Introducing  

Rewi Alley 

REWI ALLEY’S LIFE TIMELINE

Early Life

• 1897 The second son of a schoolmaster, Rewi was born in Springfield, North Canterbury below the foothills of the Southern Alps. Although the family moved shortly afterwards to Amberley, towards the coast in North Canterbury, because the Chinese revere the birth place, a memorial park, statue and centre was developed at Springfield on Rewi’s centenary of his birth, unveiled by the Chinese Ambassador and the New Zealand Governor General. Rewi wrote, “I was fortunate in my parents” but he was much closer to his mother than his strict disciplinarian father who adopted educational techniques ahead of his time, who expected constant application and effort from his children in their studies.  His father was a great believer in social progress, a socialist before it become popular. Rewi adored his mother who was active in the Women’s Federation working for votes for women and wrote of her “ “She was a woman ahead of her time, always as young and progressive as the youngest. She had a breadth of understanding of international issues remarkable in our New Zealand society… to have such a mother was my very great fortune.”
• 1898 When Rewi was only a month old, the family consisting then of an older brother Eric, and Sister Gwen, moved to Amberley, where three more children were born. Rewi remembered,  “Amberley was a grand place for a young boy to pass his first years”, and the area became fixed in his mind as his most loved part of his homeland being mentioned in many of his writings and poems.
• 1902 – 1905 Attended Amberley Primary School where Rewi’s father was the headmaster
• 1906 The family moved to Riccarton, a suburb of Christchurch City where Rewi’s father was to establish a new school at Wharenui and be its first headmaster.

1912      Rewi began his high schooling at Christchurch Boy’s High in what is now the Christchurch Arts Centre and where there is a plaque unveiled on the 120^th anniversary of his birth, commemorating his time there. While not an outstanding scholar, Rewi was an avid reader who enjoyed poetry and visiting the Canterbury Museum. The sports he enjoyed were rugby and later rowing. He also excelled at shooting.

War Experience

• 1916 Late in this year Rewi, at age 19, enlisted in the New Zealand Expeditionary Force which fought in Belgium and France. His brother Eric was killed earlier that year in France and Rewi was impatient with any delay to enlist.
• 1917 After extensive training and a long sea voyage, in October Rewi’s unit arrived in England
• 1918 With the 12^th Nelson Company of the First Canterbury Regiment, Rewi went to the Ypres salient in France where he received a lesson in the value of life after being persuaded to rescue a seemingly dead soldier. He was twice wounded, the second time severely being fortunate to survive and his wounds in his hip and near his back bone most likely making him impotent. For bravery in his last action while an acting NCO he received the high honour of a Military Medal for his bravery on the day he was wounded. Comradeship was one thing the front line taught Rewi and his section leader, half Maori and half Chinese, showed what a real comrade should be like.

Farming in Moeawatea

• 1919 After sometime convalescing in England Rewi returned to Christchurch having been away 17 months but it seemed to him like a lifetime.
• 1920 Teamed up with his old school friend, Jack Stevens, who proposed that they use a government rehabilitation loan to buy a farm in Taranaki in the North Island. They raised enough funds from their government loan and their own war gratuities including that of Rewi’s brother Eric who had been killed in France, to purchase and stock a farm at Moeawatea, inland South Taranaki.
• 1920 – 1926 For six years Rewi and Jack struggled to make a living, often working 16 hours a day in the busy season. 1000 sheep and 100 cattle needed fencing in on the steep countryside and bush clearing for increased pasture was a real necessity. Isolation, falling wool prices and the need to undertake supplementary work such as road making, started to make the farm unattractive. After watching the wool prices drop to almost nothing, Rewi moved off the farm, leaving it to his newly married partner. There was not enough return to be had for one person let alone three.
• 1926 In November, Rewi returned to Christchurch, feeling too much of a failure in a high-achieving family to stay there and he decided to take a ship in December to Australia as a first step on his journey to China. In Sydney he worked in a fertiliser factory for three months before enrolling in a telegraphic course so he could earn his passage to China as a ship’s radio operator.

Shanghai Fire Brigade Officer & Factory Inspector

• 1927 April 21^st Rewi arrived in Shanghai to find himself spat on by a Chinese male as he disembarked which caused him to think what a strange country this is. He applied for and gained a position as a sub officer in the International Settlement Municipal Council’s fire brigade leading a fire engine crew spending half the day fire-fighting and the other half undertaking factory fire inspections. During this time he became painfully aware of the misery most Chinese lived in and was struck by the contrast of wealth and poverty in the city. A friendship with Joseph Baillie, an Irish- American missionary, had a great impact on him as he saw the terrible conditions of the Chinese workers and he gradually identified with their struggles for improved conditions.
• 1932 Rewi became Chief Factory Inspector for the Shanghai Municipal Council working with a team endeavouring to improve factory safety and working conditions. This role gave Rewi the opportunity to observe further the disgusting environment that common people lived and worked in. His holidays and weekends were spent visiting the countryside or Japan and Korea often as part of a small group.  Rewi became determined not to become one of the “big greedy people” who “declared war on the people – I at least declare war on them” he wrote. The thought gave Rewi courage and strength to go on.

Flood & Famine Relief Work

1929      Rewi assisted in the work of the China International Famine Relief Commission in Suiyuan Province, now part of (Inner Mongolia), where he met Edgar Snow. Rewi wrote “the terrible famine of 1929 was such a human tragedy that one could see horrors enough in one day to last a life time.” During this time, in Shanghai, he adopted a son, Alan Duan (Duan Simou).

• 1931 Rewi negotiated his leave to return for a holiday in New Zealand but was approached by the Representative of the League of Nations, to first assist with flood relief work in Hubei Province.
• 1932 In early January, Rewi went to Wuhan to be the League of Nations Representative on the Flood Relief Commission. One of his tasks was to get refugees out of the Wuhan cities for construction work on the restoration of dykes washed away or breached by the 1931 floods well before the new river levels of the 1932 summer arrived. He also undertook the arranging of aid wheat to starving communities including that of (Xindi) Hong Hu City where he delivered three large barges of wheat through a blockade by opposing armies, against the Kuomintang Provincial Governor’s wishes who considered the population there likely to be communist supporters. Rewi subsequently transferred over 300,000 flood refugees out of Wuhan, saving tens of thousands of lives. In March Rewi visited New Zealand with his adopted son Alan and returned to China in September visiting Vietnam on the way. He was persuaded to adopt a second son Mike (Li Xue), before he left for New Zealand on leave.

Support for Communist Activists

• 1933 Rewi met Madame Soong Chingling, widow of President Sun Yet Sen, who was to persuade him later to commence the establishment of the industrial co-operatives. Also had discussions with key foreigners such as Agnes Smedley and Dr George Hatem  in Shanghai who advocated support for communist activists in their battle for improved conditions for Chinese people.
• 1934 Rewi joined the first International study group in Shanghai, becoming involved in clandestine work and housing an underground radio in his home to link underground groups with the Red Army.
• 1936 Became a regular contributor to the fortnightly “Voice of China” and at significant risk, helped the Red Army by exchanging captured regional banknotes
• 1937 revisited New Zealand, before visiting many foreign countries, including America, England, Malaya and India, looking at factory worker safety conditions, returning to Shanghai after the outbreak of the war of resistance against Japan. In August,  after the Japanese invasion of Shanghai by the Japanese, Rewi helped his two adopted sons to move to Yanan. During this time he lost ten years of study and work with the loss of all of his papers when the Japanese occupied his new house.

Gung Ho – Chinese Industrial Co-operatives Organiser

1938      In April Rewi along with Edgar and Helen Snow, commenced the Chinese Industrial Cooperatives movement in the unoccupied parts of China as the Japanese invaded the country. He adopted the term “Gung Ho” meaning “Work Together” in English to hold all the cooperatives together. In May Rewi resigned from the Shanghai Municipal Council and went to Wuhan to become the organiser and in August became the acting secretary general of the Gung Ho Movement. This role required him to travel widely throughout China to establish co-operatives and gain support for them.

He lobbied the Kuomintang Government then based in Wuhan, to gain support in moving factories inland away from the fighting to enable them to keep operating. The Kuomintang army put on six trains a day for the new movement to evacuate factories from Wuhan to the Baoji and Xi’an areas.

1939 – 1941        Rewi was made the field secretary of the International Committee for the Promotion of Gung Ho in Hong Kong headed by Madame Soong Chingling, widow of Dr Sun Yet Sen.  He travelled through many Chinese Provinces setting up numerous and diverse co-operatives, requiring exhausting and at times, dangerous travel. He also set up loans and formed local co-operative headquarters covering a vast area of China. He had set up some 2000 such co-operatives involving some 30,000 workers in both Kuomintang and communist-controlled areas. During this time he also spent some weeks bedridden from attacks of malaria and typhoid.  

Bailie Schools Development & Headmaster

• 1942 In September, Rewi was dismissed as technical adviser by the Kuomintang Executive of The Industrial Co-operatives based in Chongqing. Rewi continued his work as field secretary two years earlier, for the International Committee of Gung Ho avoiding Chongqing when travelling and his efforts included establishing Bailie Schools to train youth in skills required by the co-operatives. He named the schools after his friend Joseph Bailie, an American missionary who had pioneered integrating theory and practice in education in China. Rewi then worked with George Hogg who in 1941 became dean of the Shuangshipu School, Shaanxi Province.
• 1943 In the ancient city of Shandan on the old Silk Road in northwest Gansu Province Rewi found a suitable site to move the Bailie School away from the fighting and led an advance party to set up the Bailie School travelling over 1000km by truck.
• 1944 February saw the completion of the move of the Bailie School to Shandan with George Hogg as headmaster. Rewi visited Chongqing to gain financial backing for the school from the Gung Ho International Committee.
• 1945 George Hogg dies in July from tetanus and Rewi takes over being headmaster and decides to stay in Shandan.
• 1947 Rewi went to Shanghai to discuss the shortage of funds in Gung Ho and as a result, the Lanzhou Bailie school and the Baoji girl’s orphanage were both moved to Shandan to join the Bailie school there. Foreign experts commenced coming to aid the school, and the United Nations Relief Agency along with some overseas aid organisations, provided some funds.
• 1949 Under threat from both the local warlord and the Kuomintang army, both of whom wanted to destroy the school, Rewi had to take steps to protect the school’s property and especially its trucks. The school, being spread over a five-mile area, was difficult to take over and the liberation army arrived in September before any attack took place. The school provided twenty trucks and drivers to take the PLA troops to liberate the Yumen oil fields and treated wounded and sick soldiers in the school hospital. With liberation funding became more difficult and an emergency grant from CORSO of New Zealand kept the school going for six months.
• 1951 Rewi went to Beijing for six months and attended the first post-liberation meeting of Gung Ho and also the June meeting to wind up the International Committee.  New Zealand funding assistance kept the school financial right up to the final takeover by the People’s Government in 1953 and the move of the school to Lanzhou.

• Peace Conference Representative & Author

• 1952 Attended the preparatory Asia Peace Conference in Beijing in June and the actual Conference itself as the New Zealand Delegation Deputy Leader. Yo Banfa, Rewi’s first book after liberation, was published.
• 1953 Became Headmaster of the Lanzhou Oil and Technical School, the successor to the Shandan Bailie School. Moved to Beijing to represent the New Zealand Peace Council on the Asia Pacific Peace Liaison Committee and remained in Beijing from this time forward
• 1954 Published several books on China and attended Peace Conference in Stockholm.
• 1955 Attended Peace Conference in Helsinki as representative of the Peace Liaison Committee.
• 1956 Travelled through south west China before visiting Vietnam, Korea and Mongolia. Published four books on his travels.
• 1957 Published Human China on his visits to remote areas of China.
• 1958 Attended a World Peace Council Meeting in Stockholm. Travelled throughout China.
• 1960 Returned to New Zealand for the first time in 23 years.
• 1961 Attended Conference against Atomic and Hydrogen bombs in Japan and attended subsequent sessions until 1965. Attended a meeting of the World Peace Council in Delhi.
• 1962 Visited Cuba at the invitation of Che Guevara.
• 1964 Engaged in writing and travel in China. Attended the Afro-Asian Economic Conference in Pyongyang and the Conference for Solidarity with the Vietnamese People in Hanoi.
• 1965 Participated in the Asian and African Writers’ Conference in Beijing, the World Conference Against Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs in Japan and the International Conference Against Foreign Bases in Djakarta, Indonesia, which was to be his last overseas conference
• 1966 Mets Mao Zedong again.
• Travels Around China, Overseas and Further Writing
  • 1967 – 71 Visited many provinces, cities and the countryside to report on conditions.
  • Zhou Enlai shows public support for Rewi.
  • 1971 Visited New Zealand and stayed for six months. Awarded Honorary Doctorate of Literature at University of Victoria, Wellington, New Zealand.
  • 1972 Wrote numerous poetical and prose works. When New Zealand established diplomatic relations with China , Rewi played an important role in both official and personal relationships between both countries.
  • 1973 Made a speaking tour of Australia after that country’s recognition of the Peoples’ Republic of China. Briefly visited New Zealand and visited a Tibetan area in Aba.
  • 1976 Visits to flood and earthquake stricken areas of Henan and Liaoning.
  • 1977 Visited many minority groups and reported on flood rehabilitation work in Henan.  80^th birthday celebrated in the Great Hall of the People, attended by Deng Xiaoping
  • 1978 Travel around China and writing. Visited Three Gorges dam project.
  • 1979 Went to southern provinces to see how 250,000 Vietnam refugees were being resettled. New Zealand film crew travelled with Rewi for three months visiting places associated with his life and work. Biography of Rewi published by Geoff Chapple.
  • 1980 Further books and translations of ancient Chinese poetry published.

• Honours & Retirement at Last

  • 1981 Late May Rewi’s great supporter, Soong Ching Ling, whom he regarded as the greatest woman of the time, died.
  • 1982 Conferred honorary citizenship of Beijing presented by Zhou Enlai’s wife at his 85^th birthday celebration and visited Lanzhou on the 40^th anniversary of the Bailie school now the Lanzhou Oil and Technical School. Attended the opening of Shandan Museum of the cultural relics he had donated.
  • 1983 Made an honorary advisor to the revived Association of Chinese Industrial Co-operatives, a dream of Rewi’s that came about.
  • 1984 Became first foreign member of the Independent Chinese PEN Centre.  Attended opening of Shandan Bailie Library built in memory of George Hogg during his last visit to Shandan and the symposium on Edgar Snow held in Inner Mongolia.
  • 1985 Conferred honorary citizenship of Gansu Province. Awarded Companion of the Queens Service Order for Community Service by the New Zealand Government in the New Years Honours

• 1986 A research office was set up in Beijing for Rewi Alley’s works. His sister Joy visits him in Beijing. Attends the unveiling of Shanghai monument to Soong Chingling.
  

• 1987 In April a new Shandan Bailie school opened in Gansu. Rewi died in Beijing on 27^th December not long after his 90^th birthday and his body was laid in state and was honoured by State Leaders. His ashes were scattered in Gansu near Shandan