澳门开埠与明代广东海防形势的变化

The Opening of Macao and Changes in the Guangdong Coastal Defense System during the Ming Dynasty

在嘉靖三十三年（1554年）澳门开埠之前，葡萄牙商人、东南亚海商等已经在广东沿海频繁活动。澳门开埠早期的葡人居留地是在澳门半岛西北部的沙梨头一带，葡萄牙人之所以开埠于沙梨头一带，不仅是因为当地拥有优良的停泊处，位置适中，内外交通便利，更为重要的是白鸽巢山的军事防卫作用和供给饮用水源的便利条件。葡萄牙人在澳门开埠以后，其在澳门的势力与日俱增，除从事正常贸易外，也时常对广东尤其是广州府沿海地带进行武力骚扰，广东中路的海防形势发生了重大变化，广东海防的重心相应地从东路转向了中路。

Before Macao＇s opening as a port in 1554, Portuguese traders had already been active in the coastal areas of Guangdong. In the early days of the opening, the Portuguese settled in Patane, on the northwestern part of the Macao Peninsula on account of its excellent harbor and convenient transportation, both to the rest of China and overseas. The nearby mountains further provided defensible terrain and drinking water. Portuguese power steadily expanded after their settlement of the enclave. In addition to regular trade, their ships regularly harassed shipping in the waters around Guangzhou. As a result, the focus of coastal defense shifted from the eastern part of the province to the Pearl River Delta.