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Popular Culture Review
destination by shedding its hard-core gambling reputation. In the process, it has
become a target of powerful casino interests in the United Sates, notably Steve
Wynn and Sheldon Adelson, who have designs in molding Macau in the image
of Las Vegas (Kirkland). For academicians, it has become a case study in
cultural globalization.
The concept of cultural globalization refers to cultural domination by
powerful nations over weaker ones, leading to the homogenization of cultures in
the likeness of the powerful nations. Specifically, it refers to the mass infusion
of American popular culture into other countries since the 20th century, and the
resultant development of American look-alikes (Crane). What’s happening in
Macau today is a glaring example of this type of hegemony.
History of Macau and Its Gaming Industry
Macau, a small peninsula with a couple of equally small islands, is
located on the southern coast of China. Originally known as Haojing (Oyster
Mirror), it became a Portuguese colony for almost 400 years more or less by
chance. (Historical information hereafter is mostly based on Fei’s work and the
Wikipedia Encyclopedia.)
In the mid 1500s, China reversed its closed-door policy and allowed
foreign ships to anchor in some small seaports near Guangzhou. Foreigners were
given permission to engage in trade onboard, rather than on shore. Portuguese
ships began to anchor in Haojing. The cargoes of one of the ships were damped
at sea. Its crew asked and was granted permission to land in order to dry the
goods, which prompted other ships to seek the same privilege. After establishing
a foothold, the Portuguese kept extending its stay and expanding its base.
Towards the end of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), the British defeated
the Qing army in the Opium War (1840-42). Sensing an opportunity, the
Portuguese in Haojing, which was also known as Macau by that time, declared
independence. After ignoring the declaration for decades, the Qing Court finally
ceded Macau to Portugal in signing the Treaty of Peking (1887-88). In 1999
Macau was returned to China, and it is now operated as a Special Administrative
Region (SAR).
While Portuguese Macau was a beneficiary of the Opium War, it was
also hurt by it. As a condition for peace, China gave Hong Kong to Britain and
opened up other ports, such as Guangzhou and Shanghai, for foreign trade
(Ebrey 239-240). Almost immediately, Macau lost its advantage as an entry port
and plunged into financial chaos. What saved Macau was ‘"weixing,” a fo