中国正引导世界的变革

中国正引导世界的变革：中国消费者如何改变一切；寻找天堂；生活在中国都市的中产阶级

作者 Karl Gerth   Zhang li

Gerth shows deep knowledge of Chinese consumer society. He argues that in many ways, urban Chinese tastes are becoming like those of Westerners. But he believes the reverse is also beginning to happen. The government has started a program to make China a “branding superpower.” Zhang focuses on a single consumer item, but it is a big one: housing. She unobtrusively observes every stage of the housing process, from the formation of hybrid public-private land-development companies, through the often violent process of land acquisition, to design, construction, marketing, mortgage applications, sales, decoration, and finally, the pride of the new owners

Gerth深度剖析了中国的消费群体。他认为中国都市人在很多方面都在逐渐西化，但同时逆向的过程也将产生。政府已经开始推行一个旨在使中国成为“全新超级大国”的项目。张关注了一个独特且很庞大的消费项目：住房。他仔细观察了房屋租售的每个细节，包括国有、私有混合制的土产发展公司形成，存在暴力的土地征用，设计、建设、上市、抵押申请、销售、装潢到最终成为新房主的骄傲。

Gerth writes with a light touch, but he shows deep knowledge of Chinese consumer society. He knows the products and brand names, stores and restaurants, and even the advertisements in women’s public restrooms. China’s golden demographic of 150 million–430 million (depending on where you set the bar for wealth) expresses individuality with credit cards. Everyone wants a car. People ski, golf, drink brandy, travel abroad, and waste huge amounts of food at fancy banquets. An integrated East Asian youth culture has emerged that encompasses music and clothes from Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan, as well as China. In many ways, urban Chinese tastes are becoming like those of Westerners. But Gerth believes the reverse is also beginning to happen. Chinese-designed cars are flooding the lower end of foreign markets. The government has started a program to make China a “branding superpower.” Where all this might lead politically, if anywhere, is not clear. The book is more sharply observed on its first theme -- “as China goes” -- than on its second, how the rising power of the Chinese market will influence the rest of the world.

Gerth用轻松的语言进行描述，但是深度揭示了中国的消费群体。他了解中国的产品及产品名称，商场，宾馆，甚至是女性公共厕所的广告。中国1.5-4.3亿的黄金人口使用信用卡彰显个性。每个人都想拥有一辆小轿车。人们滑雪，打高尔夫，喝白兰地，出国旅游并且在宴会上浪费大量的食物。一个融合了日本，韩国，中国台湾和内陆的东亚年轻文化出现了。在很多方面，中国都市人的口味越来越像西方人。但是Gerth坚信逆向的过程也产生了。中国自主研发设计的汽车风行国外较低端市场。政府已经开始推行一个旨在使中国成为“全新超级大国”的项目。如果可能的话，这个政策最终将导向何处还不是很清楚。这本书的书名首先映入眼帘-“中国的变革”-其次是中国市场的崛起将影响全世界。undefined

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Zhang focuses on a single consumer item, but it is a big one: housing. A striking feature of the Chinese consumer revolution has been the rise of private, or “commodity,” housing. Twenty years ago, urban Chinese lived in drab apartments supplied virtually for free by their work units. Now the urban middle class considers a private apartment an essential marker of personal worth. Zhang is a native of the city she reports on, Kunming. She unobtrusively observes every stage of the housing process, from the formation of hybrid public-private land-development companies, through the often violent process of land acquisition, to design, construction, marketing, mortgage applications, sales, decoration, and finally, the pride of the new owners. The idea of a private paradise marks a major reversal in Chinese culture. Neighborhoods are stratified, public space is privatized for the benefit of the better off, and upscale housing creates the illusion of living close to nature. Whether the Chinese are becoming harder to control as a result is less certain. The old neighborhood committees have been replaced by builder-run property-management agencies that do much of the same job. And residents often form homeowner associations, which sometimes push back but often cooperate.

张关注了一个独特且很庞大的消费项目：住房。中国消费变革的一个显著特点是私有或商品房的兴起。20年前，中国都市人住在由单位免费提供的拥挤公寓里。如今都市中产阶级将拥有私有的公寓作为个人价值的重要体现。张报道的是她土生土长的城市-昆明。她关注了一个独特且很庞大的消费项目：住房。她仔细观察了房屋租售过程的每个细节，包括国有、私有混合制的土产发展公司形成，存在暴力的土地征用，设计、建设、上市、抵押申请、销售、装潢到最终成为新房主的骄傲。在中国文化里，一个私有天堂的理念标志着重要的颠覆。邻里关系逐渐层级化，为了生活更福裕，公众空间逐渐私有化，并且高消费阶层创造更接近自然的生活。中国人是否越来越难控制仍不太有把握。过去的社区委员会已经由建筑公司成立的物业管理机构代替。与此同时，居民往往组成居委会，有时与物业公司合作，但有时会阻碍其工作。