“Facing Xiamen.” That’s what Mong-Ha means. Today we explore Mong-Ha Villas. Once, this was the oldest settlement on the Macau peninsula.
Let’s step back to 1386. Imagine over 500 households arriving from Fujian province. They sought a new home. They built Mong-Ha village here. It was a rural Chinese village. It remained untouched for centuries. The Portuguese arrived in Macau in 1557. They settled nearby but left Mong-Ha alone.
Everything changed in 1846. Governor Joao Maria Ferreira do Amaral arrived. He wanted to impose Portuguese rule. He expelled Chinese customs officials from Mong-Ha. He seized land and demanded taxes from local farmers. They were now to pay him not Beijing.
Amaral’s actions sparked outrage. On August 22 1849 villagers assassinated him. They saw him as a threat to their way of life. Today China views those assassins as patriotic heroes.
But rewind a little further. The Kun Iam temple is nearby. Here China and the US signed their first treaty. It’s called the Treaty of Wangxia. The US sought equal treatment to Britain. Caleb Cushing represented the US. Qi Ying represented China. The treaty granted the US the same rights as the Treaty of Nanjing.
The Americans gained many rights. They could learn Mandarin. They could buy land in treaty ports. They could build churches and hospitals. They also gained extraterritoriality. This meant American citizens were tried by US officials not Chinese courts. China now considers it an unequal treaty.
Back to Mong-Ha Villas. Urbanization transformed the area in the early 1900s. Fields were filled. Peasant houses were demolished. New roads schools and factories were built. A military barracks also appeared.
Today little remains of the ancient village. The Kun Iam temple is one reminder. It holds images of old families. It reminds us of the people who once called Mong-Ha home.
Mong-Ha Fort was built to protect Macau. Construction began in 1849. It finished in 1866. This followed the First Opium War. It was a precaution against a possible Chinese invasion. The fort held ten artillery pieces. They could reach the Portas do Cerco.
The Quartel de Mong-Ha was built in the 1920s. It housed Portuguese troops. These troops were of African origin. In the 1960s the Portuguese military withdrew. The fort became inactive. In 1997 the area became the Jardim Municipal de Mong-Ha.
In 2008 the government demolished the Quartel de Mong-Ha. They built public housing in its place. Today Mong-Ha Villas stands as a testament to this rich past. A place where ancient village life modern development and diplomatic history intertwine.