The Legend of the White Snake 28.7.2011

These six stamps on the Macau FDC shown depicts The Chinese folk tale The Legend of the White Snake. This FDC was given to me by My Dear friend Merja. This is a love story about a man and a white snake. The first short tale was found during the Tang Dynasty (618 AD). That’s a cautionary, vigilant and tragic story of a man in love with a lady in white. The scenes of West Lake and Thunder Pagoda were added and the central theme was established during the Song Dynasty (960 AD). The entire story was completed during the Ming Dynasty (1368 AD). It was rewritten to beautify characters in some episodes in Ching Dynasty (1644 AD).

  

Once upon a time, a white snake and a green snake who had magical power in the Mountain Er-Mei and had transformed into two beautiful young ladies, on white, one green. They met a man named Hsu Sheng at the West Lake of Hang-Zhou city. The white snake fell in love with Hsu Sheng at first sight. They got married soon after.

The Lady White helped her husband to open an herbal medicine store by writing the prescriptions. Patients unable to pay were given free treatment and medicine. The store quickly became well known and popular. One day a monk called Fa Hai saw the couples and warned Hsu Sheng that his wife was a white snake.

It was during the Dragon Boat Festival, when Chinese families like to decorate with calamus and Chinese mugwort around the house and drink wine to drive away spirits. This was dangerous to Lady White and Lady Green, since they were spirits after all. Lady White was pregnant at that time and her magical power had weakened a lot. She tried to drink wine to please her husband. Unfortunately, she couldn’t control herself and turned into her snake body in her bedroom. Hsu Sheng saw the white snake and was literally scared to death.

In order to save her husband's life, Lady White went to steal the resurrection plant on the Kunlun Mountain. She failed. But her true love won the resurrection plant and the life of Hsu Sheng was restored.

Hsu Sheng remembered Fa Hai and went to the Golden Mountain Temple to see him. Fa Hai suggested Hsu Sheng become a monk to forget his wife. Fa Hai could take care the spirits. Lady White asked a great army of underwater creatures for help and brought forth a flood over the Golden Mountain Temple to fight with Fa Hai. Fa Hai had the magical power too and asked the heavenly soldiers to save his temple. Since the Lady White was pregnant, she was too weak to fight harder, She gave up the battle and waited for the time after giving birth.

Hsu Sheng went to see his son and carried a magical hat from Fa Hai for his son. The magical hat captured the White Snake. Fa Hai imprisoned the White Snake inside the Thunder Pagoda.

The Green Snake was unable to fight Fa Hai alone, escaped and practiced in her magical power even harder. After the son of Lady White grew up. She took revenge by destroying the Thunder Pagoda and rescued White Snake. White Snake reunited with her husband and her son. The story ended here.

Since the story is so popular. It was moved to Chinese opera, movies, novels, comics, cartoons and PC games. The beginning and the ending portions have been rewritten a lot. For example,

The Lady White was a bad girl and became a good lady

Hsu Sheng was a lewd, lustful guy

Hsu Sheng saved the white snake life in his previous life

The Lady White was beautified as a former fairy lady in the heaven

The son of Lady White rescued Lady White from the Thunder Pagoda

Giant Panda's of Macau

A week before Christmas 2010, Macao rolled out the red carpet for two VIPs from Sichuan in southwest China – a pair of young giant pandas. They were sent by the central government as a gift to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the city’s return to Chinese rule. Kai Kai and Xin Xin arrived in a chartered plane and were greeted at the airport by cheering senior officials, dozens of young students, and veterinary doctors. Then, guarded by a dedicated security team, the two big cuddly creatures were driven in a specially designed van to their 90-million-pataca home in Macao – the newly built 3,000-square-metre Giant P Kai Kai and Xin Xin, whose names were derived from the Chinese characters for ‘happy’, have lived up to expectations and brought delight to their fans.anda Pavilion in Seac Pai Van Park in Coloane. Maria sent me these two FDCs , one with the two stamps and the bigger cover with the souvenir sheet. These were issued on 18.12.2010 to celebrate the arrival of the first two pandas to Macau.

This post is about the mammal in the bear family. The panda ("black and white cat-foot"), also known as the giant panda to distinguish it from the unrelated red panda, is a bear native to central-western and south western China. It is easily recognized by its large, distinctive black patches around the eyes, over the ears, and across its round body. Though it belongs to the order Carnivora, the panda's diet is 99% bamboo. Pandas in the wild will occasionally eat other grasses, wild tubers, or even meat in the form of birds, rodents or carrion. In captivity they may receive honey, eggs, fish, yams, shrub leaves, oranges, or bananas along with specially prepared food.

The giant panda lives in a few mountain ranges in central China, mainly in Sichuan province, but also in the Shaanxi and Gansu provinces. As a result of farming,deforestation and other development, the panda has been driven out of the lowland areas where it once lived.

The panda is a conservation reliant endangered species. A 2007 report shows 239 pandas living in captivity inside China and another 27 outside the country. Wild population estimates vary; one estimate shows that there are about 1,590 individuals living in the wild, while a 2006 study via DNA analysis estimated that this figure could be as high as 2,000 to 3,000. Some reports also show that the number of pandas in the wild is on the rise. However, the IUCN does not believe there is enough certainty yet to reclassify the species from Endangered to Vulnerable.

While the dragon has often served as China's national emblem, internationally the panda appears at least as commonly. As such, it is becoming widely used within China in international contexts, for example the five Fuwa mascots of the Beijing Olympics. 

Year of the Rabbit 5.1.2011

In the Year of the Rabbit, that is in 2011, hospitable Macau is said to have inherited the characteristics pertaining to that year’s patron animal: ‘gentle, agile, affectionate, peaceful and of quiet nature.’ The Rabbit. These two delightful FDCs, one with the miniature or souvenir sheet if you please, and the other with all the 5 commemorative stamps were issued by Macau. They are postmarked with a quaint postmark dated 5.1.2011.
So, on New Year’s Eve – after purchasing gifts at any of the Lunar New Year fairs – the Chinese residents went to either A-Ma or Kun Iam temples and joined the many worshippers there to usher in the Lunar Year. They bought pinwheels and good luck charms to bring back home, as ‘pinwheels’ are believed to twirl around for a luck change for the better. But, many also chose to enjoy the promised romantic fireworks on display free of charge at night. The firecrackers and fireworks were launched in the special launch areas at the waterfront in Macau and Taipa to add more joy and happiness to the whole family’s outing.
Also, one could watch in the following days the Macau Tower’s ‘CNY Walk’, an admission-free event for visitors to climb the stairs to the Tower’s observation deck, for good luck. The traditional ‘Opening of Kun Yam Treasury’, a ritual common in Southern China, on the 26th day of the first lunar month which attracted the most worshippers to Pou Chai Sim Un (or Kun Iam Tong, one of the three major Buddhist temples in Macau) to pray for good luck and safety. And, to be sure one had watch the grand parade of the 238-metre golden dragon and 18-lions on New Year’s Day.

Mainland Scenery

Macau is a city on the southern coast of China. It is located at the south of Guangdong Province, on the tip of the peninsula formed by the Zhujiang (Pearl River) estuary on the east and the Xijiang (West River) on the west. Macau is situated 60 km west of Hong Kong and 145 km southwest of Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong Province. It is immediately adjacent to the Zhuhai Special Economic Zone.

This Souvenir Sheet on the FDC is from the series Scenery of the Mainland. The stamp and the souvenir sheet itself are both inscribed by words in Portugese meaning Ancient City of Fenghuang. The souvenir sheet and also the cover show the vista created by the Ancient City of Fenghuang. Fenghuang City is located in the southwest of Hunan Province. It borders Luxi County in the east, Mayang County in the South, Songtao County of Tongren city in Guizhou province in the west and Jishou City and Huayuan County in the north, serving as the strategic gateway connecting Hunan and Guizhou provinces. 

Feng Huang is Chinese for 'phoenix', the mythical bird which is a good omen and symbolizes longevity. When consumed by fire, Feng Huang will be reborn from the flames. Feng Huang Cheng gets its name from a legend that two of these fantastic birds flew over the town and found the town so beautiful that they hovered it, reluctant to leave. Fenghuang Town is located on the western edge of Hunan Province and next to Guizhou. Claimed to be one of the two most beautiful towns in China, Feng Huang Cheng sets an example of what villages were like before the start of modernization. In the town dozens of lanes are paved with stones that run between the wooden houses built on stilts. Generations of local people have stepped on the lanes and worn them down bit by bit. Mist envelopes the town in the early morning or after a rain, creating a charming picturesque scene of Southwest China. But Feng Huang Cheng's charm goes beyond the natural beauty. This ancient town has a history of 1,300 years and it has a number of old gardens as well as distinctive residential buildings, elegant bridges and mysterious towers and pagodas. In Feng Huang Cheng, tourists can also have a glimpse of the Great Wall. This section of the Great Wall was built in the Ming Dynasty (1573-1620) to defend against the local Miao minority ethnic group, which defied the central government at that time.

Public Buildings and Monuments at Macau

Maria gave me this FDC with four stamps, issued on 19.4.2011 to highlight Public Buildings and Monuments. The buildings and monuments depicted on the stamps are

(1.50ptcs)Seat of Government. Leal Senado, Macau's seat of government, is here, and it overlooks the main town square. Largo do Senado (The Senate Square) is the heart of the city and possibly one of the most popular of Macau attractions. This large Portuguese-style piazza is surrounded by many heritage sites, as well as coffee shops, restaurants, market lanes and shops, and it's always busy with people...

(2.50ptcs)Monetary Authority. The Monetary Authority of Macao is a regulatory institution established on December 20, 1999, upon the transfer of the sovereignty of Macau from Portugal to the People's Republic of China as the Macau Special Administrative Region (MSAR). It was formerly known as the "Monetary and Foreign Exchange Authority of Macao", which was created on July 1, 1989.

(3.50ptcs)Old Ladies Home. Ox Warehouse, the quarter of a group of Macau artists - "Old Ladies' House Art Space", holds regular exhibitions in various media, including paintings, sculptures, poster designs, installations, sketching, and so on. In addition to organizing interesting works of contemporary local art, the Old Ladies' House Art Space offers workshops for adults and children in drawing, music, and other forms of art. The Ox Warehouse is worth visiting for the architecture of the old buildings, which also house a small library and a charming, informal cafe.

(4.00ptcs)Macao Foundation. The Macao Foundation was established in 2001, following the merger of the former Macau Foundation that was founded in 1984, and the Macau Foundation for Development and Cooperation, which was founded in 1998. Its objective is to promote, develop and research on the culture, community, economy, education, science, academics and philanthropic activities, as well as activities that promote Macao.

Intangible Cultural Heritage of Macau

Cantonese Naamyam (Narrative Songs) is popular in the Pearl River Delta region. It was originally performed by blind people in the form of storytelling and singing, gradually taking root in the community. During the 1950s, Cantonese Naamyam was broadcast by Macao’s Vilaverde radio station and Hong Kong Radio Television, with a single narrative song/story lasting months. This period also marked the most pervasive influence of Cantonese Naamyam. The broadcasting of Cantonese Naamyam was discontinued in Hong Kong and Macao in the 1960s, however, following the gradual Westernisation of society.

Cantonese Naamyam has a distinctive method of acquiring its notes and melodies, which can best convey the linguistic features of the Guangdong Pearl River Delta residents. Many of the representative works genuinely reflect the hopeless plight and unstable drifting life shared by the lower classes of society. Today, Cantonese Naamyam is rarely improvised by blind singers, and the form of long narration is no longer used; the unique regional characteristics and cultural and artistic values peculiar to Cantonese Naamyam, however, have received more widespread focus, understanding and recognition from people.

Cantonese Naamyam (Narrative Songs) was inscribed on the Tentative List of Macao S.A.R. Intangible Cultural Heritage Items in 2009 and the National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2010. 

The smaller FDC has all the four stamps issued to commemorate Cantonese Naamyam, whereas the larger cover is affixed with the lovely miniature sheet.

Historic Figures of Macao

Macao Post especially launched an issue with a set of four stamps and one souvenir sheet, with the theme “Historic Figures and Macao” on 9.10.2011. On the four stamps. the head portraits of four historic figures are respectively printed: Lin Zexu, a national hero in Chinese modern history, personally patrolled in Macao in the great anti-opium movement, his determined steps shocked China and foreign countries: Ye Ting, an army commander of the New Fourth Army in China with fame based on military exploits spreading far away, considered Macao as his “second hometown” and spent the quietest six years of his life in Macao: Xian Xinghai, a “great and strong” musician, who praises the Chinese nation by “The Yellow River Cantata” of great momentum, was horn in the family of a mariner as a true “son of Macao”: Ho Yin, an industrial and commercial giant, famous social activist and philanthropist who made distinguished contributions to the construction of Macao and his motherland was a typical person who loved the motherland and Macao.

140th Anniversary of Kiang Wu Hospital Charitable Association

Kiang Wu Hospital Charitable Association (referred to as Kiang Wu Charitable Association), is one of the relatively large-scale charitable organizations run by the locals in Macao, was established in 1871. It has gone through three centuries of history and reached the age of 140. The purpose of the Charitable Association is to undertake charity activities, provide medical services, and develop education to benefit the general public. The Charitable Association is an administrative public welfare legal entity registered with the Macao SAR Government and has subordinate organizations including Kiang Wu hospital, Kiang Wu Nursing College, Kiang Peng Middle School and social service organizations including the Kiang Wu Funeral Parlour and the Kiang Wu Mourning Garden.

As being the main body of the Charitable Association, at the time of establishment, Kiang Wu Hospital dedicated their efforts into helping the sick by using traditional Chinese medicine. At that time, natural disasters frequently took place in the mainland, which brought continuous misery upon the people in Mainland China, so the directors of the Charitable Association proactively made donation to relieve the people in disasters. In 1893, Emperor Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty granted the Association a plaque, with “Built under the Emperor’s Order” as recognition of their contribution. In 1892, Mr. Sun Yat-sen went to Kiang Wu Hospital to undertake the post of voluntary doctor of western medicine and opened up the vanguard of western medicine. ln order to support Mr. Sun Yat-sen in connecting with the society by making use of his medical skills to declare the thoughts of democratic revolution, the Charitable Association offered great amount of funds for subsidy. During the period of the Anti-Japanese War (1937-1945), Kiang Vu Hospital directly supported the frontline, by providing medical treatment to the wounded, relieving the refugees and acting as the chief of Macao Branch of “War Bond Fundraising Committee” to actively raise funds for supporting the Anti-Japanese War. After Hong Kong was occupied by the British, the Association also helped to evacuate a lot of intellectualists and nationalists. Kiang Vu Hospital has always been serving the community with the spirit of practicing medicine to help, heal, and rescue those in need. Since the foundation of New China in 1949, it has been constantly walking towards modernization.

This set of commemorative stamps in the minisheet on the First Day Cover postmarked 25.10.2011 integrates the images such as the emblem, establishment steel hoard, bronze statue of Mr. Sun Yat-sen, pictures of buildings as well as the white marble embossments, etc., indicates the friendship of the Charitable Association with Mr. Sun Yat-sen, the development process of the Charitable Association closely connected with Macao history of 140 years since the establishment and the consistent purpose of serving the society.

Macau – Bank of China

The year 2010 was the 60th anniversary of Bank of China Macau Branch, which was established on 21 June 1950. Throughout those 60 years, Bank of China Macau Branch has kept faith with its operating principle “Rooted in Macau, Steadfast in Serving” and has matured into the main scale bank and the largest financial institution in Macao.

With the passage of time over the past 60 years, this bank has evolved from the old look to a new look and, after the establishment of the Macao Special Administrative Region, the development of stability in society and the rapid growth of the economy, this bank has taken an active part in supporting the legal administration of the Macao SAR Government, and it has striven its utmost to provide quality banking services to the economic and society growth of Macao, the commercial and industrial development and Macao citizens who work and live in peace and harmony. This bank has followed “customer-centered” operating principles, developed all modern financial products such as: The bank’s 60Ih anniversary also indicates that Bank of China’s history in serving Macao has entered another dimension. Looking to the future, with the leadership of the Macao SAR Government and the consideration of the Central Government, Macao has stepped into a period of stable and healthy development. People hope the prospect for development of Macao will become better, and also will create a greater opportunity for the financial industry. Bank of China Macau Branch will take this important historical opportunity to continue to insist on the principle “Rooted in Macau, Steadfast in Serving”, to make a new great achievement on the road ahead in inheriting the past and opening up its future.

In this set of commemorative stamps, the design has woven together the emblem of Bank of China, the Lotus, Macao Heritage sites, modem architecture and also the true love knot, ribbon and number 60 etc. It implies the growth of the past 60 years of Bank of China Macau Branch as well as in the future, the desire to give back to Macao through good quality financial services.

Macau - St. Augustine’s Church

Established by Spanish Augustinians in 1591, this Church initially featured simple architecture. Locally, it is known as “Long Soi Miu” (“Temple of the Long-Whiskered Dragon”), a name inspired by the wind-blown fan palm leaves on the rooftop. The Church, renovated in 1874, has a simple façade and a Classical architectural design inspired by the European Renaissance. Every year, the Church organizes a two-day procession for Our Lord of the Passion - an important religious event that has been practiced by Macao’s Catholics since time immemorial. St. Augustine's Square gathers various classified buildings, such as St. Augustine's Church, Dom Pedro V Theatre, St. Joseph's Seminary and Sir Robert Ho Tung Library. The cobblestone pavement unifies the area and reflects a traditionally Portuguese streetscape.

Macau - 10th Anniversary of Macau Food Festival

The food culture of Macao has a long history and perfectly combines the Eastern and Western style, with strong local features and cultural connotations and fully representing the diversity, tolerance, harmony and international characteristics of Macao. It's a precious cultural resource.

The Macau Food Festival is a brand activity established after the reunification of Macao with the Motherland. The 1st Food Festival was held on Leal Senado Square in the summer holiday of 2000, with the purpose to resist impact from the Asian Financial Crisis, promote consumption and attract tourists.

The Macau Food Festival is a carnival of delicacy, happiness and excitement. With delicious foods as the main role, supported by the entertainment programs such as amusement rides and booth games the activity seems more lively and diversified. Both the old and the young can find delicacy and fun here, indulging in pleasures without stop. When they visit here today, they want to come here again tomorrow. A to the delicacies, dozens of local famous restaurants gather here, bringing over one hundred pitches of featured snacks from different countries and the Great China to this platform. The favourable interaction and gathering effect are thus generated to broaden the view of people in the food industry as well as to promote the progress, communication and enhancement of such people, 0 that the entire industry can keep learning, get united, help each other and strive to be stronger.

In November 2010, the 10th Macau "Food Festival is held as scheduled. To celebrate the 10th Macau Food Festival, Macao Post bas issued the stamp with the theme "10th Anniversary of Macau Food Festival". The stamps showed the five famous snacks which were the most popular in all past events are illustrated, including Wanton moodles, Xiao Long Bao (small steamed buns), Sushi, Portuguese Egg Tart and a famous local dish, Portuguese Chicken. Besides, the design of the souvenir sheet even better reflect the excitement and happiness on the site of the event set against the splendid fireworks.

Year of the Rabbit 5.1.2011

Macau, also spelled Macao is, along with Hong Kong, one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China. It lies on the western side of the Pearl River Delta, bordering Guangdong province to the north and facing the South China Sea to the east and south. The territory's economy is heavily dependent on gambling and tourism but also includes manufacturing. Macau was a Portuguese colony and both the first and last European colony in China. Portuguese traders first settled in Macau in the 16th century and subsequently administered the region until the handover on 20 December 1999. The Sino-Portuguese Joint Declaration and the Basic Law of Macau stipulate that Macau operates with a high degree of autonomy until at least 2049, fifty years after the transfer. Under the policy of "one country, two systems", the PRC's Central People's Government is responsible for the territory's defence and foreign affairs, while Macau maintains its own legal system, police force, monetary system, customs policy, and immigration policy. Macau participates in many international organizations and events that do not require members to possess national sovereignty. According to the CIA fact book, Macau has the second highest life expectancy in the world.

Macau post issued a set of five stamps to welcome the Lunar year of Rabbit 2011. The Rabbit is the fourth animal in the 12-year cycle of the Chinese zodiac.
The Year of the Rabbit is associated with the earthly branch symbol? People born in the Year of the Rabbit are articulate, talented, and ambitious. They are virtuous, reserved, and have excellent taste. Rabbit people are admired, trusted, and are often financially lucky. They are fond of gossip but are tactful and generally kind. Rabbit people seldom lose their temper. They are clever at business and being conscientious, never back out of a contract.