中国可以不说 - China can choose to say nothing, Translation Part 1, 翻译第一部分

宋强 - Song Qiang

十九，中国可以不说 - Chapter 19, China can choose to say nothing

第二部分， 中国的主张 - Part 2, Propositions for China

中国不高兴 ： China is not happy (Unhappy China = 'official' title)

大时代、大目标及我们的内忧外患: Important Times, Big Goals and our Internal and External Troubles （The Great Time,Grand vision and our Challenges = 'official subtitle', 'yes, with the comma not being followed by a space like that, I know, right?)

Here we come back once again to the origin of ‘China can choose to say nothing’. Our sarcastic responses to some laughable performances actually almost caused us to face the wrath of Cui Weiping. Two years ago at SOHO (SOHO 小报) we posted an article mocking the famous Professor Cui Weiping. It’s actually rather simple: She was selling the Adam Michnik book she translated by herself. It was selling well so she raised the price quite a bit. Originally, no one really knew how to respond to that. The issue was, if the government decided to suppress the book she’d become a martyr for democracy. She played this up to her benefit. Everyone had an opinion about this, but no one wanted to say anything to offend anyone. But, eventually Zhang Xiaobo let it out, “Screw her! There, I said it!”

The article, “Who is reading Michnik these days?” goes something like this:

We need to accept that this is a huge moment in this history of thought. There’s female professor with a concern for the general welfare of the world selling her 400 page must-read primer on Democracy. It cost 30 RMB. After as things went well, the price went up to 35 RMB. Using one’s good name to make a quick buck doesn’t seem like Michnik had in mind. (Will there be any good soul willing to ask if Michnik is getting a cut?). Translators usually don’t think too hard about getting their check for the translation and at the same time collecting alms for the noble cause they are fighting for. The book isn’t being openly distributed, so it’ll naturally be face some barriers and run into some trouble. Her ‘out-to-save-the-world’ posturing combined with her brazen concern for profit cause us to think there’s a bit of tension in this story.

…

In the Buddhist test Quanshiwen (劝世文) there is a story where Yama gives two men about to be reincarnated two choices: do you want a lead a life of demanding, or a life of giving? The first man said: A life of demanding. The second man said: Then I’ll take a life of giving. Yama then set the two men’s fates. The man who wanted a life of demanding ended up as a beggar, every day outside collecting alms. The man who wanted a life of giving became a millionaire with a lot of economic power. He could go out every day and help the poor, fix the temples or repair the roads. Although the story is very simple, it gives those bright people who want to go out and save the world a bit of encouragement. The metaphor is a bit simple, but it works. No wonder our intellectuals are falling in line.

When the article got printed and then posted online Cui Weiping was furious and demanded: “Take it down!”

This is the attitude the freedom fighters take in response to articles they don’t like.

This is a paradox stemming from losing touch with the times. The truth under her furious anger might just be the mirror she needs to look into. In China these days, proponents of democracy fear being behind the times. But if look at their crap and false pretensions and you can’t help but feel optimistic about the future. Even if China goes along their path, the only ones who’ll get screwed are the regular people. If the corrupt elites take power, it’ll just be another post-Marcos Philippines. But, for the believers in democracy, it’ll be a beautiful morning.