A woman praying at an outdoor temple
A Qing Dynasty statue of the God of Land (Earth God) that sat in the Beco Central of Rua dos Ervanarios was found missing earlier this month. Burglars left some discarded sundries in the yard.
The Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) estimated that the old shrine where the statue sat at was abandoned before 1869, as it was already dilapidated by that time. The stele (stone tablet) that records the shrine’s history was also long gone, leaving the year of the shrine’s establishment untraceable.
However, the God of Land statue has remained in the Beco Central alley till today. Chinese folk religion followers believe that it protects the residential territory. As estimated by the history of another shrine in the nearby Beco da Rosa, the stolen statue dates back to at least 195 years ago, when the neighborhood was a small pier where many boat dwellers moored their boats.
The theft was reported to the IC by residents at a public consultation recently held for the protection and management of the historic centre of Macau. The bureau has sent its staff to inspect the site and called on the neighborhoods’ to jointly protect the relics of folk beliefs.
The IC director Ung Vai Meng also responded that the case is being investigated as a criminal case. He urged antique stores and collectors to alert the police once they find suspicious items for sale.
“I believe such a stone won’t sell for a lot of money, but the theft shows a poor attitude or awareness; it’s unacceptable that someone would violate people’s beliefs and take the statue away,” he said.
The belief in Earth God and Earth Grandmother is an important folk belief in Macau. According to heritage protection activist Lam Fat Iam, there are currently more than a hundred large or small Earth Belief altars distributed over the city, covering Macau Peninsula, Taipa and Coloane. Although incidents of temple theft occurred from time to time, the God of Land statues located in public spaces are rarely the targets.
“This case reflects [the fact] that the relics are considered more valuable now, as the society is nostalgic for the past. The theft has abandoned the traditional beliefs and doesn’t mind offending the gods over a profit,” Lam commented to the Macao Daily News.
“It won’t be a single incident. As the old items and relics have more and more market value, it’s hard to guarantee that the temples, churches and historical architectures all over the city won’t become the targets of theft,” he warned.
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