The Cross-Sea Journey of Modern Colors: The Localization Process of Minnan Cement Patterned Tiles and Macau Portuguese Azulejos

Abstract

The primary objective of this study is to compare the processes of colour localisation in Minnan cement patterned tiles and Macau Portuguese Azulejos from the late 19th century to the mid-20th century. This research is grounded in the historical context of global modernisation and colonial expansion. By examining the developmental trajectories of both as vehicles for trans-maritime and trans-cultural dissemination, this study observes that Minnan cement patterned tiles exhibit characteristics of ‘active acculturation’. Colour techniques introduced from Southeast Asia blended with local Minnan aesthetics and folk beliefs, forming a visual system characterised by multiple hues and high saturation. These tiles became deeply embedded within the clan structures and identity narratives of overseas Chinese communities, evolving into flexible and creative cultural symbols that bear witness to the history of modern overseas Chinese migration. However, Macau Portuguese azulejos, represent a “passive transplantation”. Their signature blue-and-white palette, serving as a visual emblem of Portuguese colonial culture, was systematically applied in public and religious architecture. This became a distinct cultural marker of colonial rule profoundly shaping the city's visual landscape. By comparing these two distinct pathways of colour localisation, this study demonstrates that colour serves not merely as a decorative element, but as a material testament to cultural adaptation and power relations within coastal regions of modern China.