Four research projects by local and overseas scholars received the 2021 Academic Research Grant from the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC, from the Portuguese acronym) after a strict evaluation process. The Academic Research Grant programme was set up to encourage the development of original academic research on Macao’s culture and the exchanges between Macao, Mainland China and other countries. Over the past three decades, IC has awarded grants to more than 160 research projects, which resulted in the publication of quite a number of academic monographs, with the aim of enhancing the influence of relevant academic research projects and promoting cultural exchange between Macao, Mainland China and other countries.
In order to ensure the integrity and impartiality of the selection process and in accordance with the Academic Research Grant Regulations, IC has charged the Institute for Social and Cultural Research of the Macau University of Science and Technology to organize a panel of experts to carry out an anonymous review of the applications and to provide academic comments to the Selection Panel. The 2021 Selection Panel was composed by the Vice President of the IC, Leong Wai Man; the Director of the Institute of Area Studies of Peking University, Qian Chengdan (who participated online); the Director of the Centre for Historical Anthropology of Sun Yat-Sen University, Liu Zhiwei; the Executive Associate Dean of the School of Humanities and Social Science of the Chinese University of Hong Kong (Shenzhen), Hao Yufan; and the Head of the Division of Research and Publications of IC, Lam Weng Na. After seeking advice from professionals and in-depth discussion, the Panel rigorously selected four research projects from the 29 applications for this year’s Grant, namely:
1. “Macau’s Traditional Chunambo Construction – Investigation into its Building Techniques, Composition and Conservation Strategies” by Ip Kin Hong, a PhD holder in Philosophy (specialised in Heritage Conservation) from the University of Technology, Sydney. Focused on the study of Macao’s traditional buildings material, chunambo, the project collects material samples from historical chunambo constructions with different functions and locations. The project analyses and compares the material properties of chunambo from different sources, explores the causes of its weathering, and proposes specific solutions for protection and restoration, promoting the development of restoration and conservation techniques for historical buildings in Macao.
2. “A Study on the Formation and Development of the Returned Overseas Chinese Community in Macao – Focusing on Overseas Chinese Returned from Southeast Asia (1949-1999)” (澳門歸僑社會的形成與發展研究──以東南亞歸僑為中心(1949-1999)) by Xiang Fang, a PhD holder in International Relations (specialised in International Relations and Global Governance) from the Macau University of Science and Technology. Through investigating Burma returned overseas Chinese in Macao by conducting participant observation and study, the project aims to understand the living conditions of overseas Chinese who returned from Southeast Asia in Macao and the international exchanges between Macao and relevant countries in Southeast Asia in the second half of the 20th century.
3. “Taoist Rituals and Lingnan Taoism in Macao” (澳門道教科儀與嶺南道教) by Li Jing, a PhD holder in Literature (specialised in Classical Chinese Philology) from Fudan University. The project carries out a comprehensive study on Taoist rituals which persist today and reveals more historical and cultural connotations of Taoism in Macao. From the perspective of regional social interaction between Macao and Lingnan, the project investigates the evolution of Macao Taoist rituals and Lingnan Taoism and traces the origin of the former in Macao. Examining the Yushan Jinggong, a Taoist ancient work exclusive to Macao, the project explores the traditional origin of Zhengyi Daoist rituals in Macao and western Guangdong.
4. “Is heritage on the menu in the city of Gastronomy: Definition and scope of Macanese cuisine” by Henrique Fátima Boyol Ngan, a PhD holder in Psychology from the University of Saint Joseph, Macao, with Anna Litwin. Focusing on the existing recipes of Macanese cuisine, the project delves into the content of these recipes. At the same time, it also studies the recipe perception of different interest groups, and extracts relevant key information by means of qualitative interviews and quantitative questionnaires, analysing the value and significance of Macanese cuisine from a commercial and cultural perspective.
For details of the Academic Research Grant Regulations and the list of the grantees, please visit IC’s website at www.icm.gov.mo. For enquiries, please contact IC through tel. no. 83996441 during office hours or through email bolsa.depub@icm.gov.mo.