This place, called a "Taiwan loyalist area" by Hongkongers, is facing eradication. What's going on?
Rennie's Mill is located in eastern Kowloon, about half an hour by ferry from Hong Kong. It looks like a small fishing village in Taiwan, but its development has been quite unlike any fishing village.
Rennie's Mill developed in the 1950's, built by refugees fleeing the Communist takeover in 1949. At that time it was barren. In 1905 a Canadian named Rennie opened a noodle factory there. Having failed, he committed suicide (thus its Chinese name "Tiaochingling," a homophone for "Hanging Hill"). In '49, besides the cemetary, it really had nothing at all.
Twenty thousand refugees came here, building homes from nothing, drawing water from mountain streams, using oil lamps because there was no electricity, and sleeping under "tents" of old cloth slung over a tree.
At that time the Hong Kong government set up a food hall serving food twice a day, but that only lasted two years. The United Nations then declared it an official post-war refugee area, and sent assistance. Then the ROC government's Free China Relief Association (FCRA) took over the work. Currently residents can draw monthly subsidies of from one to two hundred Hong Kong dollars, depending on their needs.
The FCRA has not only given financial aid, but has also organized the residents to develop road, water, electrical, and medical facilities. Churches have done much. Catholic churches have established two schools (with high, middle, and primary grades). The FCRA has also established a three-level school. The FCRA can also sponsor students from Rennie's Mill to attend university in Taiwan, with tuition and miscellaneous expenses completely defrayed.
As a result, the residents feel attached to the ROC, as can be seen in celebrations held there to parallel those in Taiwan.
As ROC national day approaches, residents set up signs with slogans like "Learn from the spirit of the martyrs, Complete the great work of recovering the country" in the port and at the school--not much different than Taiwan. Every house hangs out its flag. And on national day itself, they celebrate with meetings and parties.
Life was rugged for the people of Rennie's Mill from the 50's on. After things began to improve in the late 1970's, many people moved out. Wang Kuo-yi points out that Rennie's Mill had 20,000 people at its peak, but has stabilized at the current 7,000 or so, of whom two or three thousand are "original refugees."
The younger generation now mostly works in Hong Kong or Kowloon, living on their salaries. Because of the FCRA, more than 60% have been to university in Taiwan, helping them get better jobs. But aside from the influence of the older generation on their political thought, they are basically not different from other young people of the territory. Hong Kong people don't see them as being a special group.
Compared to the Hong Kong area, the homes in Rennie's Mill are not bad, though they are a bit old "because the Hong Kong government restricts building" explains one young person. Because Rennie's Mill is spacious, and abutting the moutains and sea, many old people prefer to come live here. Wang Pao-shan, 78, who has been through many military campaigns and whose sons and daughters are, if not in busy Hong Kong, then in America, has preferred to let his wife stay with the children while he returned to Rennie's Mill, saying, "The air is good, and I have many friends here." Because housing is expensive in Hong Kong, many young people are willing to put up with the inconvenient travel to stay in Rennie's Mill.
However, political and historical factors made Rennie's Mill, and now they threaten it. Chen Pao-shan says, "We are very clear about what the Communist Party will do." Despite the improvement in Communist China's image since it began the policy of opening up to the outside world, the residents of Rennie's Mill think the Communists will never change.
A 32-year-old resident who works in a Taiwan-affiliated enterprise says that, as soon as 1997 arrives, Hong Kong people want to get out; Rennie's Mill people have even less reason to stay. He sent his own wife to the U.S. to give birth to their child, hoping they can take advantage of their child's "good fortune" to emigrate.
Many young people in Rennie's Mill have similar views, but few have taken concrete steps. Most hope to go to Taiwan.
Wang Kuo-yi points out that older residents have lived turbulent lives; they look lightly on life and death. They are not tense about 1997. But they worry about the next generation. They hope they can use their experience and backgrounds to get a way out for their children.
Taiwan's the first place they wish to go. But it's not easy. Aside from the problem of the residency permit, where would they live? What would they do? With prices rising in Taiwan, how will they get by? Taiwan has not yet made any signal about residency, and "no one can give any guarantees," says Wang Kuo-yi.
In fact, the people of Rennie's Mill aren't asking for any guarantees. Chen Pao-shan says that, aside from a little assistance from the extra strength of the country, Rennie's Mill has asked for nothing for the past forty years. "We don't want the government to build a village for us." He tells young people, "So you say Rennie's Mill is anti-communist; well then what about Vietnam and Cambodia--should they all go to Taiwan?"
With only eight years to go before 1997, movement in and out of Rennie's Mill is still normal. Old people are especially reluctant to go. Pao-shan is an example: "I still have a mouth--I can argue with the Communist party."
But the shadow of the real problems posed by 1997 has already arrived.
Two or three years ago, the Hong Kong press reported rumors that the Hong Kong government was going to adopt a development plan that would amalgamate Rennie's Mill with the Chiangchunao region just to its south. The plan is to build modern apartments to help solve the Hong Kong housing problem, and should be implemented by the end of this year. Rennie's Mill thus faces the prospect of being wiped out.
Wang Kuo-yi points out that the original plan as begun in 1986 did not include Rennie's Mill; but two years down the road it did. This left people wondering why, and everyone thought: politics.
If Rennie's Mill is allowed to continue to exist, wouldn't this be hard for Communist China to accept? The Hong Kong government had to solve the problem before 1997, and this was the fastest way, contends Wang Shu-tao.
However, speaking for the other side, housing certainly is one of the major problems facing the Hong Kong government. They also want to help maintain confidence in the territory by investing in infrastructure. These reasons led the government to look to Rennie's Mill.
In any case, people of Rennie's Mill are aware that the abolishing of their settlement is only a matter of time. But because of disputes over compensations and resettlement, no final decision to uproot Rennie's Mill has been taken.
What will the fate of Rennie's Mill be? Perhaps the Hong Kong government wants to wait until emotions cool in Rennie's Mill before taking a decision. But one young person says, though the Hong Kong government has put uprooting on hold, with 1997 coming, Rennie's Mill's end is sealed. "Since the Tienanmen incident, Communist China can't allow an anti-communist place like this to survive." Whatever happens, this little village, doomed by political factors, will be remembered as a place whose entire existence and ultimate end are linked inextricably to the history and fate of China itself.
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After you walk over the ferry pier then that's the road to Rennie's Mill.
On the Hong Kong-to-Rennie's Mill ferry, an elderly gentleman peruses an English magazine; maybe he's a retired old general!
This little mountain village, nestled between hills and sea, everywhere adorned with ROC flags, has many stories of pain and struggle to tell.
Rennie's Mill in the 1960's: the houses are made mostly of wood, and everything is still in the embryonic stage.
The cafeteria built in the 1950's by the Hong Kong government. (photos courtesy of the Rennie's Mill Refugee Assistance Center)
Most older people, used to a quiet lifestyle, are not willing to leave Rennie's Mill.
Residents put a lot of effort into getting these characters--"Long Live President Chiang!"--to the highest spot in Rennie's Mill.
After 40 years, the people of Rennie's Mill can have three generations in one household.
The Free China Relief Association gives direct financial assistance to t he Rennie's Mill High School, helping resolve the problem of basic education for the residents.
The son of the boss lady of this dry goods store is a doctor in Hualien, but she doesn't know if she can come to Taiwan by 1997.
Many Rennie's Mill residents made a living doing handicrafts; this kind of economic form has been maintained up to the present.
The long-dilapidated Rennie's Mill public water pump station.
With the lights lit, Rennie's Mill looks like any rural fishing village in Taiwan.
Do the optimistic, confident faces of the young people conceal anxieties about 1997?
On the Hong Kong-to-Rennie's Mill ferry, an elderly gentleman peruses an English magazine; maybe he's a retired old general!
This little mountain village, nestled between hills and sea, everywhere adorned with ROC flags, has many stories of pain and struggle to tell.
Rennie's Mill in the 1960's: the houses are made mostly of wood, and everything is still in the embryonic stage.
The cafeteria built in the 1950's by the Hong Kong government. （photos courtesy of the Rennie's Mill Refugee Assistance Center）
Most older people, used to a quiet lifestyle, are not willing to leave Rennie's Mill.
Residents put a lot of effort into getting these characters--"Long Live President Chiang!"--to the highest spot in Rennie's Mill.
After 40 years, the people of Rennie's Mill can have three generations in one household.
The Free China Relief Association gives direct financial assistance to t he Rennie's Mill High School, helping resolve the problem of basic education for the residents.
The son of the boss lady of this dry goods store is a doctor in Hualien, but she doesn't know if she can come to Taiwan by 1997.
Many Rennie's Mill residents made a living doing handicrafts; this kind of economic form has been maintained up to the present.
The long-dilapidated Rennie's Mill public water pump station.
With the lights lit, Rennie's Mill looks like any rural fishing village in Taiwan.
Do the optimistic, confident faces of the young people conceal anxieties about 1997?
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