Templo_de_A-Má

A-Ma Temple

A-Ma Temple

Historic temple in São Lourenço, Macau

The A-Ma Temple is a temple to the Chinese sea-goddess Mazu located in São Lourenço, Macau, China. Built in 1488, the temple is one of the oldest in Macau and thought to be the settlement's namesake.

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History

The name Macau was thought to be derived from the name of the temple. It is said that when the Portuguese sailors landed at the coast just outside the temple and asked the name of the place, the natives replied Maa-gok or A-maa-gok (lit. "The Pavilion of the Mother"). The Portuguese then named the peninsula "Macau".[1] The temple was well described in ancient Chinese texts as well as represented in paintings, related to Macao. It is also one of the first scenes photographed in Macao.

In 2005, the temple became one of the designated sites of the Historic Centre of Macau, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Architecture

The temple consists of six main parts:[2] Gate Pavilion, the Memorial Arch, the Prayer Hall, the Hall of Benevolence (the oldest part of the temple), the Hall of Guanyin, Zhengjiao Chanlin - Buddhist Pavilion.

  • A 19th-century painting of the facade of A-Ma Temple by English architect and artist Thomas Allom
  • Main entrance of A-Ma Temple
  • World Heritage marker
  • Prayer Hall
  • Hall of Benevolence
  • Zhengjiao Chanlin Buddhist Temple

See also

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to A-Ma Temple.
  1. [1]
    "Hakka and Macau" (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 13 January 2008. Retrieved 2008-01-02.
  2. [2]
    "A-Ma Temple". Wondermondo. 14 November 2014.

22°11′10″N 113°31′52.10″E


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