Editing History of Macau (section)

==Early history==
{{Further|Europeans in Medieval China}}
The human history of Macau stretches back up to 6,000 years, and includes many different and diverse civilisations and periods of existence. Evidence of human and culture dating back 3,500 to 4,000 years has been discovered on the [[Macau Peninsula]] on [[Coloane Island]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=文章内容 |url=https://www.macaudata.mo/macaubook/book085/html/18101.htm |access-date=27 January 2023 |website=www.macaudata.mo}}</ref>

During the [[Qin dynasty]] (221–206 BC), the region was under the jurisdiction of [[Panyu County]], [[Nanhai District|Nanhai Prefecture]] of the province of [[Guangdong]].<ref name="Macau history in Macau encyclopaedia">{{cite web|url=http://www.macaudata.com/macauweb/Encyclopedia/html/44907.htm|title=Macau history in Macau Encyclopedia|access-date=12 January 2008|publisher=Macau Foundation|language=zh|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071013210914/http://macaudata.com/macauweb/Encyclopedia/html/44907.htm|archive-date=13 October 2007}}</ref><ref name="Macau-yearbook">{{cite web |url=https://yearbook.gcs.gov.mo/uploads/yearbook_pdf/2019/myb2019ePA01CH22.pdf |publisher=Government Information Bureau of the MSAR |title=15: History |quote=Historical records show that Macao has been Chinese territory since long ago. When Qinshihuang (the first emperor of the Qin dynasty) unified China in 221 BC, Macao came under the jurisdiction of Panyu County, Nanhai Prefecture. Administratively, it was part of Dongguan Prefecture in the Jin dynasty (AD 266–420), then Nanhai County during the Sui dynasty (AD 581–618), and Dongguan County in the Tang dynasty (AD 618–907). In 1152, during the Southern Song dynasty, the Guangdong administration joined the coastal areas of Nanhai, Panyu, Xinhui and Dongguan Counties to establish Xiangshan County, thus bringing Macao under its jurisdiction.}}</ref><ref name="ethnic-encyclopedia">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oZCOAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA169 |title=Ethnic Groups of North, East, and Central Asia: An Encyclopedia |first=James B. |last=Minahan |publisher=[[ABC-CLIO]] |year=2014 |isbn=978-1-61069-018-8 |page=169}}</ref> The region is first known to have been settled during the [[Han dynasty]].<ref>{{Cite book| publisher = Hong Kong University Press| isbn = 978-988-8028-54-2| last = Hao| first = Zhidong| title = Macau History and Society | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=LP9q1dzVRYQC&pg=PA15 | date = 2011|page = 15}}</ref> It was administratively part of [[Dongguan Prefecture]] in the [[Jin dynasty (266–420)|Jin dynasty]] (266–420 AD), and alternated under the control of Nanhai and Dongguan in later dynasties.<ref name="ethnic-encyclopedia"/><ref name="handbook">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nF-zCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA32 |title=Macao Electoral, Political Parties Laws and Regulations Handbook – Strategic Information, Regulations, Procedures |publisher=IBP. Inc. |year=2015 |page=32|isbn=978-1-5145-1727-7 }}</ref>

Since the 5th century, merchant ships travelling between Southeast Asia and [[Guangzhou]] used the region as a port for refuge, fresh water, and food.<ref>{{Cite web|last=davide|title=Macau's Early History|url=https://www.portuguesemuseum.org/?page_id=1808&category=3&exhibit=&event=154|access-date=25 March 2021|language=en-US}}</ref> In 1152, during the [[Song dynasty]] (960–1279 AD), it was under the jurisdiction of the new [[Zhongshan|Xiangshan County]].<ref name="Macau history in Macau encyclopaedia"/><ref name="Macau-yearbook"/><ref name="handbook"/> In 1277, approximately 50,000 refugees fleeing the [[Mongol conquest of China]] settled in the coastal area.<ref name="ethnic-encyclopedia"/><ref name="handbook"/><ref name="Brief History of Macau">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3N9JAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA2|title=Background Notes, Macau |publisher=Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, U.S. Department of State |year=1994 |access-date=22 April 2020 |page=2}}</ref>

[[Mong Há]] has long been the centre of Chinese life in Macau and the site of what may be the region's oldest temple, a shrine devoted to the [[Buddhist]] [[Guanyin]] (Goddess of Mercy).<ref>{{Cite book |last=Ride |first=Lindsay |display-authors=etal |title=The Voices of Macao Stones: The Nanjing Massacre Witnessed by American and British Nationals |publisher=Hong Kong University Press |year=1999 |isbn=978-962-209-487-1 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CTLxAQAAQBAJ&dq=mong+H%C3%A1+budhist+goddess+of+mercy+temple&pg=PT64 |pages=42}}</ref> Later in the [[Ming dynasty]] (1368–1644 AD), fishermen migrated to Macau from various parts of Guangdong and [[Fujian]] provinces and built the [[A-Ma Temple]] where they prayed for safety on the sea. The [[Hoklo people|Hoklo Boat people]] were the first to show interest in Macau as a trading centre for the southern provinces. However, Macau did not develop as a major settlement until the Portuguese arrived in the 16th century.<ref name="Brief History of Macau" />