Former Residence of Rewi Alley

Former Residence of Rewi Alley

The Former Residence of Rewi Alley is a protected cultural heritage site of Shanghai.

No. 4, Lane 1315, Yuyuan Road was the Shanghai residence of the great New Zealand friend Rewi Alley from 1932 to 1938. It is a three-story Western-style building constructed with brick, wood, and cement, featuring an outdoor staircase that leads directly to the second-floor living quarters. During Rewi Alley’s stay, the front part of the ground floor served as a reception room and dining area, while the rear had auxiliary rooms such as the kitchen, along with a workroom containing a lathe and some tools. There was also a garage along the lane at the ground level, and a small garden in front of the house.

Rewi Alley was a New Zealander who, during his time in Shanghai, served as an inspector in the Industrial Department of the British Municipal Council. In 1934, he joined Shanghai's first international Marxist study group and established contact with the Chinese Communist Party. Because he was a foreigner working for the municipal council and lived in a quiet residence, it was relatively safe for the CCP to carry out secret activities there. His Yuyuan Road residence became a meeting place and safe haven for underground CCP members. Soong Ching-ling even set up a secret radio on the third floor of his home to establish contact with the Jiangxi Soviet Area and the CCP Central Committee. One late night in November 1935, Soong Ching-ling and others at Alley’s residence received the news that the Red Army had reached northern Shaanxi after the Long March, and they toasted together to celebrate the Red Army’s victory. He also worked with Agnes Smedley, Liu Ding, and others to procure medical equipment and medicine for the Red Army. He was also in contact with left-wing figures in Shanghai’s cultural circles such as Lu Xun, Mao Dun, Ding Ling, and Hu Yuzhi.

Relevant departments in Shanghai have preserved Rewi Alley’s former residence as it originally was. In 1992, with the approval of the Municipal People’s Government, No. 4, Lane 1315, Yuyuan Road — the Former Residence of Rewi Alley — was designated as a memorial site and former residence of a notable figure, used to educate young people about patriotism, internationalism, and revolutionary traditions. In 2014, it was listed as a municipal-level protected cultural heritage site in the eighth batch of such listings.

Rewi Alley (1897–1987)

A New Zealander. In April 1927 (the 16th year of the Republic of China), he came to Shanghai alone. In the winter of 1937 (the 26th year of the Republic of China), he worked with others to establish the “Gung Ho” movement, which produced military and civilian supplies to support the war of resistance against Japan. In March 1939 (the 28th year of the Republic of China), he traveled with his British friend George Hogg to Feng County, where they established the “Gung Ho Office” in Shuangshipu. They stayed in two cave dwellings dug at the foot of the mountain behind Baijiaping and led the Gung Ho movement from there. In 1940 (the 29th year of the Republic of China), he founded the Pei… More detailed information about Rewi Alley++