Monday, January 28, 2013

Centenary of the Macao Chamber of Commerce



The Macao Chamber of Commerce was established in 1913. In the past one hundred years, the association has been uniting the industrial and commercial sectors, driving the economic development, promoting further cooperation, serving the society, caring the people’s livelihood, promoting the social developments and making great contributions for Macao.
The Chamber has been widely recognized and highly appraised by the society of Macao.

One hundred years ago, a group of zealous Chinese businessmen organized and established a chamber of commerce in order to meet the demands of the social developments.
They drafted the articles of association and presented to the government of Macao for registration.
The Macao Chamber of Commerce was thus approved for establishment and Shiu Ying Chau was elected as the first President.
Later, the chamber was renamed as ‘Macao Chinese General Chamber of Commerce” (also known as “Macao Chamber of Commerce”).
Since then, the Chinese businessmen in Macao had a community organization of their own, which had a legal status and a certain authority of jurisdiction and could help to mediate business disputes among Chinese businessmen.

After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, Ho Yin was elected as the new President of Board of Directors of the Macao Chamber of Commerce.
From 1950 to 1983, Ho Yin acted as the President of Board of Directors for 18 terms and the President for 2 terms.
In the over thirty years, he guided the affairs of the Chamber, making contributions both in terms of funds and efforts and obtaining a high reputation in the society of Macao. Ma Man Kei started to act as Vice President from 1950, sparing no effort to assist Ho Yin to deal with all kinds of works in the Chamber.

On 6 December 1983, Ho Yin passed away.
Ma Man Kei was elected as the President in April of the following year.
After that, Ho Hau Wah also acted as the Vice President.
While taking an active pan in the promotion of economic developments in Macao, the promotion of friendly communications between China and Portugal and the strengthening of the ties with Mainland China, he also actively facilitated the returning of Macao and made efforts for the preparative work for the founding of Macao Special Administrative Region.
It’s more delightful that the former Vice President of the Macao Chamber of Commerce, Ho Flau Wati, was successfully elected in 1999 and became the first Chief Executive of Macao Special Administrative Region appointed by the Central People’s Government. He was even re-elected and served for another term of office.

In order to carry forward the influence of Macao Chamber of Commerce, the 78th members general meeting was held in 2010, on which, the general election was successfully performed. The 68th Presidents of the Chamber & Members of the Board of Directors & Board of Supervisors of the Macao Chamber of Commerce were elected. Ma lao Lai was elected as the President. Kou Hoi In was elected as the President of Board of Directors and Cheang Chi
Keong (the representative from Bank of China Macao Branch) was elected as the President of Board of Supervisors.

After the general election, two deputy chairmen of the Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, Ma Man Kei and Ho Hau Wah, were invited to act as the Permanent President and provide guidance on our work.

In the past one hundred years, Macao Chamber of Commerce has made a lot of useful work for the development of Macao. Before the returning of Macao, Macao Chamber of Commerce had always been the tie of communications between the Chinese community in Macao and the Macao government at that time, taking an active part in major social and political events such as the smooth transition of Macao and the successful handover of sovereignty.

After the returning of Macao to its motherland, Macao Chamber of Commerce continued lo be persistently devoted to the country and Macao, unite all social sectors, protect the legal rights and benefits of industrial and commercial sectors, provide full support for the legal governing of Macao SAR government, assist the government to construct a platform for economic and trade services and cooperation and implement all kinds of policies, take an active part in regional communications, promote the cooperation with complementary advantages and mutual benetits and make great contributions for the sustainable development of Macao.

Within the past century, Macao Chamber of Commerce has been closely catching up with the times and advancing forward. In the future, we will make further achievements with efforts of all our colleagues. Now, upon the centenary of the Chamber, Macao Post issues a sel of stamps ‘Centenary of the Macao Chamber of Commerce”, which will be used as a memory for the past as well as an incentive for the future.

Macao Chamber of Commerce
Translation: C&C — Translation Centre, Ltd.

The Stamps:
The Sheetlet:
The Souvenir Sheet:
The FDC with Stamps:
The FDC with Souvenir Sheet:
The Post Mark:
Dados Técnicos/Technical Data
Valor dos Selos/Stamps Value: A set of 4 stamps with face value at 1.50, 2.50, 3.50 and 4.00 patacas (MOP)
Folhas Miniatura com quatro séries/Minisheets with four sets
Valor do Bloco/Souvenir Sheet Value: With 1 stamp at 12.00 patacas (MOP)
Desenho/Design: Ng Wai Kin
Data emissão/Issue date: 23.01.2013
Impressor/Printer: Joh. Enschedé Security Print, Netherlands
Impressão/Print: Offset Lithography
Papel/Paper: Paper with Security Fibers
Picotagem/Perforation: 14 x 13¼
Size: 40 x 30 mm
Stamps per sheet: 16

Thursday, January 3, 2013

Lunar Year of the Snake



The siskin repays benefits with jade bracelets
The snake offers pearls showing thankfulness

In the Chinese lunar calendar, the year of 2013 is the year of the snake.

According to Li Shizhen in his famous Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu), Chapter 2 — “Animals with scales”, there are 17 species of snakes, each of which can be used to treat chronic diseases depending on their specificity.

In “Soushenji”, written by Gan Bao in Jin Dynasty, mentioned that Suihou, a King in Sui Dynasty met a very large snake, which was wound and almost dying in his traveling so he saved it by sealing the wound with medicines.
In Lunar New Year’s live, the snake he had saved appeared and held a bright pearl in the mouth for requiring favours.
The pearl was big and as bright as the moon at night that can light up a room.
It is also another story about a man named Yang Bao in Han Dynasty, he received a white ring that could bring benefits to his posterity since he had saved a siskin that fell to the ground and was close to death.
Both of these stories are allusions of gratitude for receiving help and encouragement by others.

The world was full of cruelty and violence, the new stamp is issued during the Lunar New Year and a couplet is also be launched “The siskin repays benefits with jade bracelets, snake offers pearls showing thankfulness” in serving to celebrate the event and promote harmony and peace.

Author: Lao Wah
Translation: C&C — Translation Centre, Ltd.

About the “Five Snakes”

There are two kinds of theories about the attributes of the Five Elements in each year: one saying is dependent on the heavenly Stems” while the other is based on the sound retainers of the Five Elements, which are calculated by “Heavenly Stems” and the “Earthly Branches”.

If calculated by “Heavenly Stems”, the snake’s nature for the Five Elements is as follows:

“Water Snake”:  Guisi Year  (Gui belongs to Water)  2013, 1953
“Metal Snake”: Xinsi Year  (Xin belongs to Metal) 2001, 1941
“Earth Snake”: Jisi Year (Ji belongs to Earth) 1989, 1929
“Fire Snake”:  Dingsi Year (Ding belongs to Fire) 1977, 1917
“Wood Snake”:  Yisi Year  (Yi belongs to Wood) 1965, 1905

If based on the sound retainers of the Five Elements, the snake’s nature for the Five Elements and their mnemonics are as follows:
“Water Snake”:  Guisi Year  Guisi - runnng water  2013, 1953
“Metal Snake”: Xinsi Year  Xinsi - wax metal     2001, 1941
“Earth Snake”: Jisi Year Jisi - forest wood     1989, 1929
“Fire Snake”:  Dingsi Year Dingsi - earth ìn sand 1977, 1917
“Wood Snake”:  Yisi Year  Yisi - fire of Buddha 1965, 1905

The Macao Post adopted the “Heavenly Stems” calculation method to figure out the nature of the “Five Elements” in the sixth issue of the third series of Chinese Zodiac stamps “Lunar Year of the Snake”.
This year, the snake’s nature from the “Five Elements” is “Water Snake”, so it becomes the main character of the five stamps.


“Water Snake” - The Water Snake belongs to the species of “Crouching Snake”.
He is career activist, namely, enterprising people who is enthusiastic about pioneering work.
He hopes for the best when dealing with things, make plans before moving ahead, and advance bravely without fear of taking a risk once he moves. His strong sense of self-respect makes him easily emotional.

“Metal Snake” - The Metal Snake belongs to the species of “Viperidae”.
Also called King of Snakes, King of Snakes means the people that behave in a kingly way and is a born leader.
With excellent decision making ability, breadth of mind and courage, and is followed constantly. The high confident can make him turn to be full of’ conceit.

“Earth Snake” - The Earth Snake belongs to the species of “Dragon Snake”.
He is a person with spirit of universal love, loyal lo friends, treasures friendship, and is sensitive to emotion, like being the center of attention.
Pay attention to friends, but not willing to be excessively known by friends.

‘Fire Snake” - The Fire Snake belongs to the species of “Big Snake”.
He is attractive and provided with both innate charm and skill of performing, quick mind and strong reflex and outstanding sociability, he is positive and subjective when dealing with affairs, anxiously however.
He is luck in making money.

“Wood Snake” - The Wood Snake belongs to the species of “Long Snake”.
He is organized, matters in a planned and order, and is self-disciplined.
He has a good taste in life and innate appreciation ability, popular among friends, but selective when making friends.
He is inactive in handling affairs and easily frustrated.

Author: Lawrence Lei
Translation: C&C — Translation Centre, Ltd.

The Stamps:
The Sheetlet:
The Souvenir Sheet:
The FDC with Stamps:
The FDC with Souvenir Sheet:
The Maximum cards:
The Post Mark:
Dados Técnicos/Technical Data
Valor dos Selos/Stamps Value: 5 stamps of 1.50, 1.50, 1.50, 1.50 and 5.00 Patacas
Folhas Miniatura com cinco séries/Mini sheets with five sets
Valor do Bloco/Souvenir Sheet Value: 12.00 Patacas
Desenho/Design: Wilson Chi Ian Lam
Data emissão/Issue date: 03.01.2013
Impressor/Printer: Sprintpak, Australia
Impressão/Print: Offset Lithography with Embossing and Hot Foil Stamping with Holographic
Papel/Paper: Paper with Security Fibers
Selos por folha/Stamps per sheet: 25
Tamanho/ Size: 35 x 35 mm
Picotagem/Perforation: 14.28 x 14.28
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