The latest issue of the Revista de Cultura dives into Macao’s place within global historical currents to explore themes of “maritime conflict, diasporic identity, and cultural hybridity. That’s according to its publisher, the Cultural Affairs Bureau (known by its Portuguese initials IC).
The 77th international edition of the peer-reviewed journal – which is edited by the Centre for Macau Studies at the University of Macau – opens with a historical analysis of 18th- and 19th-century maritime tensions in Canton, “when foreign sailors’ disruptive conduct inflamed Sino-Western relations,” IC’s statement says.
A study of a recently rediscovered 18th-century export painting that depicts Macao’s bustling waterfront and trade activity follows. The artwork offers new insights into the city’s urban and artistic life during the mid-Qing dynasty.
In the journal’s regular anthropology column, researchers trace migration from Macao to the Mascarenes Islands east of Madagascar (the archipelago includes Mauritius, Réunion and Rodrigues), using archival and ethnographic sources to highlight how Chinese heritage helped shape Creole identity in the Indian Ocean.
[See more: Macao to mark China Culture and Natural Heritage Day with free activities, open days]
Meanwhile, the Macao studies section explores “religious syncretism through hybrid deity worship” and features the previously unpublished diary of an American merchant’s wife living in Macao, written in the mid-19th century. The issue concludes with two book reviews: one examines a fictional scandal tied to Macao, and the other delves into class relations within Macanese society.
The journal is currently open to submissions relating to Macao’s Culture City of East Asia 2025 status.
Topics may include Macao’s historical and cultural connections with East Asian countries, its role in regional cultural exchange, and the East Asian influences visible in Macao’s multicultural heritage.
Articles may be submitted in Chinese, Portuguese or English and submission guidelines can be found here. The Revista de Cultura is sold for 150 patacas at locations including the Centro de Serviços da RAEM, Archives of Macao, Macao Museum of Art, Plaza Cultural Macau and IC’s online bookshop.
