The Eternal Spring of Lilau Square

Once you have drunk the water of Lilau Square, you would never be able to forget Macau.

Throughout Macau, a main urban feature is the squares. Lying at every significant junction in the local neighborhoods are these squares that carves out a concentrated space, usually coming with an old, luscious tree on cobblestones for people to rest. The intention is to provide a community space before significant building structures. The eight squares in the Historic Center are uniquely Macau as a city design. The Lilau Square has a particular historical significance.

In those old colonial days, Lilau Square was where a fresh spring supplied water to the residents of Macau. In Chinese, Lilau Square means, roughly, “the grandma’s well square.” Legend has it that an old woman built a pool that collected fresh water here. Thus, it is said that “once you have drunk the water of Lilau Square, you would never be able to forget Macau.”

Perhaps then it is no surprise that this is the place where one of the first Portuguese residences in Macau was located. The Mandarin’s House, just abutting the Lilau Square, is also a testament of this area being a prime choice for the privileged.

Today, the Lilau Square features a small coffee stand, some tables and chairs under the generous shades of an old Bunyan tree. Along with the aged and somewhat unkempt buildings in this neighborhood, the Lilau Square gives an impression that was at once contemporary and historical.#china #lilausquare #macau #asia #macauheritage

Post by Helen Yu (Chestnut Journal) | Oct 4, 2025