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长期以来，西方传媒的各种不实报道我们都已经领教过了。这些报道足以引发一件令人担忧的事情，那就是，在西方传媒固有价值观的“培养”下，美国普通民众，尤其是年轻人群体，是怎样看待中国的呢？当然，除了传媒的熏陶，信息沟以及文化差异的存在也会对人们的观念产生影响。这些因素合在一起，毫无疑问，便会催生出五花八门的误解、误读与隔阂。这误解，隔阂有多深？在与美国年轻人面对面的交流中我着着实实领教到了。
最近，我随机访问了一些周围的美国年轻人，大多数是大学生，请他们谈谈对中国文化、社会和人的看法，得到了形形色色的反馈。在这些想法当中，有的让人大跌眼镜，也有的让人哭笑不得，更多的是让人感觉到加强文化交流和理解的重要。
——师淇（目前留学于美国纽约，攻读硕士学位)
Q: What are the things cross your mind when think of China/Chinese? (such as things you most exposed to in daily life.)
Shannon: Emmm, Dragon! And Chinese red. Stuff that breakable, and old like china. Also, these large population in China and the powerful industry. You know everything is made in China now.
Q: Can you name a few channels you get information on China? (Movie, Newspaper, etc.)
Shannon: Generally, Economist, New York Times, CNN, BBC. But from what I know, people don’t really TALK about China yet.
Q: And what impression you have on China/Chinese culture based on these information?
Shannon: I always imagine there are millions of big trucks running on the streets of China, symbolizing the fast growing economy. And recently the news are basically about environmental pollution and toys 1)contamination in China, and I guess people are very influenced by these coverage. Media objectivity? Unsure about it. There are lots of conspiracy theories about our media anyway, like 2)Murdoch.^_^
Q: How do you imagine the life in China?
Shannon: I think everything could be purchased in China because everything is made there. And also, I think there are less extreme social classes there, only peasantry class and professional class. Not like here, if you are a middle class and you lose your job and house, you could become a homeless in one week.
Q: Please give a few words to describe your perception of China as a world power.
Shannon: I think China is leaded by a very competitive and global oriented government, and it is gaining more and more respect and attention now, which is a good thing, because people care when they feel something is powerful. For me, I would like to know more information about China if I get the chance.
问：提起中国的时候你一般会想到什么？（比如说你在日常生活中常常见到的东西。）
答：嗯……龙！还有中国红！易碎和古老的东西，比如瓷器。还有就是，中国人口众多，工业强大。你知道，现在什么东西都是中国制造的了。
问：能不能举出几个你获取中国信息的渠道呢？（例如报纸、电影等）
答：一般来说，《经济学家》、《纽约时报》、CNN、BBC。不过据我所知，大多数人平时还不太真正会谈起中国。
问：那你从这些信息里对中国得出什么印象呢？
答：我总想象着会有几百万辆大卡车在中国的大街上行驶，象征着中国高速发展的经济。最近新闻里大多是关于中国环境污染和有毒玩具事件，我想人们被这些新闻报道影响挺深的。媒体报道是否客观？我也不知道，不过关于美国社会的媒体已经有很多阴谋论了……比如默多克（注：默多克有段时间想收购《华盛顿邮报》的控股公司，结果被邮报斥责为又一歪曲新闻公正的企图）。
问：你想象在中国的生活是怎样的？
答：我觉得任何东西都能在中国买得到，因为所有的东西都是那里制造的。还有，我觉得那里的阶级差异不会太大，只有农民和职业人群。不像这里，如果你是中产阶级，你不幸失业又失去房产的话，可能一周之内就会沦为街头流浪汉。
问：请给出几个词形容一下你对中国作为一个世界强国的看法。
答：我感觉中国正由一个非常有竞争力和国际视野的政府领导着，而且如今正获得越来越多的尊重和关注。这是件好事，因为只有当人们觉得某种东西很强大的时候才会去关注。对我而言，如果有机会，我期待了解更多关于中国的信息。
Q: Hey Brian, I heard you were planning a trip to Beijing in August. I know that you had been to Tokyo before. Do you expect Beijing to be different?
Brian: I would expect myself to be totally Lost in Translation,
3)lol. When I was in Tokyo that’s exactly I how I felt, even though I learned a little Japanese beforehand. There had been myths about Beijing, the political ones and cultural ones, I know it is a city with long history compared to other
capitals of the world, and Beijing is however younger than the inner capital of the older dynasties. I’ve learned that it is build on purpose to serve as political centre, isn’t it? So history is not the very key point of Beijing. During dynasty rule, the scholars will march to the capital to serve for the emperor. Going to Beijing for them means approaching the heart of the emperor’s regime. If they want anything, fame, wealth, recognition, you name it, they have to go to Beijing to pledge from the emperors.
And in the world history, no countries had been under such a long and well maintained dynasty rule as China. Therefore, the city of Beijing had been the symbol of rulership, even during foreign invasion and civil wars of the early 20th century, the occupation of Beijing represents the legitimacy of governing. Let’s just say, people come and go, but Beijing is and always will be there. This is the feeling you can’t get in Washington or London, even in Tokyo. The road of modern Beijing is even planned around the old palace in the center, how amazing!
Q: Beside the Olympic Games, what exactly you want to see in Beijing then?
Brian: I want to see the old part of the town where the essence of Beijing is best preserved. I also want to go to the 4)adjacent country side if my schedule allows.
Q: Hehe, you know we Chinese always have problems for westerners’ intention to see the less developed side of China, like movies depict China as poor and 5)barbaric, and the news on your media are always about pollution and peasants. It will be great if you answer this question: why don’t you want to see the modern China? Would it be nice if you see the modern Chinese in our movies but not the ones flying or wearing 6)cheongsam?
Brian: let me split your questions, because movie versus culture presentation are different issues. I can’t speak for the majority of the wes-terners, but for me, the modernization itself pretty much means westernization, that’s why I wanted to go places where less westernized Chinese live to interact with them. Even though I don’t speak Chinese, I can observe how they live. The point of going to the other culture is to get yourself culturally shocked, do you agree? I remember you said that the first few months in New York, you were a little disappointed because you were not as shocked as you imagine yourself to be. Why’s that? Because you had been living in a modernized city of China for so long, that you can’t feel much difference of the modernization here in New York. If you want to experience the real America, I will suggest you go to the mid west.
Q: I did get shocked here when everyone is trying to kiss every one. But I get your point.
Brian: What I am trying to say here is that you should get confident about who you are. I mean modernization is good, we get better education, medication, skyscrapers and cars. But if moderni-zation means unification then we have to make serious thinking on holding our roots. The US has less concern of that because the US is a big melting pot, or salad bowl, then we don’t really have our own roots. So modernization is good for the US because we get people from all over the world coming here so even a little bit of contribution from their culture will make a big pie for us. But you guys are different; if you lose who you were then it would be lost forever. And what you are going to replace with the lost identity?
问：嗨，布莱恩，我听说你正计划八月份去北京旅行。我知道你之前曾去过东京，那么你期待北京会有所不同吗？
答：我想我会完全地“迷失北京”（编者注：这里套用影片Lost in Translation《迷失东京》的片名，指代“只能意会不能言传的感觉”）吧，呵呵。我在东京的时候就有这种感觉，尽管事先学了一些日语。对于北京，之前存在着不少迷思，有政治方面的，也有文化方面的。现在我知道，这个城市的历史比世界上其他的首都都要悠久，但比起在内地的古都又要年轻些。我听说北京就是为了成为政治中心而建城的，对吧？所以，历史并不是北京最为关键的一点。在王朝统治期间，书生学士都会跋涉进京去效力皇帝。对他们来说，到北京去意味着接近皇权统治的中心。想要获取什么，名、利、赏识或任何东西，他们都必须到北京去从皇帝那里获得。
在世界历史上，没有任何一个国家能像中国这样有着悠长而兴盛的王朝统治历史。所以，北京这座城市是统治大权的象征，即使在20世纪初的外国侵略和内战期间，占领北京就意味着理所当然地获得了统治大权。这么说吧，政权流转，而北京现在是，将来也永远会是北京。这是你在华盛顿、伦敦，甚至东京都体会不到的感觉。现代北京的道路甚至都是以旧时宫殿为核心而规划建造的，多奇妙啊！
问：除了奥运赛事，你在北京还想看些什么呢？
答：我想去老城区看看，那是北京的精髓保存最为完好的地方。如果时间允许，我也想去看看周边的乡村地区。
问：呵呵，你知道我们中国人总是对西方人想要参观中国较为落后的一面有意见，比如那些电影，把中国刻画成贫穷野蛮的国度，还有你们的媒体新闻总是在说（中国的）污染和农民问题什么的。所以你能回答这个问题就太好不过了：为什么你们不想看看中国现代的一面呢？在我们的电影中看到现代的中国人，而不是那些飞檐走壁的或者穿旗袍的，不好吗？
答：我要先把你的问题细分一下，因为电影和文化表现是不同的。我不能代表大多数的西方人，但对我来讲，现代化本身很大程度上意味着西方化，所以我才想要去不那么西化的中国人所居住的地方，跟他们交流。虽然我不讲中文，但我能观察他们的生活。来到另一个文化的目的不就是要让自己感受到文化的冲击吗？我记得你说，在纽约的前几个月，你有些失望因为你没有像想象中的那样受到（文化）冲击。为什么呢？因为你在中国的一个现代化城市生活久了，对纽约的现代化也就没觉得有太大的区别。如果你想体验真正的美国，我建议你去（美国的）中西部。
问：我在这里还是有被冲击到的，那是在我发现这里每个人都爱行吻礼的时候。不过我懂你的意思了。
答：其实我这里要表达的意思就是你们应该对自己的身份感到自信。我是说，现代化很好，我们可以有更好的教育、医疗、摩天大楼和汽车。但是，如果现代化意味着千篇一律的样式，我们就得认真地考虑该怎样保住我们的根。美国这方面的顾虑少一些，因为美国是个大熔炉，或者说沙拉碗（编者注：在英语中常用“melting pot”和“salad bowl”来指代各族裔融合在一起的美国），从真正意义上说我们并没有根。所以现代化对美国是件好事，因为来自世界各地的移民汇聚到我们这里，哪怕他们只是贡献出一点点自己的文化，也足以做成我们的文化大馅饼。但是你们中国人不同，如果你们丧失了自己的文化本源，那么它就会永远地消失。那么你们要拿什么来取代那失去的身份呢？
结语：就我的体验来说，美国的年轻一代对中国的态度是开放式的，他们希望了解更多中国的信息，甚至亲自体验后，再来下判断。在访问越来越多的人之后，我唯一的遗憾就是，他们几乎一致的认为，中国对他们来说太神秘了，仿佛笼罩着一层迷雾一样触摸不到，所以他们只能通过大众媒介来试着触摸这个迷雾后的东方古国。而奥运，是不是就是一个契机让他们揭开这层迷雾呢？——我们期待。
最近，我随机访问了一些周围的美国年轻人，大多数是大学生，请他们谈谈对中国文化、社会和人的看法，得到了形形色色的反馈。在这些想法当中，有的让人大跌眼镜，也有的让人哭笑不得，更多的是让人感觉到加强文化交流和理解的重要。
——师淇（目前留学于美国纽约，攻读硕士学位)
Q: What are the things cross your mind when think of China/Chinese? (such as things you most exposed to in daily life.)
Shannon: Emmm, Dragon! And Chinese red. Stuff that breakable, and old like china. Also, these large population in China and the powerful industry. You know everything is made in China now.
Q: Can you name a few channels you get information on China? (Movie, Newspaper, etc.)
Shannon: Generally, Economist, New York Times, CNN, BBC. But from what I know, people don’t really TALK about China yet.
Q: And what impression you have on China/Chinese culture based on these information?
Shannon: I always imagine there are millions of big trucks running on the streets of China, symbolizing the fast growing economy. And recently the news are basically about environmental pollution and toys 1)contamination in China, and I guess people are very influenced by these coverage. Media objectivity? Unsure about it. There are lots of conspiracy theories about our media anyway, like 2)Murdoch.^_^
Q: How do you imagine the life in China?
Shannon: I think everything could be purchased in China because everything is made there. And also, I think there are less extreme social classes there, only peasantry class and professional class. Not like here, if you are a middle class and you lose your job and house, you could become a homeless in one week.
Q: Please give a few words to describe your perception of China as a world power.
Shannon: I think China is leaded by a very competitive and global oriented government, and it is gaining more and more respect and attention now, which is a good thing, because people care when they feel something is powerful. For me, I would like to know more information about China if I get the chance.
问：提起中国的时候你一般会想到什么？（比如说你在日常生活中常常见到的东西。）
答：嗯……龙！还有中国红！易碎和古老的东西，比如瓷器。还有就是，中国人口众多，工业强大。你知道，现在什么东西都是中国制造的了。
问：能不能举出几个你获取中国信息的渠道呢？（例如报纸、电影等）
答：一般来说，《经济学家》、《纽约时报》、CNN、BBC。不过据我所知，大多数人平时还不太真正会谈起中国。
问：那你从这些信息里对中国得出什么印象呢？
答：我总想象着会有几百万辆大卡车在中国的大街上行驶，象征着中国高速发展的经济。最近新闻里大多是关于中国环境污染和有毒玩具事件，我想人们被这些新闻报道影响挺深的。媒体报道是否客观？我也不知道，不过关于美国社会的媒体已经有很多阴谋论了……比如默多克（注：默多克有段时间想收购《华盛顿邮报》的控股公司，结果被邮报斥责为又一歪曲新闻公正的企图）。
问：你想象在中国的生活是怎样的？
答：我觉得任何东西都能在中国买得到，因为所有的东西都是那里制造的。还有，我觉得那里的阶级差异不会太大，只有农民和职业人群。不像这里，如果你是中产阶级，你不幸失业又失去房产的话，可能一周之内就会沦为街头流浪汉。
问：请给出几个词形容一下你对中国作为一个世界强国的看法。
答：我感觉中国正由一个非常有竞争力和国际视野的政府领导着，而且如今正获得越来越多的尊重和关注。这是件好事，因为只有当人们觉得某种东西很强大的时候才会去关注。对我而言，如果有机会，我期待了解更多关于中国的信息。
Q: Hey Brian, I heard you were planning a trip to Beijing in August. I know that you had been to Tokyo before. Do you expect Beijing to be different?
Brian: I would expect myself to be totally Lost in Translation,
3)lol. When I was in Tokyo that’s exactly I how I felt, even though I learned a little Japanese beforehand. There had been myths about Beijing, the political ones and cultural ones, I know it is a city with long history compared to other
capitals of the world, and Beijing is however younger than the inner capital of the older dynasties. I’ve learned that it is build on purpose to serve as political centre, isn’t it? So history is not the very key point of Beijing. During dynasty rule, the scholars will march to the capital to serve for the emperor. Going to Beijing for them means approaching the heart of the emperor’s regime. If they want anything, fame, wealth, recognition, you name it, they have to go to Beijing to pledge from the emperors.
And in the world history, no countries had been under such a long and well maintained dynasty rule as China. Therefore, the city of Beijing had been the symbol of rulership, even during foreign invasion and civil wars of the early 20th century, the occupation of Beijing represents the legitimacy of governing. Let’s just say, people come and go, but Beijing is and always will be there. This is the feeling you can’t get in Washington or London, even in Tokyo. The road of modern Beijing is even planned around the old palace in the center, how amazing!
Q: Beside the Olympic Games, what exactly you want to see in Beijing then?
Brian: I want to see the old part of the town where the essence of Beijing is best preserved. I also want to go to the 4)adjacent country side if my schedule allows.
Q: Hehe, you know we Chinese always have problems for westerners’ intention to see the less developed side of China, like movies depict China as poor and 5)barbaric, and the news on your media are always about pollution and peasants. It will be great if you answer this question: why don’t you want to see the modern China? Would it be nice if you see the modern Chinese in our movies but not the ones flying or wearing 6)cheongsam?
Brian: let me split your questions, because movie versus culture presentation are different issues. I can’t speak for the majority of the wes-terners, but for me, the modernization itself pretty much means westernization, that’s why I wanted to go places where less westernized Chinese live to interact with them. Even though I don’t speak Chinese, I can observe how they live. The point of going to the other culture is to get yourself culturally shocked, do you agree? I remember you said that the first few months in New York, you were a little disappointed because you were not as shocked as you imagine yourself to be. Why’s that? Because you had been living in a modernized city of China for so long, that you can’t feel much difference of the modernization here in New York. If you want to experience the real America, I will suggest you go to the mid west.
Q: I did get shocked here when everyone is trying to kiss every one. But I get your point.
Brian: What I am trying to say here is that you should get confident about who you are. I mean modernization is good, we get better education, medication, skyscrapers and cars. But if moderni-zation means unification then we have to make serious thinking on holding our roots. The US has less concern of that because the US is a big melting pot, or salad bowl, then we don’t really have our own roots. So modernization is good for the US because we get people from all over the world coming here so even a little bit of contribution from their culture will make a big pie for us. But you guys are different; if you lose who you were then it would be lost forever. And what you are going to replace with the lost identity?
问：嗨，布莱恩，我听说你正计划八月份去北京旅行。我知道你之前曾去过东京，那么你期待北京会有所不同吗？
答：我想我会完全地“迷失北京”（编者注：这里套用影片Lost in Translation《迷失东京》的片名，指代“只能意会不能言传的感觉”）吧，呵呵。我在东京的时候就有这种感觉，尽管事先学了一些日语。对于北京，之前存在着不少迷思，有政治方面的，也有文化方面的。现在我知道，这个城市的历史比世界上其他的首都都要悠久，但比起在内地的古都又要年轻些。我听说北京就是为了成为政治中心而建城的，对吧？所以，历史并不是北京最为关键的一点。在王朝统治期间，书生学士都会跋涉进京去效力皇帝。对他们来说，到北京去意味着接近皇权统治的中心。想要获取什么，名、利、赏识或任何东西，他们都必须到北京去从皇帝那里获得。
在世界历史上，没有任何一个国家能像中国这样有着悠长而兴盛的王朝统治历史。所以，北京这座城市是统治大权的象征，即使在20世纪初的外国侵略和内战期间，占领北京就意味着理所当然地获得了统治大权。这么说吧，政权流转，而北京现在是，将来也永远会是北京。这是你在华盛顿、伦敦，甚至东京都体会不到的感觉。现代北京的道路甚至都是以旧时宫殿为核心而规划建造的，多奇妙啊！
问：除了奥运赛事，你在北京还想看些什么呢？
答：我想去老城区看看，那是北京的精髓保存最为完好的地方。如果时间允许，我也想去看看周边的乡村地区。
问：呵呵，你知道我们中国人总是对西方人想要参观中国较为落后的一面有意见，比如那些电影，把中国刻画成贫穷野蛮的国度，还有你们的媒体新闻总是在说（中国的）污染和农民问题什么的。所以你能回答这个问题就太好不过了：为什么你们不想看看中国现代的一面呢？在我们的电影中看到现代的中国人，而不是那些飞檐走壁的或者穿旗袍的，不好吗？
答：我要先把你的问题细分一下，因为电影和文化表现是不同的。我不能代表大多数的西方人，但对我来讲，现代化本身很大程度上意味着西方化，所以我才想要去不那么西化的中国人所居住的地方，跟他们交流。虽然我不讲中文，但我能观察他们的生活。来到另一个文化的目的不就是要让自己感受到文化的冲击吗？我记得你说，在纽约的前几个月，你有些失望因为你没有像想象中的那样受到（文化）冲击。为什么呢？因为你在中国的一个现代化城市生活久了，对纽约的现代化也就没觉得有太大的区别。如果你想体验真正的美国，我建议你去（美国的）中西部。
问：我在这里还是有被冲击到的，那是在我发现这里每个人都爱行吻礼的时候。不过我懂你的意思了。
答：其实我这里要表达的意思就是你们应该对自己的身份感到自信。我是说，现代化很好，我们可以有更好的教育、医疗、摩天大楼和汽车。但是，如果现代化意味着千篇一律的样式，我们就得认真地考虑该怎样保住我们的根。美国这方面的顾虑少一些，因为美国是个大熔炉，或者说沙拉碗（编者注：在英语中常用“melting pot”和“salad bowl”来指代各族裔融合在一起的美国），从真正意义上说我们并没有根。所以现代化对美国是件好事，因为来自世界各地的移民汇聚到我们这里，哪怕他们只是贡献出一点点自己的文化，也足以做成我们的文化大馅饼。但是你们中国人不同，如果你们丧失了自己的文化本源，那么它就会永远地消失。那么你们要拿什么来取代那失去的身份呢？
结语：就我的体验来说，美国的年轻一代对中国的态度是开放式的，他们希望了解更多中国的信息，甚至亲自体验后，再来下判断。在访问越来越多的人之后，我唯一的遗憾就是，他们几乎一致的认为，中国对他们来说太神秘了，仿佛笼罩着一层迷雾一样触摸不到，所以他们只能通过大众媒介来试着触摸这个迷雾后的东方古国。而奥运，是不是就是一个契机让他们揭开这层迷雾呢？——我们期待。