Yang Lan: The generation that's remaking China

Translator: Tracy Hong Reviewer: Ann Lee

The night before I was heading for Scotland,

喺我去蘇格蘭嘅前一晚，

I was invited to host the final

我被邀請去上海主持

of "China's Got Talent" show in Shanghai

“中國達人秀“決賽

with the 80,000 live audience in the stadium.

體育館內有八萬現場觀眾。

Guess who was the performing guest?

估下邊個系特別嘉賓？

Susan Boyle.

蘇珊·波爾 （蘇珊大媽）。

And I told her, "I'm going to Scotland the next day."

我同距講，”我聽日就去蘇格蘭啦。“

She sang beautifully,

她唱得非常動聽，

and she even managed to say a few words in Chinese:

仲學講幾句中文：

送你葱

送你蔥

So it's not like "hello" or "thank you,"

嚟句話唔系“你好” 或者“多謝”，

that ordinary stuff.

之類的話。

It means "green onion for free."

意思系：“免費送你蔥”。

Why did she say that?

點解距講黎句話？

Because it was a line

因為黎句話

from our Chinese parallel Susan Boyle --

來自於中國版蘇珊大媽-

a 50-some year-old woman,

一位五十有多嘅中年大媽，

a vegetable vendor in Shanghai,

一位上海街市擺攤的阿姨，

who loves singing Western opera,

距熱愛唱西方歌劇，

but she didn't understand

不過距唔明

any English or French or Italian,

任何英文，法語， 或者意大利文，

so she managed to fill in the lyrics

所以距獨創一種方式來記歌詞

with vegetable names in Chinese.

將全部歌詞用中文蔬菜名來代替。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

And the last sentence of Nessun Dorma

意大利歌劇《公主徹夜未眠》嘅最後一句話

that she was singing in the stadium

當時距系體育館內演出

was "green onion for free."

就以“送你蔥”來代替。

So [as] Susan Boyle was saying that,

所以蘇珊大媽會咁唱，

80,000 live audience sang together.

連同八萬名現場觀眾一起跟唱。

That was hilarious.

當時嘅場面十分有趣。

So I guess both Susan Boyle

我惗蘇珊大媽

and this vegetable vendor in Shanghai

同嚟位上海嘅菜販阿姨

belonged to otherness.

都有距地嘅獨特之處。

They were the least expected to be successful

距地系常人最少期待

in the business called entertainment,

會喺娛樂圈內闖蕩成名的一類人，

yet their courage and talent brought them through.

但係距地嘅勇氣同才能讓她們受到大家的肯定。

And a show and a platform

一場演出同一個平台

gave them the stage

給予她們一個

to realize their dreams.

實現夢想的舞台。

Well, being different is not that difficult.

其實，要與眾不同並唔難。

We are all different

我地都唔同

from different perspectives.

從唔同嘅角度。

But I think being different is good,

我覺得與眾不同其實很好，

because you present a different point of view.

因為你有唔同嘅惗法。

You may have the chance to make a difference.

你可能會系某方面作出影響。

My generation has been very fortunate

我地黎代人好幸運

to witness and participate

我地見證並參與

in the historic transformation of China

中國歷史性的變化

that has made so many changes

有太多巨變發生

in the past 20, 30 years.

在過去的二，三十年。

I remember that in the year of 1990,

我記得系1990果陣時，

when I was graduating from college,

我啱啱大學畢業，

I was applying for a job in the sales department

當時我去應聘一份

of the first five-star hotel in Beijing,

系北京五星級酒店返工的銷售工作。

Great Wall Sheraton -- it's still there.

長城喜來登酒店，至今都喺到。

So after being interrogated

被一位日本經理詢問咗

by this Japanese manager for a half an hour,

一個半種後，

he finally said,

當面試將要結束時，距講，

"So, Miss Yang,

"楊小姐，

do you have any questions to ask me?"

你有咩問題要問我嗎？"

I summoned my courage and poise and said,

我鼓足勇氣鎮定甘問距，

"Yes, but could you let me know,

“系， 你可不可以話我知，

what actually do you sell?"

你地賣D咩？”

I didn't have a clue what a sales department was about

因為我當時完全唔知一間

in a five-star hotel.

五星級酒店內的銷售部要做D乜。

That was the first day I set my foot

黎個系我第一次進入

in a five-star hotel.

五星級酒店。

Around the same time,

與此同時，

I was going through an audition --

我參加咗由中國國家電視台

the first ever open audition

有史以來舉辦嘅

by national television in China --

第一次公開面試

with another thousand college girls.

現場參賽上千名女大學生。

The producer told us

製作人通告

they were looking for some sweet, innocent

距地要搵甜美，單純

and beautiful fresh face.

同漂亮的新面孔。

So when it was my turn, I stood up and said,

當輪到我果陣，我起身問，

"Why [do] women's personalities on television

“點解系電視上的女性個性

always have to be beautiful, sweet, innocent

都要系靚，甜美，單純

and, you know, supportive?

仲要有配合度？

Why can't they have their own ideas

點解距地唔可以有自己的想法

and their own voice?"

同埋自己的聲音？”

I thought I kind of offended them.

我以為我黎番話有點冒犯評委。

But actually, they were impressed by my words.

不過正系黎番話令距地留下印象。

And so I was in the second round of competition,

所以我進入了第二回合比賽，

and then the third and the fourth.

繼而第三，第四。

After seven rounds of competition,

當完成第七回合比賽后，

I was the last one to survive it.

我成為一位勝出者。

So I was on a national television prime-time show.

因此我加入了國家電視台黃金檔一個節目。

And believe it or not,

你可能唔相信

that was the first show on Chinese television

黎個節目系中國第一個

that allowed its hosts

允許主持人

to speak out of their own minds

自由發揮表達自己的意見

without reading an approved script.

而唔需要背經批准後D稿。

(Applause)

（鼓掌）

And my weekly audience at that time

當時每週的觀眾人數

was between 200 to 300 million people.

高達200-300萬。

Well after a few years,

幾年以後，

I decided to go to the U.S. and Columbia University

我確定要去美國哥倫比亞大學

to pursue my postgraduate studies,

繼續讀研，

and then started my own media company,

同時創辦自己的媒體公司，

which was unthought of

一個當我啱啱入行時

during the years that I started my career.

從來都無惗過嘅想法。

So we do a lot of things.

公司項目分好多類，

I've interviewed more than a thousand people in the past.

我訪問過的人數過千。

And sometimes I have young people approaching me

有時，有些年輕人他會同我講

say, "Lan, you changed my life,"

“楊瀾， 你改變了我的人生，”

and I feel proud of that.

我會為黎D話感到自豪。

But then we are also so fortunate

同時我地十分幸運地

to witness the transformation of the whole country.

見證整個國家的興起。

I was in Beijing's bidding for the Olympic Games.

見證著北京奧運競標賽。

I was representing the Shanghai Expo.

代言上海世博會。

I saw China embracing the world

我睇到中國正在擁抱全世界

and vice versa.

也見到全世界在擁抱中國。

But then sometimes I'm thinking,

不過我亦系度惗，

what are today's young generation up to?

當下的年輕人到底要做什麼？

How are they different,

距地有什麼不同之處，

and what are the differences they are going to make

他們會創造怎樣的不同

to shape the future of China,

又會點樣改變中國未來,

or at large, the world?

甚至整個世界？

So today I want to talk about young people

所以我今天的話題系關於年輕一代

through the platform of social media.

通過社交網絡平台。

First of all, who are they? [What] do they look like?

首先， 他們是誰？他們做緊咩？

Well this is a girl called Guo Meimei --

照片中黎位叫郭美美女仔

20 years old, beautiful.

20歲，年輕貌美。

She showed off her expensive bags,

在距嘅微博上盡顯

clothes and car

距擁有的名牌袋，

on her microblog,

衫同鞋，

which is the Chinese version of Twitter.

微博即系中國版的Twitter。

And she claimed to be the general manager of Red Cross

距仲自稱系紅十字

at the Chamber of Commerce.

商會經理。

She didn't realize

距無惗到

that she stepped on a sensitive nerve

自己的舉動引起民眾公憤

and aroused national questioning,

惹起全國大眾的質疑。

almost a turmoil,

差D成為針對

against the credibility of Red Cross.

紅十字會的騷亂。

The controversy was so heated

黎場爭論十分激烈

that the Red Cross had to open a press conference

以至於紅十字會開記者招待會

to clarify it,

來澄清“郭美美事件”，

and the investigation is going on.

此事件因此亦被不斷調查。

So far, as of today,

現金為之，

we know that she herself made up that title --

公眾已知道郭美美系冒充紅十字商會經理職位

probably because she feels proud to be associated with charity.

可能因為距覺得與慈善相關的為她帶了自豪感。

All those expensive items

距果D奢侈品

were given to her as gifts

同禮物

by her boyfriend,

都系距男朋友送。

who used to be a board member

距的男朋友系紅十字商會

in a subdivision of Red Cross at Chamber of Commerce.

旗下部門的前任董事會成員。

It's very complicated to explain.

黎個解釋起來有點困難。

But anyway, the public still doesn't buy it.

儘管如此，公眾憤怒仍未平息。

It is still boiling.

熱論還在進行。

It shows us a general mistrust

黎件事件講明民眾

of government or government-backed institutions,

對政府或有政府背景的機構唔信任，

which lacked transparency in the past.

因為黎D機構過去的不透明

And also it showed us

黎件事件亦講明

the power and the impact of social media

社交網站上的力量同影響

as microblog.

例如微博。

Microblog boomed in the year of 2010,

微博在2010年興起，

with visitors doubled

訪客人數翻倍

and time spent on it tripled.

瀏覽時間更系三倍增加。

Sina.com, a major news portal,

單系新浪網， 一個主要的新聞網站，

alone has more than 140 million microbloggers.

就有超過1.4億微博用戶。

On Tencent, 200 million.

騰訊網，2億。

The most popular blogger --

最多人關注的用戶

it's not me --

唔系我--

it's a movie star,

系一位電影女演員，

and she has more than 9.5 million followers, or fans.

距有超過九百五十萬粉絲。

About 80 percent of those microbloggers are young people,

大約有八成微博用戶都系年輕人，

under 30 years old.

年齡在30歲以下。

And because, as you know,

正如大家所知，

the traditional media is still heavily controlled by the government,

傳統媒體依然由政府所控，

social media offers an opening

社交網絡提供一個開放平台

to let the steam out a little bit.

讓大家可以發表自己的意見。

But because you don't have many other openings,

因為開放平台為數不多，

the heat coming out of this opening

來自社交網站上的激憤

is sometimes very strong, active

有時可以變得非常強烈，非常活躍

and even violent.

甚至帶有暴力。

So through microblogging,

通過微博，

we are able to understand Chinese youth even better.

我地可以進一步了解中國年輕的一代。

So how are they different?

我地有幾唔同？

First of all, most of them were born

首先，大部分青年都生於

in the 80s and 90s,

80， 90年代，

under the one-child policy.

出生於獨生子女政策下。

And because of selected abortion

因為有了選擇性流產

by families who favored boys to girls,

很多家長重男輕女，

now we have ended up

造成我地現今

with 30 million more young men than women.

男性數量比女性超出3千萬人口。

That could pose

黎個可能會對

a potential danger to the society,

社會存在潛在危機，

but who knows;

但無人能確定；

we're in a globalized world,

我地生活系個全球化嘅世界，

so they can look for girlfriends from other countries.

男性可以到其他國家結識女朋友。

Most of them have fairly good education.

年輕人裡大多數都受過不錯的教育。

The illiteracy rate in China among this generation

喺黎一代，中國文盲人數

is under one percent.

已少於百分之一。

In cities, 80 percent of kids go to college.

在城市， 有80%的學生上大學。

But they are facing an aging China

不過他們正面對一個老年化的中國

with a population above 65 years old

今年，年齡超過65歲人口

coming up with seven-point-some percent this year,

已達到百分之7點幾，

and about to be 15 percent

到2030年

by the year of 2030.

人口老年化將達到15%。

And you know we have the tradition

大家也許知道我們的傳統

that younger generations support the elders financially,

年輕人一代有義務供養長輩，

and taking care of them when they're sick.

在生病時照顧他們。

So it means young couples

這意味著已成家的年輕人

will have to support four parents

要供養四位長輩

who have a life expectancy of 73 years old.

其預期壽命將會是73歲。

So making a living is not that easy

所以許多年輕一代的

for young people.

日子不輕鬆過得並不輕鬆。

College graduates are not in short supply.

面對大學畢業生供過於求。

In urban areas,

喺城市，

college graduates find the starting salary

大學畢業生起薪點

is about 400 U.S. dollars a month,

大致系400美金一個月，

while the average rent

平均租金

is above $500.

都超過500美金。

So what do they do? They have to share space --

他們點樣生活呢？ 他們只能合租

squeezed in very limited space

逼系一個窄小嘅空間

to save money --

甘來悭钱--

and they call themselves "tribe of ants."

黎群人自稱“蟻族”。

And for those who are ready to get married

至於果D打算結婚

and buy their apartment,

同賣屋嘅人

they figured out they have to work

距地明白要打工

for 30 to 40 years

30，40年

to afford their first apartment.

先可以買得起第一間公寓。

That ratio in America

美國的比例系

would only cost a couple five years to earn,

一對夫妻5年嘅人工就可買一間屋，

but in China it's 30 to 40 years

不過要係中國需要30 - 40 年先至做到

with the skyrocketing real estate price.

因為房價高漲。

Among the 200 million migrant workers,

做兩億離鄉打工族中，

60 percent of them are young people.

60%系年輕人。

They find themselves sort of sandwiched

他們覺得自己系夾心族

between the urban areas and the rural areas.

夾隔在城市同鄉村之間。

Most of them don't want to go back to the countryside,

距地大多數都唔想返鄉下，

but they don't have the sense of belonging.

不過他們又無城市歸屬感。

They work for longer hours

他們長時間工作

with less income, less social welfare.

收入相對較少，社會福利也不多。

And they're more vulnerable

很多因素會影響他們

to job losses,

例如失業，

subject to inflation,

通貨膨脹，

tightening loans from banks,

銀行貸款政策緊縮，

appreciation of the renminbi,

人民幣升值，

or decline of demand

又或者歐美國家對

from Europe or America

中國產品的需求

for the products they produce.

減少。

Last year, though,

上年，一場令人震驚

an appalling incident

的悲劇

in a southern OEM manufacturing compound in China:

喺中國南方嘅設備加工廠發生咗

13 young workers

13名年輕工人

in their late teens and early 20s

年齡大致20歲左右

committed suicide,

相繼自殺，

just one by one like causing a contagious disease.

就似一場傳染病甘

But they died because of all different personal reasons.

距地自殺的原因各不同。

But this whole incident

整個事件

aroused a huge outcry from society

引起社會的關注

about the isolation,

大家開始關心

both physical and mental,

黎D工人嘅

of these migrant workers.

身體同心理上的孤單。

For those who do return back to the countryside,

果D選擇返鄉下嘅人，

they find themselves very welcome locally,

當地人十分歡迎他們回鄉，

because with the knowledge, skills and networks

因為他們在城市獲得了知識，技能同人脈

they have learned in the cities,

距地系城市學識，

with the assistance of the Internet,

通過互聯網的幫助，

they're able to create more jobs,

距地可以創作更多工作，

upgrade local agriculture and create new business

升級當地農業技術同埋製造商機

in the less developed market.

喺相對落後的市場。

So for the past few years, the coastal areas,

在過去數年，沿海地帶，

they found themselves in a shortage of labor.

出現勞工短缺的現象。

These diagrams show

黎D圖表顯示

a more general social background.

一個更廣泛的社會背景。

The first one is the Engels coefficient,

第一個系恩格爾系數，

which explains that the cost of daily necessities

解釋了每天生活必須的花費

has dropped its percentage

百分點有所減少

all through the past decade,

在過去十年內

in terms of family income,

對比人均家庭收入

to about 37-some percent.

下降了37%。

But then in the last two years,

不過就係過去兩年間，

it goes up again to 39 percent,

黎個比例又上漲39%,

indicating a rising living cost.

甘樣來講生活花費正在上升。

The Gini coefficient

吉尼系數顯示

has already passed the dangerous line of 0.4.

已經超過0.4的警戒線。

Now it's 0.5 --

宜家系0.5 --

even worse than that in America --

仲差過美國--

showing us the income inequality.

說明了收入不平等。

And so you see this whole society

你可以睇到整個社會

getting frustrated

逐漸感到沮喪

about losing some of its mobility.

因為他們失去一部分流動性。

And also, the bitterness and even resentment

同時，仇富和仇權情緒

towards the rich and the powerful

逐以升高

is quite widespread.

並開始蔓延。

So any accusations of corruption

所以各種對腐敗

or backdoor dealings between authorities or business

或者官商勾結的指控

would arouse a social outcry

都會造成社會譴責

or even unrest.

甚至動亂。

So through some of the hottest topics on microblogging,

通過觀察微博上一些最熱門的話題，

we can see what young people care most about.

我地可以更了解年輕的一代。

Social justice and government accountability

社會公正與政府責任

runs the first in what they demand.

系他們最關心的問題。

For the past decade or so,

在過去十年裡，

a massive urbanization and development

大量嘅城市化發展

have let us witness a lot of reports

令我地睇到好多關於

on the forced demolition

強拆民宅

of private property.

的報到。

And it has aroused huge anger and frustration

黎D新聞都引起了

among our young generation.

年輕人不滿和失望。

Sometimes people get killed,

過程中有時有身亡，

and sometimes people set themselves on fire to protest.

亦有人用自焚嘅形式來抗議。

So when these incidents are reported

當黎類報導

more and more frequently on the Internet,

越來越常見於互聯網上

people cry for the government to take actions to stop this.

人們強烈要求政府出面阻止。

So the good news is that earlier this year,

今年早輪有好消息，

the state council passed a new regulation

國務院在房屋申請同拆建方面

on house requisition and demolition

頒發咗新政策

and passed the right

同時允許法庭

to order forced demolition from local governments

傳喚果D強拆的地方政府

to the court.

上法院。

Similarly, many other issues concerning public safety

仲有好多其他令民眾擔憂嘅問題

is a hot topic on the Internet.

系互聯網上熱議。

We heard about polluted air,

大家都聽過空氣污染，

polluted water, poisoned food.

水源污染，有毒食品。

And guess what, we have faked beef.

但應該不知道我地還發明了假牛肉。

They have sorts of ingredients

黎種牛肉精包含多種成分

that you brush on a piece of chicken or fish,

如果你把距塗喺雞魚肉

and it turns it to look like beef.

睇落就似牛肉。

And then lately,

最近，

people are very concerned about cooking oil,

民眾又開始擔心食用油，

because thousands of people have been found

原因上千人發現

[refining] cooking oil

來自餐館嘅

from restaurant slop.

食用油系加工過的地溝油。

So all these things

黎類現象

have aroused a huge outcry from the Internet.

在互聯網引起公眾強烈不滿。

And fortunately,

幸運地是，

we have seen the government

我地睇到政府

responding more timely and also more frequently

更及時同更頻繁地

to the public concerns.

對應民眾的擔憂。

While young people seem to be very sure

雖然年輕一代睇落相信

about their participation

他們的參與影響到

in public policy-making,

政策制定，

but sometimes they're a little bit lost

不過，在生活上的追求

in terms of what they want for their personal life.

他們卻有點迷失。

China is soon to pass the U.S.

中國很快就會超越美國

as the number one market

成為第一大

for luxury brands --

奢侈消費品市場。

that's not including the Chinese expenditures

黎果唔包括中國人

in Europe and elsewhere.

喺歐洲或其他地方消費。

But you know what, half of those consumers

但或許你唔知，其中一半的消費者

are earning a salary below 2,000 U.S. dollars.

系收入不到2000美金。

They're not rich at all.

距地並不富裕。

They're taking those bags and clothes

不過距地買名牌手袋同衣服

as a sense of identity and social status.

來作為距地身份的象徵。

And this is a girl explicitly saying

黎個女仔上一個相親節目

on a TV dating show

公開表明

that she would rather cry in a BMW

距情願坐系寶馬車度喊，

than smile on a bicycle.

都唔要坐系單車上笑。

But of course, we do have young people

當然，我地還有年輕人

who would still prefer to smile,

只要開心

whether in a BMW or [on] a bicycle.

坐寶馬或騎單車都無所謂。

So in the next picture, you see a very popular phenomenon

黎張圖片裡，你見到宜家好風行的一個現象

called "naked" wedding, or "naked" marriage.

叫做“裸婚”。

It does not mean they will wear nothing in the wedding,

距地唔系話喺婚禮上么都唔著，

but it shows that these young couples are ready to get married

不過黎D年輕人決定

without a house, without a car, without a diamond ring

就算無屋，無車，無鑽戒

and without a wedding banquet,

同無婚禮都願意

to show their commitment to true love.

為真愛結婚。

And also, people are doing good through social media.

通過社交媒體，人們做咗好多有意義的事。

And the first picture showed us

黎張圖片展示

that a truck caging 500 homeless and kidnapped dogs

500只被困卡車將要被加工食物的

for food processing

流浪或綁架狗。

was spotted and stopped on the highway

在高速公路上被發現， 截停

with the whole country watching

整個國家都在微博上

through microblogging.

見證事件發展。

People were donating money, dog food

有人捐錢，捐狗糧

and offering volunteer work to stop that truck.

仲有志願者去截停部貨車。

And after hours of negotiation,

幾小時協商後，

500 dogs were rescued.

500只狗獲救。

And here also people are helping to find missing children.

同時亦有人幫助搵走失兒童。

A father posted his son's picture onto the Internet.

黎位爸爸將個仔張相放上網。

After thousands of resends in relay,

在上千萬次轉發後，

the child was found,

小朋友被搵到。

and we witnessed the reunion of the family

我地通過微博

through microblogging.

見證了家庭團聚。

So happiness is the most popular word

幸福 - 系近兩年

we have heard through the past two years.

最常聽到上嘅熱門詞。

Happiness is not only related

幸福不靜只

to personal experiences and personal values,

同個人經歷和價值觀相關，

but also, it's about the environment.

我們生活的環境同樣息息相關。

People are thinking about the following questions:

人們會思考以下問題：

Are we going to sacrifice our environment further

我地到底應唔應該犧牲我地嘅環境

to produce higher GDP?

來製作更高GDP增長?

How are we going to perform our social and political reform

我們應該如何實現社會及政治改體

to keep pace with economic growth,

先至跟得上經濟上的增長，

to keep sustainability and stability?

同時又可持續穩定發展？

And also, how capable is the system

仲有，如何實現系統

of self-correctness

自行糾正

to keep more people content

在各種紛爭的亂世下

with all sorts of friction going on at the same time?

如何保持自我更新？

I guess these are the questions people are going to answer.

我估人們會為黎D問題追尋答案。

And our younger generation

我們年輕的一代

are going to transform this country

將會改變他們的國家

while at the same time being transformed themselves.

與此同時，他們正系度改變自己。

Thank you very much.

十分感謝。

(Applause)

（掌聲）