Macao is a distinctive city where the East meets the West and where multiple cultures coexist, thus giving vigour to the dissemination of the profound Chinese culture. Among the many items of long-standing and profound folk cultural heritage, the belief and customs of Tou Tei (土地 Tudi/ Earth God) undoubtedly demonstrate the beauty of the Chinese people’s respect for nature and the harmony of the community. A wide variety of Tou Tei altars scattered in the city and the small altars served in households both show the vibrancy of the traditional Chinese culture that has taken root and flourished in Macao and the universality of the Tou Tei belief and customs in the city.

The “Belief and Customs of Tou Tei in Macao” was included in the fifth batch of the National List of Representative Elements of Intangible Cultural Heritage of China, in 2021. Seizing this important opportunity, the Macao Museum, in collaboration with several local community organizations, has brought together a variety of cultural relics related to Tou Tei belief and customs in Macao, introducing to the public the profound cultural connotations through this exhibition. The exhibition is divided into four sections – “Grace of the Earth God”, “Inheritance Through Generations”, “Celebration of Thousand Homes”, and “Blessings and Thrivings for Neighbouring Households”. It shows how the belief and customs of Tou Tei are presented in the context of Chinese history and culture at a macro level, down to the community in Macao at a micro level. It is hoped that the exhibition will enable the public to have a deeper understanding and impression of the belief and customs of Tou Tei, and thus achieve the goal of promoting intangible cultural heritage.