秦刚向美国人普及中国热词：躺平、凡尔赛、内卷、还有饭圈！
中国驻美大使秦刚大6号出席美亚学会“旅游和人文交流”主题论坛，并发表了主旨演讲。他说由于受到疫情的影响，很多美国朋友已经很久没有去过中国了，也非常关心中国的最新情况。秦刚当天就给美国的朋友们介绍了当下中国社会的七个热词，希望帮助他们了解中国社会正在发生的变化和中国人都在想些什么，做些什么。
一是人民至上、生命至上（people first, life first）。这组词产生于抗疫，但在中国却有着悠久历史和深沉的人文情怀。2000多年前，孔子提出“民惟邦本”思想，强调人是国家的根本。中国共产党成立百年来奋斗的初心和使命就是为人民谋幸福。坚持以人民为中心，是中国共产党的执政理念和中国特色社会主义核心价值观之一。疫情肆虐时，我们前所未有调集全国资源、举国同心开展最严格、最全面、最彻底的大规模科学防控和救治，不放弃每一个角落，不放弃每一个生的希望，从出生仅30个小时的婴儿到100多岁的老人，不计代价，全力免费救治。目前，疫情在中国全境得到有效控制，局部地区出现散发病例或聚集性疫情，都能迅速得到遏制。
二是逆行者（heroes in harm’s way,），是指在抗疫过程中那些不惧风险、迎难而上、无私奉献的人物群体。他们中有从全国各地奔 赴疫情一线、与时间赛跑、跟病毒搏击、抢救生命的医 护工作者、解放军、消防员；有通宵奋战仅用10余天时间建成战地医院的建筑工人；有把私家车当出租车免费接送病患和医务工作者的普通市民；有日夜值守的公安干警，抢运物资的卡车司机，坚守岗位的快递小哥、保安、环卫工人；还有在社区执行管理检测、为居民订菜送饭倒垃圾的志愿者。
三是躺平（lie flat），是指一些年轻人放弃奋斗、不思进取，他们或逃避竞争、低欲望生活，或不想工作、回家啃老，类似美国的归巢族。选择躺平的人，有的家境比较优越，一出生就躺赢；有的认为不管怎样，都有国家基本医疗、失业保险和养老保险等兜底。这和他们的父辈不同，那时，家家户户没有这么好的条件，社会资源紧缺，凭票购物，想躺平也没条件，只能奋斗。另一方面，与父辈相比，这一代年轻人面临着更大的压力和竞争，如就业、职场、住房、生育等等，仅举一个数字，每年就有一千万大学毕业生走向社会。有人认为躺平是一种与世无争，无欲无求的人生处世哲学；有人认为躺平是对社会快速发展的无奈选择；有人认为躺平是为了释放情绪后更好地站起来；但更多的人不认同躺平，认为躺平是精致利己主义。人们更崇尚逆行者。
四是凡尔赛（Versailles），源自法国宫殿名称，在当下中国引申为一种自诩的贵族精神，用来指有些人在朋友圈中以故作委婉、先抑后扬的话语方式，炫耀自己精致优雅、与众不同。比如，有的人为了炫耀自己有钱，就会说，“我最近不得不搬家，因为有私人车库的别墅才有私人充电桩，特斯拉才能用”；还有的人炫耀自己出境游，发帖“今晚我要去维多利亚港哭，以后努力赚钱去巴黎哭。”对种种“凡尔赛”，社交媒体评论区里各种羡慕、嫉妒、恨。
五是内卷（involution.），作为新的网络词汇，是指非理性内部竞争，或是“被自愿”竞争，个人努力遭受通货膨胀。中国年轻人面临成长压力，在高度竞争中，许多人认为成功比成长更重要，同伴彼此PK，家长暗中较劲，培训班鄙视链、学区房排位赛等教育军备竞赛万众参与。家长们望子成龙，谁都不愿自己孩子输在起跑线上，于是虎妈、鸡娃，拼爹、拼妈，还得拼校外功夫。而那些吊起家长胃口的各种线上线下教育培训机构野蛮生长，又进一步加剧内卷，教育沦为产业。一些小学生的补习安排甚至比正在备考的高中生还紧，各种科目应接不暇。家长累，孩子也累，钱包空了，亲子时光也没了。
六是“双减”（double reduction），就是政府针对内卷出台的政策，要减轻义务教育阶段学生作业负担和校外培训负担，目的是让教育回归本真，孩子要在学校里，德智体全面发展，使成长比成功更重要，不能让资本操作教育。“双减”来了，孩子课业压力小了，小伙伴们不用再比拼谁上的课外班多、课外班有名，孩子们有更多时间锻炼玩耍了，天性得到释放。可还是有家长觉得天塌了，花钱把自己孩子培养成学霸，现在却被剥夺了靠多刷题出人头地的机会。但更多家长觉得天亮了，终于不那么累了，可以护住自己的钱包，不受教育商业化忽悠了。
七是饭圈（celebrity fan clubs），指娱乐业粉丝组成的圈子。一些明星为追求流量，通过互联网平台、商业炒作，误导粉丝疯狂追星模仿，导致粉丝中模糊身份认同者有之，散尽家财者有之。在种种混乱畸形的背后，是互联网平台及其幕后资本主导的一条利益链。饭圈文化是娱乐圈过度商业化、资本化的扭曲反映。政府正在整治引导。
秦刚表示，上述热词反映的是中国在经历经济快速发展、社会深刻变革过程中，中国人价值取向的变与不变。搞中国特色社会主义，物质文明和精神文明要全面发展。我们要在市场经济大潮中坚守中国优秀传统价值观和公平正义，不迷失自我。中国除了依法治国，还以德治国。何为中国的传统美德？天下为公。就是安得广厦千万间，大庇天下寒士俱欢颜！在中国，资本无节制逐利垄断，损害社会公共利益，是行不通的。
疫情原因，很多美国朋友一时半会儿还去不了中国，怎么办呢？如果想去故宫转转，可以登录他们的3D全景虚拟漫游，一饱眼福；想吃中国美食，可以上许许多多的中国美食博主网站，望梅止渴；想去北京秀水街逛店购物，可以上电商直播平台，挑中了，让他们给你快递过来；想找中国朋友交流练汉语，可以登录交互式网站社区，可以一对一，也可以三五成群，但要注意哦，不要告诉别人你的信用卡密码。
毛主席说，不到长城非好汉。疫情过后，大家还是要亲自去中国走走看看。秦刚最后给美国人送上了的几个温馨提示：别忘带手机，因为在中国无论乘公交、高铁、飞机、轮船，还是骑共享单车，用手机扫码更方便快捷；还要带上驾照，路边有自助的共享新能源汽车能随时带你去想去的地方；上街购物不要带大额钞票，因为许多商店摊位都用电子支付，收纸币，但没法儿找零，所以最好在去之前下载个电子支付APP；建议你们美国人就不要去北京环球影城和上海迪士尼凑热闹了，因为那里中国人实在太多了！
看到这里，大家有没有发现，其实这篇讲话就是这是一篇“凡尔赛”体，花式向美国人介绍了当下的中国。小王觉得，里面很多金句和词汇都可以背下来，下次向美国朋友介绍的时候就可以信手拈来！所以下面给大家附上全英文版的演说，请收藏好哦！
The first buzzword is 人民至上、生命至上, or people first, life first. This phrase was from China’s fight against the pandemic, and it is rooted in Chinese history and reflects a deep concern for humanity. Over 2,000 years ago, Confucius raised the idea that people are the foundation of a country. The founding mission of the Communist Party of China is to pursue happiness for the people, and putting people at the center is a guiding principle of the CPC and a core value of socialism with Chinese characteristics. When COVID-19 hit China, we mobilized resources nationwide and launched an epic campaign to fight it. The whole country was united as one, with no place left behind and no life given up. From a 30-hour-old baby to senior citizens of over 100 years old, no cost was spared to save a life, and all the treatment was free. Now the pandemic has been put under effective control in China, and sporadic or cluster cases in a few regions were all curbed very quickly.
Second, 逆行者, or heroes in harm’s way, which refers to the everyday heroes who put their mission before their lives and made fearless sacrifices to fight the pandemic. There were medical professionals, military personnel and firefighters who rose to the challenge on the frontline and raced against time to save lives; there were construction workers who worked around the clock to build hospitals in less than two weeks; there were volunteer drivers who used their private cars to give free rides to patients and medical staff; there were countless police officers, truck drivers, delivery persons, street cleaners, community workers, who held on to their posts day and night to keep people’s daily life up and running at a special time.
Third, 躺平, or lie flat, which describes the youngsters who give up ambitions and do the bare minimum to get by. They are either trying to evade competition and lead a low-desire life, or they just don’t want to work and choose to live off their parents, like some boomerang kids in America. “Lie-flatters” are either from well-off families, born with a silver spoon in mouth, or believe that whatever comes their way, they have basic medical insurance, pension and unemployment subsidies to fall back on. This is totally different from previous generations, who didn’t have the luxury to “lie flat”, because they had to tighten their belts and work hard to earn a living. At the same time, compared with older generations, youngsters nowadays face greater competition in employment, career, housing and parenthood. To give you an idea of that, ten million college graduates enter the job market every year. Some people think “lying flat” stands for a life philosophy of no worldly pursuits; some take it as a passive choice in a fast changing society; some believe this is just to vent stress before they get going again. But more people don’t approve the “lie-flatters”, who they believe are just refined egoists, and people have greater respect for 逆行者,heroes in harm’s way.
Fourth, 凡尔赛, or Versailles, originally from the Palace of Versailles in France. The word was borrowed to refer to the self-claimed aristocratic spirit. On social media, it is used to label humble-braggers, who pretend to sound modest when they flaunt their rich and unique lifestyle. For example, some people want to brag about their new villa, “Oh, I hate to move but I have to, because you only get your own Supercharger for Tesla in a private garage”. Some people show off their luxury travel, “Weeping tonight at Victoria Harbor. Will save my tears for Paris next time.” These are typical examples of humble-bragging, which are usually followed by plenty of FOMO comments on social media.
Fifth, 内卷, or involution. A latest buzzword, it means irrational or involuntary competition. Because of it, people feel burned out, and individual efforts are made less worthwhile. In a highly competitive era, people tend to think success is more important than personal growth. With fierce competition between students and between parents, and chains of contempt found in everything from after-school classes to school-district housing, no one can stay immune from the arms race in education. Out of anxiety or vanity, tiger parents would keep pushing their kids to learn more and take more after-school classes, and they would bend over backwards to help their kids succeed. Training schools have taken advantage of this to grow wildly. As a result, involution intensifies, and education becomes a profitable industry. Some elementary pupils have a schedule more packed than high school students, with their subjects so varied that you cannot even imagine. In such an environment, both parents and children get very tired, parents’ wallets empty, and there is no quality time with children to speak of.
Sixth, 双减, or double reduction. This is a recent policy to address involution in education. It aims to reduce the excessive homework load and after-school tutoring hours for students in compulsory education. With capital restricted in education sector, education will return to its original purpose, children can have all-round development in school, and personal growth will be considered more important than success. The “double reduction” policy has lessened students’ academic burden and peer pressure. They don’t have to vie with each other in after-school classes any more. They have more time for sports, play and their real hobbies. But for parents, some may feel that their world is collapsing. They have spent all the money to get their kids ahead of others, and now they can’t cram the kids any more. Still, most parents feel that their world is lighting up. They don’t have to get themselves so tired and their wallets emptied, and they don’t have to be part of commercialization of education any more.
Seventh, 饭圈, or celebrity fan clubs. To attract eyeballs, some celebrities used the Internet to hype up themselves, and their fans crazily imitated their misbehaviors. As a result, some fans got confused with their identity, while others spent every penny they had in chasing their idols. Behind all these abnormities is a chain of interests dominated by online platforms and the capital that supports them. The “饭圈” culture reflects the excessive influence that commercialization plays in the entertainment industry, and the government is introducing measures to regulate this phenomenon.
The buzzwords I shared with you today reflect the changing and unchanging elements in our values when China experiences rapid economic growth and profound social transformation. Socialism with Chinese characteristics requires both material progress and cultural-ethical advancement. We need to keep fine traditional values, uphold fairness and justice, and not get lost in a market economy. In addition to rule of law, China also practices rule of virtue. Then what is China’s traditional virtue? It means a concern for the common good of humanity. It means, to quote a Chinese poem, “how wonderful it would be if there could be tens of thousands of houses to shelter those in need, together in joy!” Therefore, it is unacceptable if capital is allowed to seek profit and monopoly at the expense of public interests.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Because of the pandemic, many of you have not been able to visit China for some time. What can we do about it? I would suggest, if you want to visit the Forbidden City, why not take a 3D virtual tour to feast your eyes? If you crave Chinese food, there are so many food blogs with luring pictures and videos that can indulge your eyes, though not your stomach. If you miss the shopping spree at Beijing’s Silk Market, try live streaming shopping that can deliver whatever you buy right to your doorstep. If you want to practice your Chinese language skills with native Chinese, you can find help at interactive learning apps, with both one-on-one learning and group lessons readily available. But please keep in mind, don’t share your credit card password with strangers.
Chairman Mao Zedong once said, he who has never been to the Great Wall is not a true man. When the pandemic is over, I would highly recommend you to visit China in person. Here are some tips: don’t forget to have your phone with you wherever you go, because scanning QR codes is more convenient when taking buses, high-speed trains, planes, or ships, or just riding a shared bike. You will also need your driver’s license, because you can help yourself to rent a shared new-energy car on the street. Don’t take with you big cash notes, because from street vendors to shopping malls, people prefer e-payment, and you had better have payment apps ready in your phone. You probably can’t get change if you pay by cash. Last but not least, I don’t recommend you Americans to go to Beijing Universal Studios or Shanghai Disneyland. There are simply too many Chinese people!