Chaguan
茶馆
Nostalgia for China’s boom years drives a TV hit
对中国经济繁荣年代的怀旧推动一部电视剧爆火
A drama series presents 1990s capitalists as heroes, not villains
这部剧把1990年代的资本家塑造成英雄而非反派
- nostalgia （尤指对极幸福时光的）怀念、怀旧、念旧
- villain 表示“恶棍、流氓”，主要指完全沉溺于犯罪、邪恶和卑鄙中的人，为了得到自己想要的东西而蓄意违法或伤害他人（参见：小词详解 | villain）
CHINA CENTRAL TELEVISION, the flagship network of the country’s propaganda machine, has a new hit on its hands. “Blossoms Shanghai”, a big-budget melodrama in 30 parts, has enjoyed huge audiences since its first episode aired on December 27th. The show’s success—boosted by approving coverage in official and commercial media outlets—is at once unexpected and revealing. It is a surprise because its heroes are swashbuckling capitalists in the Shanghai of the early 1990s. A hard-living bunch, they cut deals, swap stock tips and scheme against rivals over an endless succession of boozy late-night banquets, filmed in demonic shades of black, gold and red. It is all a far cry from the prim, flag-waving dramas that have become the norm on state TV during Xi Jinping’s rule. Typically, such series depict crime-fighting police officers, Communist Party officials toiling to serve the masses, brave Chinese soldiers or other model citizens.
中国宣传机器的头牌电视网中央电视台最近播出了一部大火的新剧。自12月27日开播第一集以来，30集的大制作情节剧《繁花》吸引了大批观众收看。该剧的成功——受到官方和商业媒体正面评价的推动——既出人意料，也耐人寻味。说出人意料是因为该剧的主角是1990年代初上海一些大胆冒险的传奇资本家。在黑、金、红色交织的暗黑影调中，一群恣意人生的人在无休止的深夜酒局上谈生意、交换股票内幕消息、算计对手。这一切都与习近平执政后国家电视台上常见的那些正经八百、民族情绪高涨的电视剧大相径庭。通常，这些剧集描画的都是打击犯罪的警察、为人民鞠躬尽瘁的共产党官员、勇敢的中国军人或其他模范公民。
- episode 一部电视剧中的“一集”（参见：小词详解 | episode）
- outlet （感情、思想、精力发泄的）出路、表现机会；专营店、经销店；折扣品经销店；出口、排放管；插座
- swashbuckling （尤指电影）表现惊险打斗的、有传奇历险情节的
- boozy 嗜酒的、豪饮的
- banquet 宴会、盛宴；筵席
- demonic 恶魔的、魔鬼似的、恶魔般的
- prim 一本正经的、循规蹈矩的、古板的；正式的、端庄的
- 拓展学习：熟词僻义 | 你的英语热情 flag 了没？
- norm 常态、正常行为；规范、行为标准；标准、定额、定量
Enthusiasm for the drama, the first TV series to be directed by Wong Kar-wai, a pillar of Hong Kong’s film industry, sheds light on the Chinese public’s mood. Much praise for the show has a distinctly backward-looking feel to it. Online, fans share their memories of boom years when ordinary Chinese could transform their fates with a lot of luck, good connections and hard work.
观众对该剧（它是香港电影界中流砥柱王家卫执导的首部电视剧）的追捧反映了中国民众的心境。对该剧的赞誉大多带有明显的怀旧色彩。剧迷们在网上分享他们对那个繁荣年代的回忆，那时普通人可以凭借好运、人脉和奋斗改变自己的命运。
- pillar 台柱子、主心骨、中流砥柱
