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Festival Culture: Opera for Appeasing Gods (Photos: Leong Cheok Nang)

Government Information Bureau

2025-03-07 14:57

The second day of the second month of the lunar calendar is considered the birthday of Tou Tei (the Earth God). Foc Tac Temples around Macao hold celebrations to mark it. The festive atmosphere is at its most intense in the areas of Horta da Mitra and Patane.
The beliefs and practices associated with Tou Tei (the Earth God) have been passed down in Macao over generations. They were included in the Intangible Cultural Heritage List of Macao in 2017, and further listed in 2021 in the fifth batch of national-level intangible cultural heritage representative projects. Ceremonial opera performance is one of the activities to pay respect to the deities during the Earth God’s birthday celebration.
The Opera for Appeasing Gods is a performance of plays to celebrate the birth of a divinity. It is a way of expressing the joy said to be shared mutually between humans and deities, acknowledging receipt of divine blessings, and involving prayers for peace and safety.
The Opera for Appeasing Gods is a performance of plays to celebrate the birth of a divinity. It is a way of expressing the joy said to be shared mutually between humans and deities, acknowledging receipt of divine blessings, and involving prayers for peace and safety.
The Opera for Appeasing Gods originates from the Lingnan region and is a type of Cantonese opera. Historically it has been a major form of entertainment.
The Opera for Appeasing Gods originates from the Lingnan region and is a type of Cantonese opera. Historically it has been a major form of entertainment.
Whenever an Opera for Appeasing Gods is staged, a temporary theatre is built in an open space in front of the relevant temple. The traditional craftsmanship of the bamboo scaffolding used is appropriate to the ritual performance.
There are daytime and nighttime performances of the Opera for Appeasing Gods, with each run of such an opera usually lasting for between three and five days. Organisers mostly hire opera troupes from Guangdong, Guangxi, or Hong Kong, to come to Macao for the performances.
This year, the Foc Tac Temple of Bairro Horta da Mitra, as well as a Patane community association and the Patane Tou Tei Temple charity association, present respective Operas for Appeasing Gods during celebrations for the birthday of Tou Tei (the Earth God).
Community bonds can be strengthened through these celebratory activities, fostering a spirit of mutual support and camaraderie.