Library News

The University of Macau Library had recently published a video version of the BOYA Talk: “Preservation of and Access to Documentary Heritage ─ The Experience of Cooperation on Chapas Sínicas”by Mrs. Lau Fong.

The “Chapas Sínicas” comprises a total of 3,600 documents, including over 1,500 official letter written in Chinese, 5 books of copies of the letters kept by the Loyal Senate of Macao translated to Portuguese and 4 packets of miscellaneous documents, that is a collection of records of Macao during the Qing Dynasty preserved in the National Archive of Torre do Tombo of Portugal. The collection was titled “Official Records of Macao During the Qing Dynasty (1693-1886)” in its nomination for the Memory of the World Register. It was inscribed onto the Asia-Pacific Register of the Memory of the World in 2016 and the Memory of the World Register in 2017 respectively. The records are reflections on the conditions of the society, people's lives, urban development, trade and commerce, etc. of Macao during the Qing Dynasty. In addition, they represent the significance of Macao to the world and tell stories which, though took place in Macao, are of historical relevance to China, Portugal and even to world history. 

Mrs. Lau Fong, the Director of the Archives of Macao, shared her wonderful stories and experiences on the management of Chinese documents and the protection and utilization of documentary heritage. The video of this talk was edited and produced by the University of Macau Library.