经济学人288:结婚 独生子女政策如何改变了中式婚礼

 　　Marriage

　　结婚

　　Wedding wows

　　哇，婚礼！

　　How the one-child policy changed Chinese nuptials¹

　　独生子女政策如何改变了中式婚礼

　　Falling in love

　　陷入爱河

　　OVERSIZE cupids in pink, furry² outfits³ hand out heart-shaped balloons with “I Do” written on them (in English) at a wedding-themed trade fair in Beijing. Vendors⁴ offer romantic photo-shoots of couples under water or at a racetrack, personalised wedding cigarettes, and biscuits with names such as “Date & Fate”. An emphasis on love is a new addition to Chinese weddings—and shines a pink-filtered spotlight⁵ on social change.

　　在北京的主题婚礼展上，粉色的超大丘比特身穿毛茸茸的衣服，手持心形气球，气球上写着“I Do”（“我愿意”的英文）。婚礼代理商们向新人们提供浪漫的水下或赛道婚纱照拍摄，个性化的婚礼香烟，以及刻字饼干，如“Date & Fate（巧遇）”饼干。把重点放在爱情上是中式婚礼上的一个新现象，闪耀的粉红滤光灯下聚焦的是社会的变革。

　　独生子女政策如何改变了中式婚礼.jpg

　　For centuries, marriage in China was about ensuring heirs for the groom's family. Ceremonies centred on the groom's kin⁶: couples kowtowed to the man's parents but the woman's relatives were absent. Unusually, both the groom's and the bride's family exchanged money or goods. The more money changed hands, the more opulent the wedding.

　　几个世纪以来，结婚在中国意味着确保传递新郎家的香火。结婚仪式的重点是新郎的亲属：夫妻向男方父母磕头，女方亲属却不与之同席。而与此不同，新郎和新娘的家人需彼此交换金钱或物品，转手的彩礼钱越多，婚礼越奢华。

　　After it came to power in 1949, the Communist Party imposed frugality⁷. Dowries consisted of necessities like bed linen⁸ or a bicycle; guests brought their own food coupons⁹. But since the 1980s the extravagance of nuptials has matched the country's rise. Celebrations moved out of homes into hotels. Brides swapped¹⁰ traditional red dresses for white, flouncy meringue-like ones (some now wear both, in sequence).

　　中国共产党自1949年上台后厉行节约。嫁妆都是床单或自行车这类必需品，出席婚礼的宾客带去他们自己的粮券。但自20世纪80年代起，国家的崛起开始带来婚礼的铺张。婚礼仪式的举办地从家搬往酒店。新娘将传统的红色礼服换为荷叶边蛋筒状的白色礼服（现在也有些人依次换上两套礼服）。

　　A large industry has emerged to serve the 13m couples who marry each year. Wedding planners are increasingly common, particularly in cities. A decade ago Cosmo Bride, an American-owned lifestyle magazine, launched a Chinese-language edition in China. An average wedding cost $12,000 in 2011 (the latest year for which such data exist)—the equivalent of more than two years' income for the average urban household. An increase in the average marriage age by 2.5 years since 1990 has given parents (who still usually pay for weddings, despite the earning power of their children) more time to save up.

　　为了服务于每年1,300万的新婚夫妇，一个大型产业已然崛起。婚礼策划越来越普遍，尤其是在城市。十年前，美国婚尚生活杂志Cosmo Bride在中国推出其中文版《时尚新娘》。2011 年，平均婚礼花费达到12,000美元（最新年度数据）——相当于城镇居民家庭两年多的人均收入。1990年起，平均结婚年龄增加2.5年，这给父母留下了更多攒钱的时间（尽管他们的孩子也能挣钱，他们仍然会支付婚礼花销）。

　　The change in wedding frippery also reflects a fundamental shift in society. For the first time in the history of Chinese family life, the child—rather than ancestors or parents—is regarded as the centre of the family, says Yan Yunxiang of the University of California, Los Angeles. Most newly-weds now are single children, born since the one-child policy was introduced more than 30 years ago. Parents have more to spend if they only have to fork out for one wedding (they usually share costs with the spouse-to-be's family).

　　婚礼变得华而不实也反映出社会的根本性转变。加州大学洛杉矶分校的阎云翔说，中国的家庭生活史上，这是第一次，孩子，而不是先辈或父母，被视为家庭的中心。由于30多年前推出的独生子女政策，目前大多数新婚夫妇都是独生子女。如果父母只需承担这一场婚礼的费用，他们会付出更多（他们通常与其亲家分摊此费用） 。

　　William Jankowiak of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, who has documented relationships in China for 30 years, says love plays a larger part in young people's lives—both in choice of partner and in their relationships with parents. Love is far more often spoken about. The result is evident in weddings, which now focus on the couple. Both sets of parents are represented, but their position is peripheral¹¹. Weddings often feature a day of wedding photos, shot before the event, with the couple in a range of outfits against romantic backgrounds, but with no family members.

　　拉斯维加斯内华达大学的威廉·姜克维30年来记录了中国的各种关系，他说，在年轻人的生活中，无论是对伴侣的选择还是与父母的相处，爱都日渐重要。这一结果在婚礼上显而易见，因为现在的婚礼专注于夫妻二人，双方父母都出席，但他们只是陪衬。婚礼现场当天通常饰以在此前拍摄的婚纱照，在浪漫的背景下，夫妻穿上一系列服装拍摄婚纱照，但没有家庭成员参与其中。

　　1.hand out 分发；拿出

　　One of my jobs was to hand out the prizes.

　　我的职责之一是分发奖品。

　　Today the country's nationalists rule the roost and hand out the jobs.

　　现今，这个国家由民族主义者掌权并分派工作。

　　2.move out 迁出；搬出

　　They decided¹² to move out to the suburbs.

　　他们决定搬到郊外去。

　　The harass-ment had become too much to tolerate and he decided to move out.

　　骚扰越来越过分，他难以忍受，决定搬走。

　　3.save up 储存

　　Don't resort to cheap copies; save up for the real thing.

　　别买廉价的仿冒品，攒点钱买正品吧。

　　You'd better save up some money for your old age.

　　你最好积蓄些钱以防老。

1 nuptials   

n.婚礼；婚礼( nuptial的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Their nuptials were performed by the local priest. 他们的婚礼由当地牧师主持。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• If he married, when the nuptials would take place, and under what circumstances? 如果他结婚，那么什么时候举行婚礼？在什么情况下举行婚礼？ 来自辞典例句

2 furry   

adj.毛皮的；似毛皮的；毛皮制的

参考例句：

• This furry material will make a warm coat for the winter.这件毛皮料在冬天会是一件保暖的大衣。
• Mugsy is a big furry brown dog,who wiggles when she is happy.马格斯是一只棕色大长毛狗，当她高兴得时候她会摇尾巴。

3 outfits   

n.全套装备( outfit的名词复数 )；一套服装；集体；组织v.装备，配置设备，供给服装( outfit的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• He jobbed out the contract to a number of small outfits. 他把承包工程分包给许多小单位。 来自辞典例句
• Some cyclists carry repair outfits because they may have a puncture. 有些骑自行车的人带修理工具，因为他们车胎可能小孔。 来自辞典例句

4 vendors   

n.摊贩( vendor的名词复数 )；小贩；（房屋等的）卖主；卖方

参考例句：

• The vendors were gazundered at the last minute. 卖主在最后一刻被要求降低房价。
• At the same time, interface standards also benefIt'software vendors. 同时，界面标准也有利于软件开发商。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

5 spotlight   

n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目

参考例句：

• This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
• The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。

6 kin   

n.家族，亲属，血缘关系；adj.亲属关系的，同类的

参考例句：

• He comes of good kin.他出身好。
• She has gone to live with her husband's kin.她住到丈夫的亲戚家里去了。

7 frugality   

n.节约，节俭

参考例句：

• We must build up our country with industry and frugality.我们必须勤俭建国。
• By frugality she managed to get along on her small salary.凭着节俭，她设法以自己微薄的薪水生活。

8 linen   

n.亚麻布，亚麻线，亚麻制品；adj.亚麻布制的，亚麻的

参考例句：

• The worker is starching the linen.这名工人正在给亚麻布上浆。
• Fine linen and cotton fabrics were known as well as wool.精细的亚麻织品和棉织品像羊毛一样闻名遐迩。

9 coupons   

n.礼券( coupon的名词复数 )；优惠券；订货单；参赛表

参考例句：

• The company gives away free coupons for drinks or other items. 公司为饮料或其它项目发放免费赠券。 来自辞典例句
• Do you have any coupons? 你们有优惠卡吗？ 来自英汉 - 翻译样例 - 口语

10 swapped   

交换（工作）( swap的过去式和过去分词 )； 用…替换，把…换成，掉换（过来）

参考例句：

• I liked her coat and she liked mine, so we swapped. 我喜欢她的外套，她喜欢我的外套，于是我们就交换了。
• At half-time the manager swapped some of the players around. 经理在半场时把几名队员换下了场。

11 peripheral   

adj.周边的，外围的

参考例句：

• We dealt with the peripheral aspects of a cost reduction program.我们谈到了降低成本计划的一些外围问题。
• The hotel provides the clerk the service and the peripheral traveling consultation.旅舍提供票务服务和周边旅游咨询。

12 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。