A-Ma Temple
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.
A-Ma Temple | |
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媽閣廟 | |
A-Ma Temple, Macau | |
General information | |
Location | São Lourenço |
Town or city | Macau |
Country | China |
Completed | 1488 |
A-Ma Temple | |||||||||||||||||
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Main Hall | |||||||||||||||||
Chinese name | |||||||||||||||||
Traditional Chinese | 媽閣廟 | ||||||||||||||||
Simplified Chinese | 妈阁庙 | ||||||||||||||||
Literal meaning | Temple of the Pavilion of the Mother | ||||||||||||||||
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Portuguese name | |||||||||||||||||
Portuguese | Templo de A-Má |
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.
Gallery
- A-Ma Temple
- World Heritage marker
References
Wikimedia Commons has media related to A-Ma Temple. |
- "Hakka and Macau" (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 13 January 2008. Retrieved 2008-01-02.
- "A-Ma Temple". Wondermondo.