SKETCHBOOK

Coming Up - The Historic Centre of Macao series - "The Revive of the Sleeping Lotus"

"...自李唐來 世人甚愛牡丹 予獨愛蓮之出淤泥而不染，濯清漣而不妖，中通外直，不蔓不枝，香遠益清，亭亭淨植，可遠觀而不可褻玩焉。..."- 周敦頤

"...People usually were interested in peony since Tong Dynasty.
However, I do like lotus which is clean even being in the muddy pond.
It is so pure, delicate and bright.
The lotus is consistent, continue and coherent deep inside.
It appears to be straight, proper and honest..
It gives a fantastically good smell and people could even sense its excellent smell far away.
It has no unnecessary branches.
It can be only appreciated distantly but not touched blasphemously..." A tale of lotus lover by Joy Duen Yi

Macao - "a city has been living in the shadow of Hong Kong for so long, and its image is tainted by its casinos, Mafia, and porn business, which reveals the darkest sides of humanity. The cityscape is of over-crowdedness, decadence and tiredness." - Gene K.King, Editor-in-Chief of "Urban Design and Planning Magazine"
Lotus - City flower of Macao, symbolizes the undefeated beauty coming from the most horrifying environment.

Macao has been sleeping inside the muddy pond for decades. In the beginning of the 21 century, through the handing over back to the motherland in 1999, the opening up of the casino market and the mainland China's "free-to-go" traveling policy. The pouring in of foreign investment and tourists has once again; given this tiny city an opportunity to awake from its solitude. The "crown" of the UNESCO World Heritage title has further widening the reputation of this city and for people to wipe out the dark side of Macao and catch its charm and characters on another perspective.

Articles will be posted in the coming weeks to preview and discuss the seaborne city of Macao under the turning point of its time.

posted by ryxx @ 1:34 AM