Organised by the Macao Cultural Heritage Reinventing Studies Association (MCHRSA) and funded by the Cultural Development Fund (FDC) of the Macao SAR Government, the second session of the “2024 Cultural Heritage Lecture Series” was successfully held at 2:30 p.m. on 12 October 2024 in the Auditorium of the Macao Museum. Mr. Alex LOU, a local scholar, delivered the talk, “Stories in the Chapas Sínicas – People and Events in the City of Macao in the 18th - 19th Centuries.” Chapas Sínicas, a precious corpus bearing Macao’s profound historical heritage, is formally titled “Official Records of Macao During the Qing Dynasty (1693 - 1886)” and is now housed in the National Archive of Torre do Tombo (ANTT) in Portugal. Spanning nearly two centuries from the early Qianlong reign to the end of the Daoguang era, these official and private Chinese Documents are not only a faithful record of Macao’s historical transformations, but also a vivid testimony to the exchanges and mutual learning between Chinese culture and world civilisations.

In the lecture, with erudition and engaging language, Mr. Alex LOU carefully selected several representative figures and events from the Chinese Documents, clearly and accessibly analysing Macao’s social landscape, economic development, cultural interactions, and everyday life from the late 18th century to the mid-19th century. Through a series of lively stories, he not only highlighted Macao’s unique role as a bridge for East–West trade and cultural exchange, but also deepened the public’s understanding of the city’s historical events and social changes.

Mr. Harry KWAH Hou Ieong, President of MCHRSA, stated that this lecture was not only an in-depth exploration and transmission of Macao’s historical cultural heritage, but also an important initiative to popularise historical and cultural knowledge among the public and strengthen cultural confidence. At the same time, the lecture fostered interaction between academia and the general public, inspiring enthusiasm and a sense of responsibility for the protection and inheritance of cultural heritage. In the future, the Association will continue to promote research and dissemination of Macao’s cultural heritage by organising more high-quality lectures and activities, bringing Macao’s history and culture to life and passing it on, thereby contributing to the city’s heritage cause.

The final session of the “2024 Cultural Heritage Lecture Series” will take place at 2:30 p.m. on 19 October 2024 in the Auditorium of the Macao Museum. Ms. MA Linyan, Chief of the Conservation and Restoration Department II at the Shaanxi Institute for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage, will present “Qinba Mountains – Han River · Tile-Roofed Halls · Vermilion Art: Conservation and Restoration of Five Northern Provinces’ Assembly Hall Murals” All the public interested in history and culture are welcome to register for the upcoming lecture. For details, please visit the MCHRSA’s website: http://www.heritage.mo. We look forward to your participation!