The Na Tcha Temple Association launched its fair titled “Na Tcha Temple Lotus Door Three Banquets: Rites Banquet”, in front of the Na Tcha Temple near the Ruins of St Paul’s, on Friday.
Both locations are listed by UNESCO as World Heritage sites. The fair ends on Thursday. It is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. each day.
According to Kuok Pak Yu, head of the association’s youth division, the Rites Banquet (禮宴) focuses on traditional folk beliefs and rituals, as well as on the themes of “Intangible Cultural Heritage Transmission” and “World Heritage Preservation”. It pays tribute to the Ruins of St Paul’s and the Na Tcha folk belief, which is recognised as a national-level item of intangible cultural heritage.
She also said that the fair features three distinctive experiential highlights: an innovative market offering a wide range of attractions, from eight-character tarot readings and speciality cuisine to local handicrafts and creative intangible cultural heritage products; cultural heritage and trend-inspired workshops; and daily live performances and interactive game sessions.
Kuok underlined that the association’s commitment to ensuring that traditional culture is not confined to temples and ancient texts, but is instead made visible, hands-on and tangible for both locals and visitors.
Through the festival, the association hopes to showcase Macau’s unique cultural heritage, shaped by the blending of Chinese and Western traditions, and to inspire the younger generation to cherish and carry forward the deep roots of their intangible cultural heritage and folk beliefs, Kuok noted.
Ip Tat, president of the association and one of the eight official inheritors of Macau’s seven statutorily protected items of intangible cultural heritage, said during Friday’s opening ceremony that he has worked alongside the association’s seventh-generation colleagues for 39 years, witnessing the transmission and development of the Na Tcha folk belief. He expressed his hope that the association’s youth division, the eighth-generation of the association, would take over the reins of the association, continue to bring glory to the Na Tcha Temple, and help establish it as a cultural calling card for Macau. He also expressed his gratitude to the many volunteers, fellow members of the association, and sponsoring organisations for their support in making the market possible.
As previously reported by the Post, the Na Tcha folk belief and customs centre around the worship of Na Tcha (Nezha), a deeply revered child deity in Chinese folk religion, Taoism, and Buddhism. Traditionally depicted as a youthful, rebellious figure who flies on “Wind Fire Wheels” and wields a “Universe Ring,” Na Tcha is celebrated as a powerful protector against evil spirits, plagues, and natural disasters. While Na Tcha is recognised across many Chinese communities, the specific “Na Tcha Belief and Customs” have a uniquely profound cultural footprint in Macau. The core elements of the Na Tcha belief focus on his role as a child protector, a shield against plagues, and a symbol of cultural harmony. Every year, around the 18th day of the fifth lunar month, Macau hosts vibrant celebrations to mark Na Tcha’s birthday, which falls on July 2 this year. The Na Tcha Procession, taking place this Wednesday and Thursday, is a grand procession where a statue of the deity is carried through the historic streets, accompanied by lion and dragon dances to bless the community.
Celebratory dinner marks fair, upcoming procession
Meanwhile, the Na Tcha Temple Association hosted its celebratory outdoor dinner on Friday night in front of the Na Tcha Temple next to the Ruins of St Paul’s, featuring drinks and a variety of local delicacies for guests to enjoy.
Ip Tat thanked the volunteers at the market and the association members for their hard work, and wished the Na Tcha birthday celebration a complete success.
In addition to food and drinks, the evening featured singing and dancing performances to add colour to the celebrations.
Speaking to the Post, Teng Kam Chun, vice-president of the association, said the blessing ceremony for the Na Tcha Procession will take place at 9:30 a.m. tomorrow.
During the blessing ceremony, members of the association will accompany guests into the temple, where the statue of Na Tcha will be placed on the altar and a consecration and blessing ritual will be performed, praying for the well-being and prosperity of local residents, national strength, and the health of all citizens.
Blessing bags will be distributed and a “seal-opening for good fortune” activity will be held in the blessing ceremony, allowing members of the public to bring clothing items to be stamped with the temple seal as a harbinger for good health, Tang said.
Na Tcha Temple Association President Ip Tat addresses Friday’s Na Tcha-themed fair opening ceremony in front of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Na Tcha Temple near the Ruins of St Paul. – Photos: Armindo Neves
A visitor passes an incense burner in front of Na Tcha Temple on Friday.
