (II) 1943, pp. 72-75.

26 "Of all the histories of Portugal's Overseas Territo ries, Macao's is one of the most difficult to write. Besides being difficult, it is a thankless task. For a long time Macao was the meeting place of two distinct Civilisations--two different Worlds. Friction between the two was inevitable. The rough edges had to be smoothed. The two outlooks on life had to be harmonised in Macao [...]" [translation], in: RÊGO, António da Silva, op. cit., pp. 107-108.

27 We have a good example in: FLORES, Jorge, Os Mares da Ásia (1500-1800/The Asian Seas (1500-1800), in "Revista de Cultura/Review of Culture" (Português/English), Macau, (13/14) Jan./June 1991, pp.9-20.

28 Without running the risk of excessive comparison, which would make the analysis too generic, but giving priority to pre-existing Local and Regional networks, as has been well emphasised at the I SEMINáRIO INTERNACIONAL DE HISTÓRIA E CULTURA DE MACAU (FIRST INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR ON THE HISTORY AND CULTURE OFMACAO), Macao, 13-15 Jan. 1994.

29 Proposal submitted in: Projecto de Pesquisa e Publicação de Fontes Comparadas para a História de Macau: Objectivos, Metodologia e Execução, IN V SEMINÁRIO DE HIST6RIA INDO-PORTUGUESA (FIFTH SEMI-NAR ON INDO-PORTUGUESE HISTORY), Cochin, Feb. 1989, and 1. ^a REUNIÃO DE ARQUEOLOGIA E HISTÓRIA PRÉ-COLONIAL (FIRST MEETING OF ARCHEOLOGY AND PRÉ-COLONIAL HISTORY), Lisbon, Oct. 1989--["Proceedings of... "]in "Leba", Lisboa, (7), 1992, pp. 493-514. Although based on an opposite approach, the VI SEMINáRIO INTERNACIONAL DE HISTÓRIA INDO-PORTUGUESA (SIXTH INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR ON INDO-PORTUGUESE HISTORY), Macao, 22-26 Oct. 1991--To a certain extent made possible by the contacts established, in Cochin, brought together some important studies related to Macao.

30 See: FLORES, Jorge, A História de Macau, séculos XVI-XVII: Alguns inquéritos em aberto, in I SEMINÁRIO INTERNACIONAL DE HISTÓRIA E CULTURA DE MACAU (FIRST INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR ON THE HISTORY AND CULTURE OF MACAO), Macau, 13-15 Jan. 1994 - ["Actas das Comunicações... "]; in "Revista de Cultura" (Edição em Português) Macao, (19), Abril/Junho 1994, pp. 13-18.

31 CHAUNU, Pierre, A Civilização da Europa das Luzes, 2 vols., Lisboa, Editorial Estampa, 1985, vol.1, p.74.

32 Estado da Índia-- This was the designation given to the series of Administrative, Economic, Financial, Judicial, Military, Political and Religious Powers in the Territories, Factories, Fortresses or simple commercial Entrepôts under Portuguese rule, which extended from the Cape of Good Hope to the Far East. From 1505 on, these Powers were delegated to the Viceroys and Governors of the Portuguese State of India, by the King of Portugal.

33 BOXER, Charles Ralph, Sino-Portuguese Trade from 1514 to 1644 - A synthesis of Portuguese and Chinese Sources, Leiden, E. J. Brill, 1934.

34 Useful publications are the many Bibliographic Catalogues of Exhibitions held in Macao, usually produced through the initiative of the BCM.

See: ARRIMAR, Jorge de Abreu, Fontes para a História de Macau, in I SEMINÁRIO INTERNACIONAL DE HISTÓRIA E CULTURA DE MACAU (FIRST INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR ON THE HISTORY AND CULTURE OF MACAO), Macau, 13-15 Jan. 1994 - [Actas das Comunicações...]; in "Revista de Cultura" (Edição em Português), Macau, (19) Abril/Junho 1994, pp. 120-130, and "Review of Culture' (English Edition), Macao, (19) April/June 1994 pp. 132-142.

35 GOMES, Luís Gonzaga, Bibliografia Macaense, Macau, Instituto Cultural de Macau, 1987.

36 See: SANTOS, Isaú, As Fontes para a História de Macau Existentes no Exterior, in I SEMINÁRIO INTERNACIONAL DE HISTÓRIA E CULTURA DE MACAU (FIRST INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR ON THE HISTORY AND CULTURE OF MACAO), Macau, 13-15 Jan. 1994 - ["Actas das ComunicaÇões... "]; in "Revista de Cultura" (Edição em Português), Macau, (19) Abril/Junho 1994, pp. 113-119, and "Review of Culture" (English Edition), Macau, (19) April/July 1994, pp. 123-131

37 This issue was publicly discussed at the session on teaching the History of Macao organised by the Serviços de Educação (Educational Services Branch) for the launching of VIEIRA, Alice, Macau: Da Lenda à História, Macau, Livros do Oriente, 1990.

38 SILVA, Beatriz Basto da, Elementos da História de Macau, 1 vol. [to follow], Macau, Direcção dos Serviços de Educação, 1986--Only the first volume was published because the work was suspended for reasons beyond the author's control.

39 Idem.

40 See: Note 37 supra.

41 The result of an Agreement signed between the ICM, through the BCM and the Instituto Português do Oriente (Portuguese Institute for the Orient) [IPOR].

* MA in History, by the Faculty of Arts, Universidade Clássica (Lisbon). Ph. D in the History of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, by the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Universidade Nova de Lisboa (Lisbon) - Thesis dissertation: A Casa de Oeiras e Pombal: Estudo, Senhorio e Património for which was awarded the 1994 Prize "Fundação Marquês de Pombal" ("Marquis of Pombal Foundation"). Bursar of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. Head of the Division of Studies, Research and Publications, of the Instituto Cultural de Macau. Responsible for monotoring the Project for Research and Publication of Comparative Sources for the History of Macao, for the Department of Studies and Research, of the Instituto Cultural de Macau. Former chairmember of the Portuguese Society of Studies on the Eighteenth Century. Member of the International Association of Historians of Asia and the International Association of Studies on the Eighteenth Century.