A UNIQUE PLACE IN THE WORLD : HISTORICAL WESTERN IMAGES OF MACAO全球獨有的地方：歷史上的澳門西化形象
The article analyzes the formation and evolution of Western images of Macao between the mid-sixteenth century and later periods, arguing that such representations function as privileged historical sources for understanding both local transformation and the "external" gaze. Based on the collection an...
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| Published in: | Review of Culture |
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| Format: | Articles |
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Instituto Cultural de Macau
January 2010
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| Online Access: | https://www.icm.gov.mo/rc/viewer/pdfViewerParts/40033/3561 |
| Summary: | The article analyzes the formation and evolution of Western images of Macao between the mid-sixteenth century and later periods, arguing that such representations function as privileged historical sources for understanding both local transformation and the "external" gaze. Based on the collection and analysis of limited records produced by Western travelers, residents, and witnesses—including writings, publications, paintings, and poetry—the author identifies which images became most persistent in the European imagination and how they gradually crystallized.
The narrative is organized around recurring topics, highlighting, in particular, the association of Macao with a "unique place in the world" marked by the beauty of its natural setting. Western authors tend to emphasize the harmonious relationship between the maritime environment, mild climate, bays, and coastal landscapes, and the architectural and human vestiges of the city. Gathered examples show consistent descriptions of the atmospheric quality, the tranquility of daily life, and the visual "exuberance" of the Praya and the shoreline.
It is concluded that Western images of Macao, although not always neutral, mirror cultural dynamics of contact—alternating between aesthetic fascination and biased readings—and, simultaneously, allow for the reconstruction of material and symbolic dimensions of Macao's urban history. |
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| ISSN: | 1682-1106 |