Essays on ‘Macaology’ published

An essay collection titled “Setting Off from Macau: Essays on Jesuit History during the Ming and Qing Dynasties,” written by Professor Tang Kaijian from the University of Macau (UM), has been published.
The collection, published by Brill Publishers, is UM’s first English book on Macaology to be published by a notable European press.
“Setting Off from Macau” includes essays on Catholic studies, the history of missionary work in the greater China region, and the role of Macau in the spread of Catholicism in East Asia.
The collection draws on historical sources of Chinese, English, Portuguese, Italian, Latin, Dutch and Japanese origins. It includes material from religious and government authorities, public and private memoirs, and personal recordings of individuals.
“Macaology” originates from an idea that no culture can form or exist in isolation from other cultures. Since all cultures must learn, adapt and share with each other, none can truly be regarded as stand-alone entities.
Today, the field usually refers to the study of Macau’s history, culture and social life through document archives and cultural relics. It is primarily regional in scope, but the implications of the field are recognized globally in other cultural “melting pots.”