An exhibition commemorating the history and culture of the popular Na Tcha folk belief in Macau kicked off yesterday at Barra Kitchen as part of the ongoing inaugural “World Na Tcha Folk Belief Culture Festival”.
The festival is on until Friday and is a collaboration between the city’s two Na Tcha temple associations, which are based near the Ruins of St Paul’s and Calçada das Verdades respectively. According to event information by the organisers, its programme also gathers temple representatives, scholars, experts, and cultural figures from the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, China’s Taiwan region, Southeast Asia, and elsewhere.
As part of its programme, the Chinese-language exhibition that lasts through Friday offers members of the public a glimpse into Macau’s Na Tcha folk belief, which was inscribed on the National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2014, its heritage and community roots.
With a storied history and age-old traditions, exhibitiongoers are able to learn through informative texts, providing them with an introduction to the beliefs and customs, traditions, relics, preservation efforts, and key figures concerning the tutelary deity. Places including the city’s two Na Tcha temples, the exhibition space next to the Ruins of St. Paul’s, and the Na Tcha-themed café “Amigos do Espinho” are also introduced. The café is renowned for its marble cake.
These are all accompanied by a variety of photos, among which are historical images and past celebrations, along with how it continues today.
Delivering a speech at yesterday’s opening, Macau Temple Festival Cultural Promotion Association Chairman and Cultural Heritage Committee member Lok Nam Tak pointed out the importance of the exhibition gathering cultural elements across temples, festive events, historical documents, oral memories, and daily neighbourhood life.
“By gathering and organising them into an exhibition, the public can piece together the developmental journey of Macau’s Na Tcha belief from multiple perspectives, gaining a clearer understanding of the roles these two temples and their communities have played in Macau’s history and culture”, Lok pointed out.
Lok also said he hopes that the exhibition will enable more people to appreciate Macau’s Na Tcha customs from “diverse angles and gain a deeper understanding of the deep relationship between this culture, Macau’s history, the local community, and residents’ lives”.
Meanwhile, Na Tcha Temple Association President and Macau Temple Civilisation Association Chairman Ip Tat and Inheritor of Macau Na Tcha Belief and Customs Cheang Kun Kuong (鄭權光) spoke with reporters prior to the opening ceremony.
Highlighting the inaugural festival, Ip pointed out that this event was significant as it marked the first time in a century that the city’s two Na Tcha temples have cooperated to host it, with both hoping to build on the opportunity.
Cheang, meanwhile, told reporters that he was confident that there will be a second edition, hoping for continued support as well as larger exhibition spaces in the future to reach more people.
Following the ceremony, a seminar on Na Tcha customs and beliefs featuring several speakers, including Legislative Assembly member and Macao Polytechnic University (MPU) Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences Dean Lam Fat Iam, took place, bringing together temple representatives and scholars from different regions.
The venue was also complete with booths selling Na Tcha-themed items, along with photo spots, while a welcome dinner and performances also took place.
The festival continues today with a joint parade that will start from the Ruins of St. Paul’s and conclude in Largo do Senado, at 11:00 a.m. Other celebratory events include a blessing ceremony and farewell dinner at Barra Kitchen will also take place today.
Na Tcha is known in Putonghua as Nezha. The deity became globally known thanks to the phenomenal success of “Ne Zha 2”, a 2025 Chinese animated epic fantasy action-adventure film which has grossed over US$2.2 billion worldwide. The Post published on March 3, 2025 an editorial about the film’s success and Na Tcha’s importance for Macau’s culture and tourism as well as China’s rising soft power “Ne Zha – China’s soft power answer to Mickey Mouse” -
https://www.macaupostdaily.com/news/24225
Photos of yesterday’s opening ceremony, seminars and photo spots taken yesterday by Rui Pastorin
