Scholars from Zhejiang and Macau recognize the importance of Pátio do Mungo

Studio Nilau calls attention to the Lei’s houses in Praia do Manduco
Scholars from Zhejiang and Macau recognize the importance of Pátio do Mungo

The Urban Palette of Macao Research Team, composed by members from the China Academy of Art and the Macao Museum of Art (MAM), published the research result last Saturday at the administration transfer gifts museum. The team has investigated the Pátio do Mungo. It was the first time that the 13 houses at the patio are academically recognized by the scholars.

The research team studied these Lei’s houses and stated that the Pátio do Mungo is one of the few remained architectural complexes with traditional Chinese features. According to a news release by Studio Nilau, the old name of the patio was Pateo do Mungo. The 13 houses in the patio were owned by the Lei’s family who refuged to Macau during the Japanese invasion, but they were sold last year and will be demolished. In order to call attention from the society to the situation of Pátio do Mungo, Studio Nilau’s members produced the documentary video “Pateo do Mungo”. This video, presented in the Macau International Film and Video Festival 2009, was directed by the descendent of Lei’s, Season Lao Sin Hang.

The Lei’s houses served as habitation and some of them were also used as firecracker factory. Studio Nilau said that the investigation of Urban Palette of Macao Research Team has brought the hope in preserving this place. They emphasised this 13 houses’ value in maintaining the local traditional Chinese lifestyle and the relationship in the patio, which was just the same as 50 years ago and full of ian-cheng-mei (human touch). Although the Pátio do Mungo is not included in the preservation zone of the Historic Centre of Macao, it is nearby the Mandarin’s House and the Lilau fountain, where the old tenants took water from.

In 1976, the Praia do Manduco area was officially classified as one of the “urban complexes that are representatives of the people or eras of Macau history.” Although this decree was withdrawn in 1986, Studio Nilau think that the Pátio do Mungo, and even the whole Praia do Manduco area are a significant part of Macau history and the historical witness of the local traditional Chinese community. The studio hopes to appeal to the society for attention to the patio through the research result by the Urban Palette of Macao Research Team. With the support from the Portuguese Institute of Sinology and the Portuguese Society of University of Macau, Studio Nilau will hold an exhibition and seminar related to the patio in Portugal in order to call for more attention.