爱思英语编者按：自从七十年代末的改革开放以来，中国的经济蓬勃发展，致使财富增长，中产阶层迅速发展。新兴财富的出现带给当代中国很多的地位象征。以下是10大最炫耀和最耐人寻味的地位象征。

10 Status Symbols in Modern China

当代中国10大地位象征

1. A Mistress

1.情妇

To anyone familiar with China’s seamier side, the concept of high-powered men taking mistresses will come as no surprise. When a guy’s material needs have been satisfied, an extramarital affair serves to fulfil his carnal requirements as well. Rather than simply meeting up for trysts with his ernai, a man must provide his mistress with an apartment, car and designer wardrobe. Like it or not, sleaze is here to stay, and even high-ranking officials are in on the act. Disgraced railway minister Liu Zhijun was discovered to have 18 mistresses, and ex-vice mayor of Hangzhou, “Plenty” Xu, had a similar harem when he was executed for embezzlement in July.

对于任何熟悉中国丑陋一面的人来说，有权势的人包养情妇观念不足为奇。男人的物质需求得到满足后，就通过婚外情来满足他的性欲。他们不只是与“二奶”幽会，而是必须为情妇提供公寓、汽车和名贵服饰。不管你是否愿意，腐败扎根于这些人中，甚至高级别的官员也在其列。无耻的铁道部部长刘志军被发现有18个情妇，杭州市前副市长“许三多”在7月份因贪污公款而被“双规”时，被发现他有一群类似“后宫”的女人。

2. A Luxury Car

2.豪车

Every wealthy Chinese person worth his or her salt counts fancy wheels among the trappings of their material success. German cars are among the most popular when it comes to sedans, with Audi and BMW occupying the top spots in the market. Before a middle class guy can even consider wooing a lady, he must first ensure that he has a decent vehicle. And if he wants to take a mistress? Well, that’s another car he needs to budget for.

每个称得上是有钱的中国富人在炫耀他们的物质财富时都要考虑到名车。德国车在轿车中最受青睐，其中奥迪和宝马在市场拔得头筹。一位中产阶层的男士在考虑追求一位女士之前，他必须先要确保有一辆体面的轿车。那么如果他想要包养一个情妇呢？那就要预算另一辆车了。

3. A Pilot License

3.飞行驾照

A car is one thing, but the highest rollers like to go even higher. There are now 1,600 official pilot license holders in China (and doubtlessly plenty more that are unofficial…), and low altitude air spaces have been opened in Hainan, Guangdong and Heilongjiang for them to take their jets for a spin. Getting a license doesn’t come cheap, with courses costing as much as 80,000 RMB. Ownership of private jets is still limited in China, with just 100 registered, but the trend is growing. Celebs like Fan Bing Bing and Chen Daoming have gotten in on the action, each buying a jet of their own.

有车是一回事，而更高的玩家有更高层次的追求。目前中国有1600人持有正式的飞行驾照（毫无疑问还有更多的人持有非正式的飞行许可证……），海南、广东和黑龙江为这些飞机开设了低空飞行。获取飞行驾照并不便宜，课程费高达8万人民币。拥有私人飞机在中国还是有限的，目前仅注册了100架，不过有增长的势头。像范冰冰和陈道明这样的名人已经采取了行动，他们每人都购置了飞机。

4. A Tibetan Mastiff

4.藏獒

Among pedigree dogs, the Tibetan Mastiff is neither the friendliest nor the most attractive, but it is currently the most prized canine in China. Dogs of this breed fetch ridiculous sums; in 2009 a Xi’an couple shelled out over 300,000 RMB for theirs, and show dogs at the annual China Tibetan Mastiff Expo boast names like God, Prince and Warren Buffet (seriously). Pets were banned under Mao for promoting bourgeois attitudes, but ownership of small animals like crickets and birds never really went away. Having the money and space to keep a big dog like a Tibetan Mastiff is a clear sign that you’re doing well for yourself financially.

在纯种狗中，藏獒既不是最友好的，也不是最漂亮的，但它却是目前中国最贵的犬。这个品种的犬价格贵得荒唐，2009年西安的一对夫妇为他们的狗花了30万元人民币。而且一年一度的中国藏獒博览会展示狗并炫耀它们的名字，如上帝、王子和沃伦·巴菲特（很当真）。宠物在毛泽东时代被作为宣传资产阶级思想而遭禁止，但养一些诸如蟋蟀和鸟之类的小动物却从不被禁止。花钱豢养一条像藏獒之类的大狗并为它们安置居处可以清楚地表明一个人的经济状况非常好。

5. Apple Products

5.苹果产品

To gauge China’s love of iPhones, iPads and Macbooks, you only have to look at the queues outside Apple stores whenever a new device is launched. Desperate consumers were crushed in the fever to get their hands on the iPad two in Beijing in May this year, and a boy even sold his kidney to afford one. Apple products appeal to the wealthy urban youth thanks to their sleek design, cult following, and reassuringly high prices. The fact that they are made on production lines in Guangdong does little to tarnish their appeal.

要衡量中国人对iPhone、iPad和Macbook有多么喜爱，你只需看一看每当苹果有新产品推出时专卖店外排队的长龙了。今年5月在北京，不顾一切的消费者拥挤着以求买到iPad 2，甚至有个男孩子为了买到一个而卖掉自己的肾。苹果产品时尚的设计、狂热的追捧和令人安心的高价吸引着富有的城市青年，而这些实际上在广东生产出来的苹果产品丝毫没有降低它们的吸引力。

6. Pale Skin

6.白肤

Contrary to Western women’s fondness for suntanned skin (presumably to imply that they are wealthy enough to take expensive holidays to warmer climes), Chinese ladies prefer the pale and interesting look (presumably to prove that they don’t work outside in a manual job). Beauty products tend to contain “whitening” ingredients, and Western brands operating in China almost always add a special line to their product range, like L’Oreal’s White Perfect. Women hide from the summer sun under decorative parasols, and the pastiest of complexions are prized as the most attractive.

西方女性喜欢古铜色皮肤（大概是暗示她们有足够的财富去休假以享受温暖的气候），与此相反，中国女性喜欢白色和引人注目的外表（大概是表明她们不从事体力劳动）。美容产品往往含有“美白”的成分，而且在中国经营的西方品牌几乎总是在其产品中加入一种特殊系列，比如欧莱雅的白色完美。夏日里女性打着阳伞躲避日晒，苍白色的肤色最受青睐。

7. Fine Wine

7.美酒

China’s domestic wine industry might not be up to much yet, but it is expected to flourish. Until then, wealthy Chinese feed their grape habit with expensive imported wines. These days it’s common to see wine bars with a clientele of mainly locals, as the Chinese palate develops a taste for Cab Sav and Chardonnay. Wine’s growing popularity is partly due to its associations with the sophistication of France and Italy, and partly due to the fact that imported stuff is so darn expensive.

中国的国产葡萄酒行业还不是很发达，不过预计会蓬勃发展。而在此之前，中国富人用昂贵的进口酒来满足他们饮用葡萄酒的嗜好。近来葡萄酒吧里常常可以看到中国人，他们品尝着“解百纳”和“霞多丽”。葡萄酒的日益普及，部分原因是由于法国和意大利精湛的酿酒工艺，还有一层原因是因为这些进口酒惊人的昂贵。

8. Luxury Furniture

8.豪华家具

Recently, luxury furniture company Da Vinci was found to be peddling goods that were Made in China instead of Made in Italy. However, the scandal has done little to douse China’s wealthy from lusting after plush sofas from the likes of Versace Home, Fendi Casa and Kenzo Maison. Having the ready cash to kit out your home like Donatella’s boudoir is a sign of great fortune and profligacy.

近来，豪华家具公司达·芬奇被曝出售的家具为中国制造而非意大利生产。然而，这桩丑闻丝毫不影响中国的有钱人追求豪华沙发的欲望，从范思哲家居系列、芬奇家居到Kenzo Maison品牌皆是他们的喜爱。用现钱像多娜泰拉·范思哲的闺房那般装备你的家表明你很富有和奢华。

9. Golf

9.高尔夫

China is catching up with the West when it comes to golf, the sport of the idle rich, or middle class dudes trying to up their guanxi with colleagues and clients. There are now around 600 golf courses in China, up from just a hundred or so at the turn of the millennium. A round on the fairway is seen as proof of your mettle.

中国在高尔夫上正在迎头赶上西方，高尔夫是有钱人的一项休闲运动，中产阶层人士用它来与同事及客户拉关系。中国有大约有600个高尔夫球场，而在2000年前后仅有100个左右。打一场高尔夫球被视为证明你的勇气和耐力。

10. A Designer “Murse”

10.名牌钱包

Finally, the one thing no rich Chinese guy should be without: a man purse (a.k.a. “murse”) from a recognized brand. Gucci, Burberry and Louis Vuitton all fit the bill, with slightly less kudos for mid-range names like Coach. A guy needs somewhere to stash his cash and his iPhone, and the murse is the ideal accessory. Aspirational and functional.

最后，有钱的中国男性必备的一个物件：知名品牌的钱包。古琦、博柏利和路易威登受到青睐，中等品牌的蔻驰稍逊之。钱包是男人存放现金和iPhone的理想物件。它既实用又时尚。