Colin and Alyce Mackerras taught English in Beijing between 1964 to 1966. They were the first Australian couple to teach and live in the People’s Republic Of China. They went to Beijing in August 1964 and in January 1965 signed a 2-year contract with what was then called the Beijing Foreign Languages Institute 北京外国语学院 but is now the Beijing Foreign Languages University 北京外国语大学. Alyce was 4 months pregnant with their first child Stephen, who was born in Beijing in February 1965.
At that time China’s image in Australia was very bad: the red totalitarian threat. The reason they went was simple. Colin had just finished a thesis on the Tang Dynasty (618-907) at Cambridge University, England, and was extremely interested in China, both its history and contemporary situation. Premier Zhou Enlai was very keen that young Chinese should master foreign languages. In 1965 a batch of people were invited from Europe to teach their languages in China.
At the time Australia and China had no diplomatic relations, but both Colin and Alyce were easily able to get their passports endorsed for travel to China through the Australian High Commission in London. As it turned out, the Chinese Charge d’Affaires in London readily gave them visas when the Beijing Institute of Foreign Languages signalled their welcome of the young Australian couple.
Slides and negatives taken during Colin and Alye’s time in China 1964-66
Slides and negatives taken during their time in China 1964-66
Alyce Mackerras with newborn Stephen Feb 1964 Beijing
Colin Mackerras with Stephen in Beijing 1965
Beijing people and scenery 1965-6. Photo taken outside Colin and Alyce’s apartment window at the Friendship Hotel
friends over
Colin and Stephen
Alyce and Stephen Mackerras. Beijing 1965
Comrade Wang was a very kind Chinese woman who looked after Stephen while Alyce worked.
Zhang Hanzhi helped Colin and Alyce with visits to the hospital and check ups for the baby. In the 1960s she was a teacher at the Beijing Foreign Languages Institute, but later became very distinguished in Chinese foreign service
Alyce Mackerras Beijing 1965
Among the ruins of the Old Summer Palace, 1966
Links to other pages under the section ‘Life in China 1964-66’
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