Renovated and revitalised by the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC, from its Portuguese acronym), the “Former Iec Long Firecracker Factory Walkway” had its inauguration ceremony held today (23 December). The 400-metre walkway aims to pass on historical memories and is integrated into the characteristics of the environment for the public to indulge in the natural beauty of both the historic structures and plants. It will enrich the public’s experiences of cultural tourism and leisure. Within the site, “The Echo of Firecrackers – Exhibition of the History of Macao Firecracker Industry” and a souvenir shop are open to the public. All are welcome to visit.
The inauguration ceremony of the “Former Iec Long Firecracker Factory Walkway” was presided over by the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of the Macao SAR Government, Ao Ieong U; the Chief of Office of the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of the Macao SAR Government, Ho Ioc San; the President of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, Leong Wai Man; the Director of the General Union of Neighbourhood Association of Macao, Ng Siu Lai; and the President of the Association of Neighbourhood of Taipa, Liu Soi. Lai Hung Kin, a scholar specialising in Taipa history and author of Yick Loong Fireworks Factory, expressed his good wishes through a video. Some former workers from the firecracker industry in Taipa also attended the ceremony. The guests, witnessing the factory’s ‘reopening’, shared a memorable moment together at the ceremony.
Macao’s firecracker industry saw a rapid development in the 1920s, when many firecracker factories were established in Taipa, securing a leading position amid the city’s industrial development at the time. Firecrackers were an important export during the industry’s heyday from the 1950s to the 1970s, many residents in Taipa were engaged in areas related to their production. The industry has an inseparable relationship with Taipa residents’ livelihoods and the community, as well as playing a crucial role in the city’s history of economic development. The century-old former Iec Long Firecracker Factory is the only heritage site of the firecracker industry that is relatively well-preserved in Macao. It reflects the prosperity of Macao’s traditional firecracker industry in the 20th century and bears witness to the contemporary industrial development of the city.
The “Former Iec Long Firecracker Factory Walkway” is one of the key projects of the “Winter Programme - One Cultural Base”. IC carried out a partial revitalisation project for the factory on the principle of preserving the historic structures and ecological ambience. During the partial renovation, IC took into account the integration of the walkway into the former factory’s environmental characteristics, striving to transform it into a ‘featured site for leisure activities themed around Macao’s firecracker industry’. It will satisfy the community’s demand for leisure areas and link to the abundant cultural tourism resources around Taipa Village, thereby establishing itself as a distinctive cultural landmark in the islands to further promote the cultural tourism of the areas.
The walkway is about 400 metres in length. It aims to pass on historical memories and is integrated into the environmental characteristics of the site. Along the walkway, visitors can take a look at the factory’s fuse gluing zones, waterways, ponds, firecracker crimping zones, and storehouses. With the tour guide system, visitors can watch videos of the production and manufacturing process of firecrackers at the time. The walkway allows visitors to explore the cultural connotations of the site and experience the natural beauty of the historic structures and ecological environment. The walkway is open to the public from 6am to 7pm every day.
“The Echo of Firecrackers – Exhibition of the History of Macao Firecracker Industry” is held concurrently at the site and a souvenir shop for cultural and creative products is established. Through the exhibitions’ collections, photos, and multimedia guided tours, visitors may interact with the exhibits and take a retrospective look at the history of the Iec Long Firecracker Factory, and details the past of Macao’s firecracker industry. At the souvenir shop, a variety of exquisite products designed with elements of the factory are available for purchase. The exhibition and the souvenir shop are open from 10am to 7pm every day, all are welcome to visit. In addition, for the next phase, IC will progressively establish entertainment facilities for parent-child activities and organise experience activities for children at the site. IC will also recruit featured cafes and call for resident performers to further promote the development of the cultural and creative industries.
The Yick Loong Fireworks Factory (revised version) published by IC and written by Lai Hung Kin was launched on the same day. Through documentary research and interviews, the author recorded fragments of Taipa residents’ daily lives and the operations of the firecracker business from the time of the factory’s founder Tang Bick Tong to his descendants. Based on the original version published in 2015, the revised version further enriches the historical contents to describe the evolution of the pillar industry in Taipa and Macao Peninsula in the past. The Yick Loong Fireworks Factory (revised version) belongs to the IC-published “Lai Hung Kin‧Taipa series”. In early 2004, the author, Lai Hung Kin, started to consolidate the historical data of Taipa residents’ daily lives in the past and has launched five publications, namely, The Firecracker Industry in Taipa, Yick Loong Fireworks Factory, Reminiscence of Old Taipa I (revised version), The Firecracker Industry in Taipa, and Reminiscence of Old Taipa II. The said publications and related products are available for purchase at the site. To purchase other IC publications, please visit the IC’s online bookshop at www.icm.gov.mo/bookshop, call 8399 6220 during office hours, or email publications@icm.gov.mo.
IC has always strictly followed the relevant anti-epidemic guidelines of the health authorities and made appropriate arrangements for cultural and art activities. To cooperate with the SAR Government’s epidemic prevention work, all visitors must wear a mask, undergo a body temperature check, present the Macao Health Code of the day, and follow the anti-epidemic arrangements and crowd control measures on site.
