Page 12 - MTMBrochures2019

Since the Portuguese started to
settle in Macau in 1557, Macau Brief
has been opened and traded
to abroad more than 400 years,
it gradually became a trading Introduction
post and meeting place between
Eastern and Western world. In the of
second half of the 16th century,
with the attempt to preach in Macau
mainland China, European
missionaries sought every
possible opportunity to open the Horologe
gate of this ancient empire. The
pioneering missionaries finally History
adopted a strategy by presenting
Western scientific instruments
as gifts to local officials, they
gradually got the permission to
enter and stay in mainland China.
In 1582, the Italian Jesuits Matteo
Ricci first came to Macau with
chiming clocks, after overcoming
countless obstacles, he brought
two chiming clocks as gifts to The
the Ming Emperor Wanli, two Journey
chiming clocks soon arouse the
great interest of the Emperor of Matteo
and finally open the gate of the Ricci
Forbidden City. From that day on,
the sound“tick-tock”could be
heard inside the Palace.

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