Rewi Alley Museum: basis of NZ-China relationship is ‘genuine friendship’

Members of the New Zealand China Friendship Society hope the opening of a dedicated Rewi Alley Memorial Museum will enhance understanding of this "amazing man" and bilateral relations.

China's top legislator and the third-most powerful political figure Zhao Leji attended the opening ceremony in Christchurch on Saturday, as part of his visit to New Zealand.

Alley, who was born in Springfield, Canterbury in 1897, visited China for the first time in 1927 and ended up spending 60 years there, until passing away in Beijing in 1987.

The political activist, writer and educator was known for helping struggling Chinese people, and contributing to China's effort in the Second Sino-Japanese War, by organising small-scale grassroots industrial and economic development.

In his speech, Zhao thanked those who made the museum a reality.

"Rewi Alley nailed the foundation for China-New Zealand friendship, a true pioneer," Zhao said through an interpreter, "His name shines brightly in the history of China-New Zealand friendship."

Zhao mentioned that Alley's Chinese Industrial Co-operatives movement helped China economically during the war and his Beili schools initiative helped train technical professionals.

Alley's "Gung Ho" spirit, which meant working together and working hard, as well as his concept of "hands and mind together", had left an impact to China's vocational education until today, Zhao said.

Zhao called for the two countries to promote and develop the "Rewi Alley spirit", and write a new chapter of friendship.

Sir David Carter, a patron of the society and a key driving force behind the establishment of the museum, said New Zealand should not take its relationship with China for granted and the basis of the relationship was "genuine friendship", putting aside the economic ties.

"He journeyed to China when the country was impoverished and completely undeveloped," Carter said. "He saw firsthand how other nations had ruthlessly exploited the country and its people.

"He was determined to do something about it and that became his driving passion for the rest of his life."

Carter said he hoped the museum would allow more people to learn about the development of China and the devotion of Alley.

"Rewi Alley devoted his life to fostering understanding, lifting people out of hardship and building bridges between our two nations," Carter said.

"His story reminds us that genuine friendship is built, not on convenience, but on commitment, respect and empathy.

"These are values that remain just as important in today's world as they were nearly a century ago, when Rewi Alley first arrived in Shanghai."

Dave Adamson, who sat on the committee of the Christchurch branch of the society, said he was confident the museum could help build an understanding of Alley's contribution to China.

"He was just an amazing man," he said. "I'm hoping it's going to raise the awareness of him.

"Because he supported a communist government in China, that's all a lot of people in the west and in New Zealand in particular... could see.

"They couldn't see past the fact that he was doing amazing work for ordinary poor people, so he's still never really got the level of recognition in this country that he should have had. We're hoping that this is the start of the resurrection of that."

Alley's foster son, renowned Chinese artist Deng Bangzhen, now 84, also attended the opening ceremony.

Deng's parents passed away after the war and Alley helped look after him since he was nine, as well as his elder sister and younger brother, although a formal fostering process never happened.

"We lived on campus during weekdays and we would visit him on Saturday," Deng said. "After a long week, he would help us with showering, changing into clean clothes and haircuts.

"He would take us out to play on Sunday."

When Alley discovered his talent for drawing, he encouraged him to draw, Deng said.

Deng described Alley as someone who "harboured boundless love in his heart", and "loved others selflessly and fairly", which today's world could still learn from.

"We feel very happy [about the museum], because this has been our wish for a long time," Deng said, adding that he and wife Lu Bo still possessed many of Alley's belongings and would love them to have a good place to go.

"Because he served as a bridge between the Chinese and New Zealand friendship, we hope people from both countries would get to know him and help promote his spirit of enhancing friendship between countries."

The museum was expected to open to the public in the next few days.

Memorial facilities of Alley were also at Springfield - Alley's birthplace - and Amberley, where he spent his boyhood, and other parts of New Zealand.

Before the Christchurch event, Zhao met with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon in Auckland and New Zealand counterpart Gerry Brownlee in Wellington earlier in the week.

He was expected to wrap up his brief Australasia visit on 25 November, after visiting Australia.