Golden Lotus Square

　　   Golden Lotus Square is situated between Avenida de Governador Nobre de Carvalho, Avenida da Praia Grande, and Avenida Amizade in Macau's new reclamation area. To commemorate the 1999 transfer of sovereignty over Macau from Portugal to China, the Central People's Government of the People's Republic of China presented a sculpture titled "The Lotus Flower in Full Bloom." There are two versions: a large and a small one. The large sculpture on the square weighs 6.5 tonnes, stands 6 metres tall, and has a blossom diameter of 3.6 metres; the smaller sculpture has a 1-metre diameter and is 0.9 metres high, displayed at the Macao Handover Gifts Museum.

　　   The main structure consists of the stem, petals, and heart of the lotus, all cast in bronze with a gold-plated surface. The base, resembling lotus leaves, is made up of 23 layers of red granite, symbolizing Macau’s three islands. The lotus is the floral emblem of the Macao Special Administrative Region. The image of the blooming, upright, and ascending lotus represents the everlasting prosperity of Macau.

　　   The gift was presented on 20 December 1999 when the People's Republic of China resumed the exercise of sovereignty over Macau and established the Macao Special Administrative Region. Recognizing this significant national (and international) event, the Central People's Government of China presented the sculpture "The Lotus Flower in Full Bloom" in both large and small versions, symbolizing the continued prosperity of Macau. This is similar in meaning to the "Everlasting Blooming Bauhinia" gifted to Hong Kong after the 1997 handover. The large lotus sculpture was installed on the square by construction workers on 17 December 1999, and unveiled at noon on 20 December by the then Vice Premier of the State Council of China in charge of Macau affairs.

　　   The large "The Lotus Flower in Full Bloom" sculpture on Golden Lotus Square is 6 metres tall, weighs 6.5 tonnes, and has a blossom diameter of 3.6 metres — the same dimensions as the "Everlasting Blooming Bauhinia" sculpture, symbolizing the equal importance of Hong Kong and Macau to the Central People's Government. The small sculpture is 1 metre in diameter and 0.9 metres tall (the extra 0.2 metres in height signifies the number “9” from 1999), and is displayed at the Macao Handover Gifts Exhibition Hall.

　　   The main body of "The Lotus Flower in Full Bloom" consists of the stem, petals, and heart, all cast in bronze with a gold-plated finish. The base, shaped like lotus leaves, is made of 23 stacked pieces of red granite, representing Macau’s three islands. As the floral emblem of the Macao Special Administrative Region, the blooming, elegant, and rising lotus symbolizes Macau’s eternal prosperity. The entire design signifies that Macau is located within Chinese territory and is an inalienable part of the People's Republic of China. On the front of the granite base is a small plaque inscribed with the words “The Lotus Flower in Full Bloom,” along with the text “Presented by the State Council of the People's Republic of China to the Government of the Macao Special Administrative Region” and the gifting date, “20 December 1999.”

　　   During major festivals in Macau, such as Chinese New Year, the National Day of the People's Republic of China, and the Macau Handover Anniversary, fresh flower arrangements are placed around the granite base of the lotus sculpture, while Christmas flowers are displayed for holiday decoration.

　　   "The Lotus Flower in Full Bloom" sculpture underwent maintenance from late November to early December 2007, during which it was enclosed with wooden boards for repair work.

　　   Originally, there were no flagpoles or flag-raising ceremonies at Golden Lotus Square. In 2000, to celebrate the 51st anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, the Macao SAR Government, drawing inspiration from the flag-raising ceremony at Hong Kong’s Golden Bauhinia Square, installed two flagpoles on the square in September of that year. The first flag-raising ceremony at Golden Lotus Square was held on 1 October 2000, and it has since become an official, regular celebration for both National Day and Macau Handover Day.

　　   The flag-raising ceremony at Golden Lotus Square takes place daily at 8:00 a.m., with the flag-lowering at 6:00 p.m. The ceremony is performed by six uniformed special police officers. During the flag-raising, the national anthem of the People's Republic of China is played, but not during the flag-lowering.

　　   On 3 May 2008, Macau’s Golden Lotus Square was packed with an enthusiastic and joyful crowd. At 4:05 p.m., the atmosphere reached a boiling point as torchbearer #8, Zeng Zhannan, arrived. Thousands of residents waved the national flag and the Macao SAR flag, shouting “Go China!” “Go Beijing!” and “Go Olympics!” turning the entire square into a sea of joy and excitement.

　　   The barriers around the square and street lamps were adorned with Beijing Olympic flags in both Chinese and English, display boards featuring Fuwa holding the “Cloud of Destiny” torch, and banners reading “Ignite Passion, Pass on Dreams,” adding vibrancy to the festive mood.

　　   Neighbourhood associations across Macau actively supported and showed great enthusiasm for welcoming the Olympic torch relay. Many residents signed up to join the torch-cheering teams. Previously, 20,000 Chinese national flags, Macao SAR flags, and Olympic flags had been distributed, and many of the over 3,000 attendees had purchased their own flags to welcome the Beijing Olympic torch at the square.

　　   The golden lotus sculpture in the centre of the square stood gracefully, while surrounding buildings displayed banners and slogans in support of the Beijing Olympics and welcoming the Olympic torch. One particularly eye-catching and grand banner read “The Torch is Here in Macau!” stretching from the rooftop down to the ground.