The Brexit endgame: How late it was, how late 脱欧残局：久拖不决 Talks inch towards a last-minute deal—but it is not done yet 谈判朝着最终协议缓慢推进，但协议还没有达成。 The government is urging businesses to step up preparations for the end of Britain’s transition out of the European Union on December 31st. （英国）政府正催促企业加快准备，以迎接12月31日英国脱欧过渡期的结束。 This week Michael Gove, the cabinet office minister, announced the setting up of a new border operations centre, adding that significant change was coming with or without a trade deal. 本周英国内阁办公室部长Michael Gove宣布建立新的边境事务中心，并补充说无论是否达成贸易协议，重大改变都将到来。 Yet many companies retorted that uncertainty over the negotiations made proper preparation all but impossible. 但是许多公司对此反驳，认为谈判的不确定性使其几乎无法做出适当准备。 alks in London have made some progress, yet the old gaps remain over fisheries and a level playing-field for competition. 本周在伦敦举行的谈判取得了一些进展，然而双方就渔场和公平竞争议题的分歧仍然存在。 Officials suggest Boris Johnson now needs to intervene to seal a deal. 有官员建议约翰逊现在需要加以干预从而达成协议。 The prime minister is under pressure, especially after a big backbench Tory revolt on December 1st against his new covid-19 tier system. 首相正面临压力，尤其是在12月1日经历了一次大规模的保守党后座议员对其新冠疫情分级体系的反抗之后。 Mujtaba Rahman of the Eurasia Group, a consultancy, sees little sign of early readiness to give more ground to the EU. 来自咨询公司欧亚集团的Mujtaba Rahman并未看到英国发出已经准备好向欧盟妥协的讯号。 And the mooted inclusion of more unilateral (and illegal) changes to the Northern Ireland provisions of the withdrawal treaty in next week’s finance bill could upset the applecart again. 在下周的金融议案中，英国提出对脱欧协议爱尔兰条款的单边（以及非法）更改，这可能会再次扰乱整体计划。 As repeated Brexit deadlines come and go, the timetable for ratifying a trade treaty that runs to some 800 pages (plus annexes) becomes ever tighter. 随着脱欧期限一再更改，批准长达约800页（含附录）的贸易协议愈加刻不容缓。 Getting a deal through Westminster should not be hard even with another revolt by hardline Tories, because the Labour opposition is unlikely to vote it down if the alternative is no deal. 即使态度强硬的保守党再次反叛，英国议会通过协议也并非难事，因为相比无协议脱欧，工党是不会对该协议投反对票的。 But rushed approval by the EU is a lot more problematic. 欧盟若草率通过该协议，其程序就更加纷繁复杂。 All national governments must agree. Some may jib if there is not enough time for full legal scrutiny and translation. 所有成员国政府都必须同意该协议。如果没有足够时间进行充分的法律审查和法律翻译，一些成员国是不愿踏出这一步的。 In a few countries, such as Finland, parliamentary approval is needed before a government signs. 在一些国家，比如芬兰，政府签署协议之前需要得到议会批准。 Some parliaments may also demand a say if the deal is “mixed”, meaning it includes issues such as airline regulation or social security that fall within national not EU competence. 一些国家的议会可能也会要求对该协议是否是“混合”协议进行解释，即该协议是否包含了属于国家管辖范畴而非欧盟管辖范畴的议题，比如民航管控和社会保障。 That is harder with the European Parliament, since its approval has always preceded a trade deal taking effect. 这对欧洲议会来说更难，因为贸易协定生效之前需要它的批准。 Next week sees its last planned plenary meeting of the year. 下周将举办欧洲议会本年度的最后一次全体会议。 Two committees normally scrutinize and report on trade deals before they are voted on. 在对协议投票之前，两个委员会通常要审查贸易协议对进行报告。 Yet MEPs are well briefed on the Brexit trade talks, and are anxious not to be seen as an obstacle to a deal. 然而欧洲议会议员已经对脱欧贸易谈判有了完备的了解，而且极不愿成为通过该协议的绊脚石。

Culture a winner for cosmetics brands 传统文化成为化妆品牌宠儿 Domestic firms find younger shoppers drawn to products that incorporate traditional associations 国内化妆品公司发现，年轻消费者更青睐于蕴含传统文化元素的产品 With buying power rising among young, heritage-minded consumers, domestic cosmetics brands are winning hearts with guochao — a trend that is seeing younger buyers drawn to products with Chinese cultural elements. 随着年轻、注重传统文化的年轻一代消费者购买力的上升，国内化妆品牌正在通过“国潮”赢得他们的青睐，国潮趋势下，年轻消费者青睐于蕴含中国传统文化元素的产品。 In one case, brands are embracing solar term or jieqi marketing, a concept based on China's ancient calendar, incorporating elements of lunar and solar calendars, which divides the year into 24 periods. This type of marketing is used to inject a sense of nature into beauty routines. 其中，各品牌正积极进行“节气营销”，基于中国农历，加入阴历和阳历的元素，将一年分为24节气，该营销方式被用来为消费者的美妆日常营造自然感。 Grain Rain, a Chinese skincare brand, is inspired by the eighth solar term, guyu, referring to early crops, which starts around April 20. It was accompanied by a spring-inspired marketing campaign represented by actress Zhou Dongyu in April 2022. It uses the solar term's traditional association with picking herbs to reinforce the label's herbal skincare branding. 中国护肤品牌“谷雨”就是受到第八个节气的启发（谷雨开始于4月20日前后，指代作物新种）。2022年4月，受到春天的启发，该品牌采取营销活动，由演员周冬雨代言。通过节气与草药采收之间的传统联系，该品牌进一步强化了草本护肤的产品定位。 That numerous brands are using the ancient calendar as a seasonal marker reflects a broader revival in China of heritage-related products, especially among younger consumers. 大量品牌正把农历用作季节标识，这反映出在中国，尤其是年轻消费者中，文化传统相关产品的复兴趋势更加普遍。 "We have always integrated culture with cosmetics and combined traditional Chinese culture with fashion. Solar terms, as an excellent part of traditional culture, represent Chinese customs and lifestyles, so integrating solar terms into our products was not done on a whim. We aren't doing it for a short-term connection with consumers. It's a long-term thing we are doing," said Lin Zengsheng, branding director of Huaxizi. “我们一直将文化与化妆品相融合，将中国传统文化与时尚相结合。节气作为传统文化的重要组成部分，代表着中国的习俗和生活方式，因此将节气融入我们的产品并非一时兴起。我们不是为了与消费者建立短期联系而这么做，这是一个长期的规划。”花西子品牌总监林曾生（音译）表示。 Generation Z — those born from the mid-to-late 1990s and into the 2000s and a major consumer group — is being affected by the country's cultural renaissance and the development of the internet. They are more independent in their choices and have a greater sense of national identity, experts said. 专家表示，受到国家文化复兴和互联网的发展的影响，Z世代——即出生于1990年代中后期到2000年代的消费者群体更加独立地做出选择，并具有更强的民族认同感。 With the rise of guochao, and the influence of the expansion of China's manufacturing ability, consumers are showing an increased preference for domestic cosmetics brands, according to a recent report issued by consulting firm Ernst & Young. Although China's high-end cosmetics market has been dominated for a number of years by international brands, the market influence of homegrown brands has been rapidly rising. 根据咨询公司安永发布的最新报告，随着国潮的兴起，并受到中国制造能力扩张的影响，消费者对国内化妆品品牌愈加青睐。尽管多年来中国高端化妆品市场一直被国际品牌所主导，但本土品牌的市场影响力正在迅速上升。 A white paper issued by Tencent Inc states that domestic cosmetics companies have a market share of 56 percent. It said 60 percent of surveyed consumers prefer to purchase domestic cosmetics brands, while 42 percent had a strong willingness to make repeat purchases of those brands. 腾讯公司发布的一份白皮书显示，国内化妆品公司的市场份额达56％。它表示，60％的受访消费者更喜欢购买国内化妆品品牌，而42％的消费者表示又强烈愿意再次购买这些品牌。 In China's third-tier and smaller cities, the penetration rate of domestic cosmetics surpasses 90 percent, and the growth rate of lip balm and lipstick sales has been over 60 percent for two consecutive years, according to a report launched by Juhuasuan, the group-buying arm of e-commerce giant Alibaba. 根据电商巨头阿里巴巴集团团购业务聚划算发布的一份报告，中国三线及以下城市国内化妆品市场渗透率超过90％，唇膏和口红销售增长率连续两年超过60％。

Design exhibitions celebrate lifestyle creativity 生活方式创造性在设计大展中熠熠生辉 From ornaments as small as a brooch to landmark architecture, from a poster to celebrate Chinese New Year, to a logo for national events, design has been even more integrated into the economic and social lives of the Chinese people, reflecting the advancement throughout decades. 不论是小如胸针的装饰品还是地标建筑，不论是春节海报还是国家事件的标志，设计正愈加融入到中国人的经济和社会生活中，数十年来的进步也得以展现。 People have become more aware of the importance of design, not only because it caters to their basic needs on a daily basis — how to eat, what to wear, where to live and the ways of transportation — but also, they have found the greater role of design in forecasting a trend. 人们越来越意识到设计的重要性，不仅因为它满足了大家的衣食住行的日常基本需求，也因为人们发现了设计在预测潮流方面扮演的更重要的作用。 This motivated the launch of the China Design Exhibition and Public Art Thematic Exhibition in 2012, aiming to investigate the scope and depth of how design changes the country. The event has been held in Guangdong province, one of the most developed regions in China. Its fourth edition is now being held in Shenzhen of Guangdong, long seen as the "forefront of reform and opening-up" and in recent years, viewed as "a city of design". 这一点就促成了2012年中国设计大展及公共艺术专题展的发布，旨在探索设计改变中国的广度和深度。大展在中国最为发达的省份广东省举行，第四届正在广东省深圳市举行，深圳市被誉为“改革开放的前沿”，而且近年来被誉为设计之读”。 On show are more than 1,300 works that examine new trends in design and public art, especially in serving national strategies and addressing social concerns, over the recent four years — the third edition of the event was held in 2019. 大展共展出1300多件作品，作品探索了设计和公共艺术中的新风尚，尤其是在过去四年中服务国家战略和满足社会需求方面，第三届大展于2019年举行。 The current one, closing on Thursday, is being held at Shenzhen Museum of Contemporary Art and Urban Planning and the Guan Shanyue Museum, the two landmark buildings embodying the creative spirit of design in the metropolis. 第四届于周四闭幕，在深圳市当代艺术与城市规划馆以及关山月美术馆举行，它们本身作为地标建筑也代表了深圳这座大都市在设计领域的创造精神。 And, for the first time, the event has provided an online tour. 第四届大展也首次提供了线上展览。 As its theme "New Start, New Wave" suggests, the show sheds light on possible solutions to all sorts of problems in society to inspire new ways of living, such as the developments of high-speed maglev trains and exoskeletons, a kind of wearable robotic device to help people regain mobility. 正如其主题“新起点，新风尚”，此次展览阐明了解决社会中各种问题的解决方案，从而启发新的生活方式，包括高速磁悬浮列车以及外骨骼设计的发展，外骨骼是一种可穿戴机器人设备，以帮助人类恢复行走能力。 The designs on show reflect people's emerging needs and changing values in a new time, says Wang Dawei, a co-curator of the exhibitions and deputy director of the graphic design committee, China Artists Association. 展览中的设计体现了人们在新时代所产生的新需求以及发展的价值观，展览联合策展人以及中国美术家协会平面设计艺委会副主任汪大伟表示。 "Essentially, design is a cultural phenomenon. And a recent orientation in the field is to make full use of our traditional cultures and to herald the formation of new aesthetics," he says. "Above all, good design raises the public awareness of aesthetics and, in return, people set higher standards for the design industry to meet." “设计从本质上来讲是一个文化现象，该领域最新的取向就是充分利用传统文化从而引导形成新的审美，”他表示。“最重要的是，好的设计能够提高公众对于审美的意识，而公众作为回应则能够给设计行业提出更高的标准。”

Canned food quality captures market share 高品质罐头占领市场 Shandong town finds formula for fruitful sales expansion at home and abroad 山东一小镇为海内外销售拓展找到“良方” In mid-February, days after Spring Festival, workers were busy at a canned fruit factory in Difang town, Pingyi county, Shandong province, keeping production lines humming to meet a rise in demand. 二月中旬，春节一过，工人们就在山东临沂市平邑县地方镇的一家水果罐头工厂忙碌起来，生产线加足马力来满足增加的订单需求。 Companies in this important center for the canned fruit industry typically sell some 60,000 metric tons of product during December. But in the same month in 2022, they sold 160,000 tons, cleaning out a good portion of their stock, according to town officials. 该小镇是水果罐头食品行业的重要中心，小镇企业在12月份一般可以销售大约6万公吨产品。但是在2022年12月，根据小镇官方数据，销售量高达16万吨，大大清空了库存。 The companies' production for the first quarter subsequently has been sold out as their canned fruit began flying off the shelves. The fruit, especially canned yellow peaches, is said to strengthen the body against disease as well as be delicious. 随着水果罐头开始被一抢而空，企业在2023年第一季度所生产的产品也随之售罄。最具代表性的美味黄桃罐头据说可以增强抵抗力。 As the fruit becomes more popular, Difang, which produces a third of the canned fruit sold in China, has also garnered more attention. 随着黄桃罐头愈加受欢迎，地方镇，这个生产了三分之一的中国所销售的黄桃罐头的小镇，也受到了更多关注。 Quality wins markets 质量赢得市场 Difang , nestled in a range of mountains, is built on soil more suitable for growing fruit instead of grain. 地方镇坐落在山区，其土壤更适合种水果而非谷物。 Canning technology has meant a big increase in income for farmers. Only four decades ago, a lack of speedy transportation options meant their fruit would often go bad before it reached markets. 罐藏工艺为农民带来了收入的巨大增长。仅四十年以前，交通运输的不便捷导致他们种植的水果在到达市场之前就腐烂了。 In five years, the number of canneries in the town mushroomed to over 100. The number continued to grow, surpassing 400 in the 1990s. 在五年间，该镇的罐头厂迅速发展，数量超过100家，而且在20世界90年代超过400家。 The town government started to more closely manage the sector in 2004 and closed those that had not maintained adequate sanitary conditions in their workshops or those using additives that were not allowed. 镇政府在2004年开始更为细致地管理该行业，关闭了未达到卫生条件以及使用违规添加剂的工厂。 Innovations in the can 罐头里的创新 To meet consumer demand for healthier and more varied diets, canneries have continued to upgrade their products and offer greater variety. 为满足顾客更为健康多样的饮食需求，罐头工厂也进一步升级产品，提供多样化产品。 The town's farmers have been improving the varieties of fruit they grow, aiming for those that are naturally sweeter. 镇上的农民不断改良水果品种，寻求在天然条件下更甜的水果。 Companies are also using techniques that shorten processing times. Most companies need only five or six hours from the time fruit is picked until it is canned. 各公司也使用工艺缩短加工时间。从水果采摘到装罐，大部分公司仅使用五六个小时。 Companies are working with universities and other institutions to develop new products that are more nutritious. 各公司也和大学以及科研院所合作，研发更有营养的新产品。 Waste becomes useful 变废为宝 Facilities have been built in the town to deal with waste from producing canned foods, such as fruit cores and peels, changing the waste into new products whenever possible. 镇上也修建设施，处理生产罐头产品产生的废料，比如果核、果皮等，尽可能得将废料变位新产品。 The peels and cores are rich in pectin and fructose, providing us with good materials to produce pectin, fructose and protease products. Pectin is a starch used in jams and jellies, and fructose is used as a sweetener. Proteases are enzymes that break down proteins, which can aid in digestion. 果皮和果核中富含果胶和果糖，可以提供生产果胶、果糖以及蛋白酶产品的优质原料。果胶可以在果酱和果冻中用作淀粉，而果糖可以用作甜味剂。蛋白酶可以分解蛋白质，从而助消化。

Fast food players eye formidable 2023 sales 快餐从业者2023年有望见证销售额强势回春 Leading fast-food chains including McDonald's, KFC and Pizza Hut have shown stronger confidence in China's business environment with plans to open more restaurants in the country this year. 麦当劳、肯德基和必胜客等著名快餐连锁品牌对中国的营商环境信心增强，有计划在今年开更多店面。 Yum China Holdings Inc, the leading restaurant chain with brands including KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell, is expected to boost sales by expanding the number of stores and improving its service quality. 百胜中国控股有限公司是中国著名的餐饮连锁公司，旗下有肯德基、必胜客和塔可贝尔等品牌，将通过增加门店数并量改进服务质来提高销售额。 " Our priority this year is to drive sales. We plan to open between 1,100 and 1,300 net new stores in 2023 and continue to invest in technology and infrastructure," said Andy Yeung, CFO of Yum China, adding that the company is expected to spend about $700 million to $900 million on the expansion. “我们今年的工作重心就是提高销售额。我们计划在2023年净增1100至1300家门店，将继续在技术和设施两方面投入，”百胜中国首席财务官杨家威表示，并补充道百胜将在业务扩展方面投入将近7亿至9亿美元。 Last year Yum's revenue in China dropped 9 percent year-on-year to $2.09 billion. In the fourth quarter, the company opened 538 new stores in the country, making its new openings reach 1,824, propelled by the development of mainly KFC and Pizza Hut outlets. By the end of the quarter, the number of Yum's Lavazza on-site coffee chains had reached 85, and Taco Bell stores doubled to 91. Last year, the company expanded into over 200 new cities nationwide. 去年，百胜在中国的收入同比下降9%，降至20.9亿美元。在第四季度，在肯德基和必胜客门店的发展壮大的驱动下，百盛在中国新开538家门店，全年新开门店数达到1824家。到第四季度末，拉瓦萨线下咖啡连锁店面数达到85家，塔可贝尔店面数翻倍至91家。去年，百盛的业务在全中国拓展至超过200座新的城市。 Digital and delivery-related services have been valuable tools to improve customer experience. Delivery contributed about 45 percent of KFC and Pizza Hut's sales in the quarter, an increase of about 10 percentage points from the prior year period. Digital orders, including delivery, mobile orders and kiosk orders, accounted for about 90 percent of KFC and Pizza Hut's sales during the quarter. 数字服务和外送相关服务是提升客户体验的宝贵工具，外送服务为肯德基和必胜客在第四季度的销售额贡献了45%，比去年同期增加10%。数字订单占肯德基和必胜客第四季度销售额的90%，其中包括外卖派送、手机订单以及自助终端订单。 Meanwhile , global food-service retailer McDonald's Corp is expected to open a record number of new stores, said the company's top executive. 与此同时，全球食品服务零售商麦当劳公司预计新增一批新店面，数量将达到创纪录水平，该公司的顶层执行人员表示。 McDonald's plans to open 900 new quick-service restaurants in China this year, which take up nearly half of its global new openings, said Christopher Kempczinski, president and CEO of McDonald's. 麦当劳计划在今年在中国新增900个快餐店面，占全球范围内新增店面将近一半，麦当劳总裁兼首席执行官克里斯·坎普钦斯基表示。 Kempczinski said the company plans a 2023 expenditure of at least $2.2 billion, half of which will be dedicated to new openings. 坎普钦斯基表示其2023年的开支预算至少为22亿美元，一半将用于开启新店面。 In September, Phyllis Cheung, CEO of McDonald's China, said the company added nearly 480 new outlets in 2020 and 660 in 2021. There were about 5,000 McDonald's restaurants in China by end-2022, with the number of new openings exceeding 700, which Kempczinski said is "an all-time high". 在九月份，麦当劳中国区首席执行官张家茵表示麦当劳在2020年和2021年分别新增480个和660个店面，到2022年底之前有将近5000家麦当劳餐厅，新增店面数超700，坎普钦斯基对此表示“空前之高”。 Unemployment reached an all-time record of 3 million. 失业人数高达300万的创纪录数字。 Zhu Danpeng, a food and drink analyst, said the quick-service restaurant sector, which now focuses more on convenience and digitalization, has been in line with the consumption mindset and behavior among younger generations in China. 食品和饮品分析师朱丹蓬表示，快餐行业现在更多关注便捷和数字化，这与中国年轻人的消费观念和行为是相一致的。

Cute, furry and key to the ecosystem: can sea otters save the US west coast? 可爱、毛绒绒而且对于生态系统很关键：海獭能拯救美国西海岸吗？ Campaign seeks to restore seas otters to northern California and Oregon: ‘They are really important to coastal ecosystems’ 生物多样性中心发起运动，旨在恢复从北加利福尼亚到俄勒冈州的海獭，并表示：“他们对于海岸带生态系统的确很重要” Before the fur trade drove them to near extinction, sea otters once roamed the waters of North America from Alaska to Baja California. Now a non-profit conservation group wants to see them brought back, and say (says) the otters could help restore the region’s crucial but decimated kelp forests. 在毛皮贸易使海獭将近灭绝之前，它们曾经遍布于从阿拉斯加到下加利福尼亚的北美海域。现在有一支非营利自然保护团队想要海獭重新回到这里，并表示它们可以帮助恢复该地区极为重要但是大量毁灭的海藻林。 The Center for Biological Diversity has petitioned the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to reintroduce the furry mammals to a large swath of the west coast stretching from northern California to Oregon, pointing to the vital role otters play in the coastal ecosystem. A small population of southern sea otters lives on California’s central coast, where the Monterey Bay Aquarium regularly documents their adventures, but the threatened animal occupies just 13% of its historic range. 生物多样性中心向美国鱼类和野生生物管理局请愿，要求将海獭重新引入到加利福尼亚到俄勒冈州的大片西海岸水域，并指出了海獭在海岸带生态系统中至关重要的角色。加州中海岸上有少数的南海獭，蒙特雷湾水族馆在此定期记录它们的活动轨迹，但是该受威胁物种的活动区域仅占其历史活动范围的13%。 “There’s this big gap between the San Francisco Bay Area through Oregon where there are no sea otters,” said Emily Jeffers, an attorney in the oceans program at the Center for Biological Diversity. “They are really important to coastal ecosystems but they are just missing from a huge chunk of our coastline.” “旧金山湾区到俄勒冈州没有海獭，这是一个巨大的缺口，”生物多样性中心海洋项目的律师艾米丽·杰弗斯表示。“它们对于海岸带生态系统很重要，但是大片海岸线上并没有它们的身影。” The animals help keep sea urchin populations in check, which is vital to protect kelp forests – in northern California, 95% of kelp forests have disappeared due to urchin barrens. Reintroduction of otters is necessary to bring the animals back to their historic US range, recover the threatened southern sea otter and restore important coastal ecosystems including kelp forests and seagrass beds, the Center for Biological Diversity wrote in its letter to the federal government. 海獭能够制约海胆种群数目，这对于保护海藻林至关重要，在北加利福尼亚州有95%的海藻林因为海胆荒漠而消失。重新引入海獭十分关键，将有助于恢复其美国历史活动范围，恢复南海受威胁的海獭群体，并有助于恢复包括海藻林和海草床在内的海岸生态系统，生物多样性中心在给联邦政府的信中写道。 The center also asked the USFWS to assess the feasibility of reintroducing the otter from southern California into Baja California, Mexico. 该中心也请求美国鱼类和野生生物管理局评估将海獭从南加利福尼亚重新引入墨西哥下加利福尼亚州的可行性。 “Bringing the sea otter back to the broader west coast would be an unparalleled conservation success story,” Kristin Carden, a former senior scientist at the center, said in a statement. “Not only would the sea otters thrive, but they would also help restore vital kelp forest and seagrass ecosystems.” “将海獭重新引入到广阔的西海岸将会是一个无与伦比的环境保护的胜利，”该中心前高级科学家克里斯汀·卡登在一项声明中表示。“不仅海獭可以绵延生息，而且它们也能帮助恢复关键的海藻林和海草生态系统。” Last year the USFWS announced the results of a sea otter feasibility assessment in which the agency found that reintroducing the animal along the Pacific coast is biologically and socioeconomically feasible, and would “result in significant conservation benefits to the species … and to the nearshore marine ecosystem”. 去年，美国鱼类和野生生物管理局公布了海獭可行性评估的结果，认为将该动物重新引入太平洋海岸在生物和社会经济方面都具有可行性，并且将“给该物种以及近岸海洋生态系统带来意义深远的保护价值。”

Brands turn to traditional Chinese culture to attract young customers 为吸引年轻消费者，各品牌从传统文化中寻找答案 To celebrate the Year of the Rabbit, time-honored Beijing snack brand Daoxiangcun launched gift boxes featuring festive snacks and traditional Chinese packaging. 为庆祝兔年，北京老字号食品品牌稻香村推出以节日小吃和传统中式包装为特色的礼盒。 One of the gift boxes that has been particularly popular among young customers due to its cute appearance and trendy contents, features rabbit cake with soybean cheese carrot fillings, among other items. 在众多款式中，其中有一款礼盒特别受到年轻消费者欢迎，外观可爱，内容新潮，特色之一就是“兔兔饼”——兔子外形带有豆乳芝士胡萝卜内馅的糕点。 Shi Yan, deputy general manager of Beijing Daoxiangcun, said that in addition to the brand's 200 or so regular snacks, it is creating new products to tempt the taste buds of younger shoppers, in addition to launching seasonal products such as autumn red-leaf cake. 北京稻香村副总经理石艳表示，除了大约200款的常规小吃之外，稻香村正创造新的产品来吸引年轻消费者的味蕾，其中就包括推出诸如红叶饼的季节性产品。 "For those snacks that have been lost over the years, we are trying to replicate them by checking old recipe books and materials, as well as asking folklore experts about them," she said. "The current Chinachic trend is not just about a cool appearance, it has to resonate with traditional Chinese culture." “我们正试着通过查阅老食谱和相关材料、咨询民间专家来复刻那些已经失传的小吃，”她说.“当下的国潮不仅仅是酷炫的外观，而是必须要和中国传统文化引起共鸣。” Chinese pastry brands are looking to this trend to attract young customers through inheriting traditional Chinese culture, creating stylish products, and collaborating with other domestic brands. 中国糕点品牌意识到了这个趋势，通过传承中国传统文化、研制时兴糕点以及和其他品牌合作来吸引年轻消费群体。 According to a report on the pastry industry in China issued in December by the Timon Research Institute, which focuses on the food industry, although Chinese pastry accounts for a small proportion of the overall market, the prospects are promising. For instance, the size of the Chinese pastry market grew to 248.2 billion yuan ($36.7 billion) in 2019, up from 220.3 billion yuan in 2013. “Timon Research Institute”是一家专注于食品行业的机构，其在12月发布了关于中国糕点行业的报告，根据该报告，尽管中式糕点在整体市场中所占份额小，其发展前景很明朗。在2019年，中式糕点市场规模增长到2482亿元（367亿美元），相较之下，2013年市场规模为2203亿元。 The report said that driven by China-chic, many new Chinese bakeries, such as Dim Sum Bureau of Momo and Tiger Attitude Chartered Pastry Bank, have entered the market in the past two years by focusing on Chinese style, which has attracted investors. 根据该报告，在国潮驱动下，许多新中式烘焙品牌，比如“墨茉点心局”和“虎头局·渣打饼行”在过去两年内打入市场，专注中式糕点，吸引了投资者。 Founded in 2019 in Changsha, capital of Hunan province, Tiger Attitude Chartered Pastry Bank acquired several rounds of investment in 2021 from organizations such as Sequoia China and Tiger Global. 虎头局渣打饼行于2019年在湖南省省会长沙市成立，2021年从红杉资本中国基金、老虎环球基金等机构获得几轮融资。 Aiming to revitalize Chinese pastry, the brand uses low-sugar content to attract young customers. It has also collaborated with Chinese sportswear brand Meihua, domestic beverage company Jianlibao, and Television Broadcasts Limited (Hong Kong). 怀着复兴中式糕点的目标，该品牌使用低糖产品来吸引年轻消费者，也和中国运动品牌梅花、国内饮品品牌健力宝以及电视广播有限公司（香港）展开了合作。 In the first 10 months of last year, Tiger Attitude Chartered Pastry Bank's new retail team achieved total revenue of more than 200 million yuan, while the bakery's stores earned an average of over 800,000 yuan a month each during this period. 在去年前十个月内，虎头局·渣打饼行的新零售团队总收入超过两亿元，期间该品牌店面月平均收入超过80万元。

Tourists make up for lost time 游客弥补失去的时光 People across the country hit the trail again, much to the relief of travel agencies. 全中国的人们再次踏上旅途，旅行社也大为欣慰。 Zhang Guangqi indulged his wanderlust with a vengeance after he got back on his feet from a COVID-19 infection. The Beijing resident boarded a plane to Haikou, capital of South China's Hainan province, on Dec 21, about a week after his full recovery. 在感染新冠痊愈后，北京人张广奇（音译）“报复性”旅游了一番。在痊愈一周后，他在12月21号便飞去了中国南方海南省的省会——海口。 He was assured that he wouldn't catch the virus again, at least, in the near future, which convinced him to see other parts of the country. 他确认自己至少在短期不会再次感染新冠，因此就决定去祖国其地方看看。 After enjoying the sunlight, zoning out by the sea, soaking in the hot spring and savoring the distinctive local cuisine, Zhang went on with his journey, traveling to Guilin in South China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region and then Guiyang, capital of Guizhou province, in the southwest of the country, to experience what those places had to offer. 在享受了阳光、海边放空、泡温泉、品尝了当地特色菜之后，张广奇继续他的旅行，去到了中国南方广西壮族自治区桂林，然后去到西南部的贵州省省会贵阳市，体验这些地方的特色。 He wrapped up his journey at the end of last month, just in time to celebrate the New Year with his friends in Beijing. 他在12月月底刚好回到北京和朋友庆祝新年，给旅行画上了圆满的句号。 "We had a nearly five-hour hotpot dinner at Haidilao restaurant to usher in the New Year, and caught up with one another face-to-face," Zhang says. "Everything finally feels like it's getting back to normal." “我们在海底捞吃了将近五个小时的火锅来迎接新年的到来，互相聊聊近况，”张广奇说。“终于感觉一切回到正常了。” Zhang is just one of many people whose wanderlust has been reignited by the relaxation of the country's travel controls that were put in place to curb the spread of the pandemic. 随着中国放开此前为控制疫情传播采取的防疫措施，很多像张广奇一样的人的旅游热情被再次点燃。 For the past New Year's Day holiday, a robust recovery took the tourism market by storm, as the major domestic online travel agency Trip.com Group saw nearly 60 percent of its customers purchase cross-provincial trips during the holiday, as opposed to 40 percent in the same period last year. 在元旦假期期间，中国的旅游业市场得到了强劲恢复，元旦期间，国内大型在线旅行服务公司携程集团上的跨省旅游订单占60%，去年同期则是40%。 For the whole domestic tourism market, 52.71 million trips were made during the holiday, according to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. It represented a year-on-year increase of 0.44 percent and accounted for 43 percent of pre-pandemic levels in 2019. 根据文化和旅游部数据，就整个国内旅游市场而言，元旦期间共有5271万次出行，同比增长0.44%，恢复至2019年元旦节假日同期的43%。 Revenue generated during the holiday broke 26.52 billion yuan ($3.91 billion), up 4 percent year-on-year, the ministry reports. 根据文化和旅游部报告，元旦期间旅游业营收突破265.2亿元（39.1亿美元），同比增长4%。 Those born after 1990 were the driving force of the tourism recovery, with trip bookings from that age group surging by 36 percent year-on-year, while those from family travelers rising by 41 percent. 90后是旅游业恢复的主力军，该群体旅游订单同比猛增36%，家庭旅游订单增加41%。 Now that the country has scrapped the quarantine requirements for international arrivals and downgraded management of COVID-19 cases from Class A to Class B, Zhang Guangqi is motivated to head overseas during his next trip. 随着中国取消对国际入境人员的隔离要求，将新型冠状病毒感染从“乙类甲管”调整为“乙类乙管”，张广奇受到鼓舞，打算下次出国旅行。 Outbound flight bookings surged by 145 percent year-on-year during the New Year holiday, while the figure has surpassed 260 percent for the Spring Festival holiday, according to Trip.com Group. 根据携程旅行网，元旦期间出境机票订单同比增长145%，春节期间的出境机票订单增长率则超过260%。

Global economic uncertainty seems to be the new norm 全球经济不确定性似乎成为新常态 The global economic slowdown trend could continue in 2023, even leading to a mild recession. 2023年全球经济增长可能持续放缓，甚至会出现轻度衰退。 Particularly, the United States is at an increased risk of recession because of a delayed effect of the Federal Reserve's aggressive interest rate hikes and other tightening monetary policies, increased downward pressures on demand in its labor market, and an insufficient consumption momentum. The continued impact of the energy crisis, declining external demand, and tighter monetary policies could lead even the European economy to stagnate in 2023. 由于多种因素，美国经济衰退的风险剧尤甚：美联储激进加息等紧缩性货币政策对经济增长产生延迟效应，而美国劳动力市场的需求下行压力增大，消费后劲不足。能源危机的持续影响，外部需求进一步降低以及紧缩货币政策甚至会导致欧洲经济在2023年陷入停滞。 In Asia, Japan's economy will recover slowly, but its aging population will make it difficult for it to grow significantly, while the Fed's monetary policy and global economic downturn will put it under greater pressure. India's economy is expected to maintain a high growth rate in 2023, aided by its energy transition, offshore outsourcing, and expanded manufacturing investment. China's economy will recover growth due to its optimized pandemic prevention and control policies, and strengthened driving effects of consumer demand on economic growth, but the downturn of the real estate sector, an aging population, and the lack of external demand will to some extent affect its growth. 亚洲地区，日本经济将缓慢恢复，但人口老龄化导致其经济难以显著增长，美联储货币政策和全球经济衰退也给其造成了更大的压力。在能源转型、离岸外包和制造业投资扩张的政策辅助下，印度经济预计在2023年保持高速增长。在疫情防控政策优化以及消费者需求进一步促进经济增长的影响下，中国经济将恢复增长，但房地产行业的衰退，人口老龄化以及外部需求的缺少将在一定程度上影响其增长。 Global inflation could ease in 2023, but will still remain above the low levels before the global financial crisis. According to the International Monetary Fund, global inflation peaked at 8.8 percent in late 2022 and it is expected to decline to 6.5 percent in 2023 and 4.1 percent in 2024, still much higher than the 2 percent targeted by central banks. 全球通货膨胀在2023年可能会缓解，但仍将高于全球金融危机前通胀水平。根据国际货币基金组织数据，全球通货膨胀率在2022年末最高达到8.8%，将在2023年下降到6.5%，在2024年下降到4.1%，但是仍比各国中央银行目标通货膨胀率（2%）高得多。 The world's major economies adopted a tightening macroeconomic policy in 2022, which has had a certain impact on global economic recovery. In 2023, some countries may stop such policies fearing a recession. There are still risks of volatility in commodity prices, which are not expected to decline significantly in 2023. 世界主要经济体在2022年采取了紧缩的宏观经济政策，这对全球经济复苏产生了一定影响。为避免经济衰退，一些国家将在2023年停止紧缩政策。商品价格波动的风险仍然存在，预计在2023年将不会显著下降。 Overall, the global economy still faces challenges, because of high inflation, monetary policy tightening, and the adverse effects of the Russia-Ukraine crisis. However, global technological innovation and industrial transformation catalyzed by the digital economy and green economy are enhancing the momentum of global growth, while the continuous development of digital technology and its deep integration with the real economy are accelerating industrial digital transformation. 整体看，在高通胀、货币政策紧缩以及俄罗斯-乌克兰冲突消极影响的综合作用下，全球经济仍面临挑战。然而，在数字经济和绿色经济的催化下，全球经济创新和行业转型正在加强全球增长的势头，数字技术的持续发展及其与实体经济的深度一体化正加速行业数字转型。 Increased international policy coordination and cooperation will also provide a favorable business environment for global enterprises and raise expectations for world economic development. 全球政策协调与合作的加深将为全球企业提供便利的营商环境，并提振大家对世界经济发展的信心。

Preparations begin for Spring Festival travel rush 相关部门开始为春运做准备 A plan was issued late Tuesday to ensure the smooth and safe movement of people and freight during next month's Spring Festival travel rush, implementing eased epidemic control measures for travelers and encouraging flexible and off-peak leave for holidays to reduce pressure on what is estimated to be a significant increase in passenger trips. 为保证一月份春运的人员与物资的顺利安全流动，相关部门于周二（27日）晚发布方案，为旅客落实放松疫情管控措施，鼓励大众节假日期间灵活、错峰出行，以减轻旅客出行大幅度增长的压力。 China will downgrade management of COVID-19 starting from Jan 8, dropping measures such as closed-loop transportation and centralized quarantine targeting inbound travelers. This will occur at almost the same time as the 40-day Spring Festival travel rush, which begins on Jan 7 and ends on Feb 15. 中国将从1月8号进一步降级疫情管控，将不再采取闭环交通、针对入境旅客集中隔离等措施，措施适逢1月7日至2月15日为其40天的春运。 Epidemic measures for travel were optimized earlier this month. 防疫政策12月初已经进一步优化。 The new measures are expected to lead to an increase in cross-regional passengers and freight, according to the plan issued by the State Council, China's Cabinet. 根据国务院发布的方案，新措施将促进跨区域旅客和物资流动量的增加。 Service providers are required to implement the latest measures; travelers no longer need negative nucleic acid test results or health codes, are not required to undergo nucleic acid testing or health inspection upon arrival, and will not have their temperatures checked. 方案要求服务部门执行最新措施；旅客不再需要核酸检测结果或健康码，到达目的地时不再需要核酸检测或健康监测，也不再将测试体温。 The plan also states that suspending or limiting public transport, or hindering the movement of vehicles and vessels is forbidden. 方案也明确禁止暂停或限制公众出行、妨碍车辆和船舶流动。 Road checkpoints are to be removed, and public transport services suspended due to epidemic control should have regular operations restored promptly. 道路检测点将被拆除，因疫情防控暂停的共同交通服务应立即有序恢复运营。 China's Spring Festival travel rush was the biggest annual human migration in the world for decades. In 2019, prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, nearly 3 billion trips were made in the 40-day period. 几十年来，中国春运是世界规模最大的人口迁徙。在2019年疫情爆发之前，为期40天的春运期间有将近30亿出行。 Since 2020, people have been encouraged to stay put during the festival to avoid infection and transmission. 自2020年来，为避免新冠感染和传播，政策鼓励春节期间就地过年。 During the last festival, just 1.05 billion trips were made, compared to 870 million in 2021, and 1.5 billion in 2020. 2022春节期间仅有10.5亿次出行，2021年有8.7亿次，2020年则有15亿次。 As a result of fewer passengers, transport hubs were quieter. Some restaurants and shops at airports and railway stations closed due to the lack of business over the past three years. 由于旅客数量的减少，交通枢纽曾一度冷清。过去三年中，生意减少导致机场和火车站的餐厅和商店停业。 As optimized measures have been introduced, transport hubs are gradually resuming their hustle and bustle. 随着政府进一步优化防疫措施，交通枢纽正逐渐恢复往昔的热闹。 Zhang Qin, who works in electrical communication, took annual leave to take his sons from Beijing to Nanchang in Jiangxi province on Monday. He planned the visit to his hometown before the rush. The two boys — aged 3 and 5 — have been at home for more than a month due to the epidemic. 张秦（音译）在电气通信行业工作，周一休年假带儿子从北京回江西南昌。他计划在春运前会老家看看，他的两个儿子，一个3岁，一个5岁，因为疫情在家待了一个多月。 "They have not traveled for a while," the father said, adding that the boys are excited to ride a train again. “他们有段时间没旅行了，”这位父亲说道，补充说孩子们很激动可以再次坐火车。

World faced unprecedented crisis with food in 2022 2022年全球面临前所未有的粮食危机 The world has faced a food crisis of unprecedented proportions this year — the largest in modern history, as conflict, the COVID-19 pandemic, climate crisis and rising costs have combined to pose great risks for hungry people across the world. 今年，随着俄乌冲突、新冠疫情、气候危机和生活成本上升相互叠加，给饥饿地区人民带来风险，全球面临前所未有而且是现代历史上最大的粮食危机。 As many as 828 million people go to bed hungry every night. The number of those facing acute food insecurity has risen from 135 million to 345 million since 2019. A total of 49 million people in 49 countries are teetering on the edge of famine, according to figures from the United Nations' World Food Programme. 根据联合国粮食计划署数据，全球有8.28亿人口面临饥饿，自2019年以来，处于重度粮食不安全状况的人口从1.35亿增至3.45亿，共有来自49个国家4900万人口濒临饥荒边缘。 "We are facing an unprecedented global food crisis and all signs suggest we have not yet seen the worst. For the last three years, hunger numbers have repeatedly hit new peaks," WFP Executive Director David Beasley said. He warned that things can and will get worse unless there is a large-scale and coordinated effort to address the root causes of this crisis. “我们正面临着前所未有的全球粮食危机，而且所有迹象表明情况可能会更糟。过去三年中，饥饿人口数据不断创下新高，”粮食署执行主任戴维•比斯利表示。他做出警告，要尽快采取大规模协同努力来解决粮食危机的根本原因，否则危机将愈演愈烈。 Monika Tothova, an economist with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, said there are many reasons for prevailing high levels of food insecurity. 联合国粮农组织经济学家莫妮卡·托托娃表示当下盛行的粮食不安全背后有很多因素。 "These reasons, often referred to as drivers, are increasing in frequency and intensity, and include conflicts, climate variability and weather extremes, economic slowdowns and downturns — all exacerbated by the underlying causes of poverty and very high and persistent levels of inequality," she said. 这些驱动因素，包括地区冲突、气候变异、极端天气以及经济放缓和衰退在内，其频率和强度与日俱增，导致贫困和居高不下的不平等背后的根本原因也进一步加剧了上述驱动因素。 In addition, these drivers often do not act alone. For instance, conflicts are often accompanied by economic downturns, which affect livelihoods and the ability of people to earn resources, leading to increasing poverty levels and higher prevalence of food insecurity, she said. 另外，这些驱动因素的作用也相互叠加，比如冲突通常伴随着经济衰退，这就会影响人民生计，削弱他们赚钱的能力，从而导致贫困水平上升、粮食不安全进一步扩大，她说道。 Unfortunately, the main drivers of high levels of food insecurity have not improved this year. People in the Horn of Africa are facing a fifth consecutive failed rain season in parts of Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia, which will constrain their production, and is likely to push many deeper into food insecurity. 不幸的是，上述导致粮食不安全居高不下的主要驱动因素并未改善，非洲之角埃塞俄比亚、肯尼亚和索马里的部分地区今年迎来了连续第五个降水不足的雨季，将制约粮食生产并可能使很多人面临更严峻的粮食不安全局面。 Conflict is still the biggest driver of hunger, with 60 percent of the world's hungry living in areas afflicted by war and violence. The Russia-Ukraine conflict is further proof of how conflict feeds hunger, forcing people out of their homes and wiping out their sources of income, the WFP said. 地区冲突仍然是粮食危机的最大驱动因素，全世界有60的饥饿人口生活在战争和暴力地区，俄罗斯-乌克兰冲突进一步证明了冲突如何加剧饥饿，迫使人民流离失所，剥夺其生计来源，粮食署表示。 Russia and Ukraine are among the world's most important producers of agricultural commodities. Since the outbreak of the conflict on Feb 24, commodity prices reached very high levels as the production, processing and transportation of agricultural commodities have been stagnated by the conflict. 俄罗斯和乌克兰是世界最重要的农产品生产国。自2月24日俄乌冲突爆发以来，随着农产品生产、处理和运输受冲突影响停滞，农产品价格大幅上涨。 In addition, there is uncertainty about the weather. And climatic shock affecting any major producer or exporter will introduce additional uncertainty into production — and consequently prices — which in turn impact the ability to purchase food, particularly of the most vulnerable people, Tothova said. 此外，天气不确定性也是粮食危机驱动因素之一。气候对主要粮食生产或出口国的冲击会加剧生产以及由此导致的的价格的不确定性，这将转而影响人们尤其是最弱势群体购买粮食的能力，托托娃表示。

Living history towers over the nation's capital 耸立在北京城的“活历史” When one thinks of the historical places of Beijing, what usually comes to mind are the regal red walls and glazed tile roofs, synonymous with the long imperial past of the capital, particularly during the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties. However, the city has a much lengthier and varied visual history than can be seen from these more widely represented eras, and there are still places where examples of this can be seen within Beijing. 一说到北京的历史古迹，我们总会想到皇家红墙和琉璃瓦屋顶，代表了北京城悠久的王朝历史，尤其是明清时期历史。然而，北京的视觉历史跨度更长、种类更为丰富，城内也有一些古迹为证。 One is the Cishou pagoda, or Pagoda of Benevolence and Longevity, which can be found in Linglong Park, only a few minutes walk from the Cishousi subway station. Aside from some great views of the nearby China Central Television tower, a pond which aligns with the pagoda to offer a perfect reflection of the tower and a decommissioned steam train, the surrounding park is nothing out of the ordinary, with all attention being drawn toward the pagoda itself to the south. 其中一个就是慈寿寺塔，坐落于玲珑公园，距离慈寿寺地铁站几分钟步程。公园旁边的中央广播电视塔景色秀美，塔边水池中可见慈寿塔倒影，另外还有一个废弃的蒸汽火车，除此之外公园其他地方乏善可陈，亮点都集中于位于南边的慈寿寺塔。 Towering high above the trees, the 50-meter-tall, 13-tiered octagonal tower is an imposing sight to behold. Visually, the pagoda gives a strikingly different impression compared to sites such as the Forbidden City, or Summer Palace. Its stone gray walls and carved reliefs of fearsome warriors and creatures on its facade give off a foreboding and almost sinister air, arguably more so now, after hundreds of years of weather damage have worn down their features and amputated many of their limbs. 慈寿寺塔为八边十三级实心砖塔，通高50米，树木掩映其下，与故宫、颐和园等古迹给人的感觉大不相同。灰色砖墙和正面令人生畏的金刚力士等浮雕庄严肃穆，在几百年的风雨洗礼之后，浮雕像特征被侵蚀，肢体残缺，按理说其庄严肃穆更甚。 While pondering the purpose of such formidable designs, I was stopped by a man who informed me that I was walking around the pagoda in the wrong direction, and promptly pointed me in the right direction — which was to walk clockwise around its base. It wasn't until I later looked into this that I learned that circumambulation, or walking around an object of veneration or something that houses a holy relic, must be done in a clockwise direction for three or more times, keeping your right side to the object, as a gesture of respect. 在沉浸于思考这种令人畏惧的设计的目的时，我被一个人叫住，告知我环绕塔的方向是错的，并随即指给我正确的方向，也就是要绕塔基顺时针行走。在事后当我在研究这个事情的时候，我才意识到如果要绕着庄重神圣的建筑物行走时，必须要顺时针绕行三次及以上，身体右侧靠着它，以显示自己对它的敬重。 Seeing the pagoda itself was an interesting enough experience, with its more unique architecture, in comparison to the majority of ancient sites in Beijing, offering a glimpse of a less well-known visual style of the capital. It is still a place of prayer and worship for many, and its importance goes beyond it simply being a historical relic or curiosity but a spot that still has a purpose and place in modern Beijing. 看到这个塔本身就是足够有趣的经历，比起北京大多数古迹，它的建筑设计独一无二，让我们能够了解到北京不为人知的视觉风格。对很多人来说，它仍是祷告和礼拜的场所，其重要性远远超出作为历史名胜的存在，在现代的北京城仍然有其存在的目的和地位。

Dishing up a taste of the culture 上菜了！一道有“文化”的菜 Sichuan cuisine is a melting pot of different influences with rich historical and ideological connotations. 深受不同文化的影响，川菜博采众长，历史悠久，底蕴丰富。 When Lan Guijun was born in Chengdu, Sichuan province, in 1965, the steamed Chinese cabbage in supreme soup, one of the most renowned local dishes, had already made a name for itself at a state banquet in China. 兰桂均1965年出生于四川成都，当时四川名吃“开水白菜”已经在中国国宴中声名鹊起。 Now, with over four decades' experience of cooking Sichuan cuisine, Lan still makes the soup in the traditional way and uses it in his signature dish, golden thread noodles. 烹饪川菜四十年由有余，兰桂均仍然用传统手法制作汤汁，并将其用于招牌菜“金丝面”。 Lan, the executive chef of Yuzhilan, a two-star Michelin restaurant in Chengdu, says that, thanks to Sichuan hotpot, the spicy flavors have tickled the taste buds of diners all over the country. 兰桂均是成都一家米其林二星餐厅“玉芝兰”的行政总厨，他表示在四川火锅的带动下，川菜之辣挑逗着全国食客的味蕾。 Seasoned in tradition 用传统“调味” According to a report on the sustainable development of the Sichuan cuisine industry, issued in October by the World Federation of Chinese Catering Industry, by the second quarter of 2022, the number of Sichuan cuisine restaurants reached 320,000, accounting for 31.3 percent of the total number of restaurants in China, much higher than the second and third ranked cuisines, Zhejiang and Cantonese, respectively. 世界中餐业联合会于10月份发布关于川菜行业可持续发展的报告，报告称到2022年第二季度，川菜馆数量达到32万家，占中国餐厅总数的31.3%，远超分别位于第二名的浙江菜和第三名的粤菜。 Sichuan cuisine is popular both at home and abroad, not only because of its versatility — as the old saying goes, "one dish comes with one flavor, and one hundred dishes come with a hundred flavors" — but also due to its openness and inclusiveness, the same characteristics of Sichuan people. 川菜名扬海内外，不仅在于其味道的多变，正所谓“一菜一格，百菜百味”，而且也在于其兼容并蓄，与四川人民的性格一脉相承。 Sichuan chefs, be they veteran or novice, are adhering to its traditional cooking methods and authentic flavors and, at the same time, are innovative in developing new combinations of ingredients and fusing the recipes with other domestic and overseas cuisines. 无论是老手还是新手，川菜厨师们都秉承传统烹调手法，呈现原汁原味，与此同时，他们也创新食材的新搭配，将川菜菜谱与其他海内外菜系相融合。 Local flavor, global appeal 四川味道，全球同爱 Lan was named as one of the 10 inheritors of the national intangible cultural heritage "Sichuan cuisine cooking skills" in November last year, together with his mentor Zhang Zhongyou. 去年11月，兰桂均与师父张中尤一同被列入中国非物质文化遗产“川菜传统烹饪技艺”的10位传承人之中。 He says that he would like to inherit all the traditional cooking skills, as the only thing that changes is their tools. Speaking of innovation, Lan adds that, if a new dish resonates and becomes top local choice, then it's a successful creation. 兰桂军表示愿意传承所有的传统烹饪技艺，因为只有烹调工具在发生改变。提到创新，兰桂军表示如果一道新菜式引起大家共鸣，成为当地首选，那么它就是成功的创造。 Lan says that modern Sichuan cuisine was influenced to some degree by Cantonese cuisine, when it was the most popular food in China in the 1990s. He went to Guangzhou to study Cantonese cuisine for two years at that time and, in 1998, he created a new dish, chicken feet with pickled pepper, which is now a common and popular Sichuan snack nationwide. 兰桂军表示当粤菜在中国90年代最受欢迎的时候，现代川菜在一定程度上受到了它的影响。他曾经去广州学习了两年粤菜，在1998年创造了新菜式“泡椒凤爪”，现在成为了广受全国欢迎的四川名吃。 At his new restaurant Yong, in Guangzhou, he takes Sichuan cuisine at its core while embracing local terroir and the rich culinary culture of Guangdong. 在广州的新餐厅兰亭永，他将川菜作为核心，同时吸纳当地风味和广东丰富的烹调文化。 "Gastronomy is connected worldwide, like music," Lan says. "In European cuisine, the dishes are about the combination of ingredients, while in Chinese cuisine, our dishes are about presenting a different side of the food." “就像音乐，烹饪学在全世界是共通的，”兰桂军表示。“在欧洲菜是各种食材的组合，然而在中国菜是展现食物的不同面向。”

Brands, consumers, sales ride livestreaming wave 直播助力双十一：品牌、消费者和销售的狂欢 Competition in China's booming livestreamed e-commerce intensified during this year's Singles Day shopping carnival as an increasing number of brands flocked to the segment, which operates mainly via livestreams on short-video platforms such as Douyin and Kuaishou as well as regular online marketplaces such as Taobao, Tmall, Pinduoduo and JD. 今年的双十一购物狂欢节见证了愈演愈烈的直播电商中的竞争，更多品牌涌入直播领域，主要通过抖音、快手等短视频平台以及淘宝、天猫拼多多和京东等常规网络购物平台进行销售。 I logged in to the livestreamed sales show of Li Jiaqi, a top livestreaming host known as "lipstick king" on Taobao Live, Alibaba's livestreaming platform, at around 9 pm on Oct 24. 10月24日大约晚上九点钟，我进入了顶级直播主“口红一哥”李佳琦在淘宝直播上的直播间。 In my role as a consumer, I was rational this time and thought twice before placing orders for modern essentials like skincare and cosmetics products. 作为消费者，这次我理性消费，在下单购买一些护肤和美妆等现代人必需品时，选择三思而后行。 On the first day of the presales, Li generated 460 million views in his nearly 10-hour livestreaming marathon. However, Li didn't disclose the sales revenue from the session. 在预售第一天，李佳琦长达10小时的直播中获得了4.6亿观看量，尽管他并没有透露这场直播的销售收入。 According to Alibaba, consumers increasingly prefer snatching up bargains on livestreams, with the number of viewers on Taobao Live up 600 percent year-on-year in the first hour of the Double Eleven promotion, which kicked off at 8 pm on Oct 31. 根据阿里巴巴的数据，消费者愈加喜欢在直播中抢获福利，在10月31日下午八点开始的双十一促销中，首小时淘宝直播观看量较去年同比增长600%。 Livestreamed e-commerce remains attractive to most Chinese consumers, with one-third of viewers expecting over 25 percent of their Double Eleven spending to occur through livestreaming, according to a pre-gala report from global consulting firm AlixPartners. 直播电商对大部分中国消费者仍然具有吸引力，有三分之一的观众预计在其双十一消费中，直播消费占超过25%，根据全球咨询公司艾睿铂的节前报告。 While Taobao remains the leading livestreaming platform, with 73 percent of livestreaming watchers saying they will go to Taobao for livestreams, TikTok is catching up aggressively. Some 58 percent of respondents who planned to participate in livestreaming said before the festival that they will use the short-video platform, up from 38 percent last year, the report said. 尽管淘宝仍然是领先的直播平台（有73%的直播观众表示在淘宝收看直播），抖音正迎头赶上。根据报告内容，有大约58%的打算参与直播购物的受访者在双十一购物节之前表示将使用短视频平台购物，比去年增长20%。 This 11-11, Taobao stepped up efforts to look for online celebrities to promote sales and entice a more diversified customer base via livestreaming. 在今年的双十一中，淘宝加大力度，通过网红促销，并通过直播吸引更多样的顾客群体。 Chinese entrepreneur Luo Yonghao, also an online key opinion leader on short-video platform Douyin, China's version of TikTok, started a livestreaming session on Taobao Live at 6 pm on Oct 24. 中国企业家、抖音短视频平台意见领袖罗永浩，在10月24日下午6点在淘宝直播上开始了一场直播。 Luo peddled a variety of products like household appliances, mobile phones, computers, foods and beverages, wine and healthcare products, attracting 5.5 million viewers in just an hour, a figure that surpassed 10 million by 8 pm. 罗永浩带货品类涉及到家用电器、手机、电脑、饮食、酒和保健产品，短短一小时内吸引550万观看，下午八点超过1000万。 In the run-up to the festival, Mo Daiqing, a senior analyst at the Internet Economy Institute (IEI), said online retailers should make strategic adjustments to reduce their over-dependence on top livestreaming anchors and support new anchors. More established brands are aggressively moving toward starting their own livestreaming activities, he said. 在购物节到来之际，网经社电子商务研究中心高级分析师莫岱青表示线上零售商应进行战略调整，减少对大热直播主的过度依赖，并支持新的主播。一些更为成熟的品牌正大力开展自己的直播活动，他表示。 Livestreaming with virtual influencers has also emerged as a trend. Global consultancy Forrester said more business-to-consumer or B2C brands are leveraging virtual influencers to attract digital-savvy and novelty-seeking young consumers, as they cost much less than human talent while also reducing exposure to risks like celebrity scandals. 虚拟网红直播也正成为潮流，全球咨询公司佛瑞斯特表示更多的商家对客户品牌正利用虚拟网红主播来吸引技术宅和标新立异的年轻消费者，因为他们比人类主播成本低，同时也降低了明星塌房的风险。

"Rulers of the Central China Plains built the Great Wall along the Yanshan and Yinshan mountains. The latter lies in the central part of Inner Mongolia (connecting the Greater Hinggan Mountains on the east and the Helan Mountains on the west), forming a natural boundary between agrarian and nomadic civilizations in ancient times," he adds. “中国中原的统治者沿着燕山和阴山修建了长城，阴山位于内蒙古中部，连接东部大兴安岭和西部贺兰山，在古代形成了农耕文明和游牧文明之间的天然分界线，”他补充说。 The Great Wall helped rulers of the Central China Plains secure a relatively peaceful environment for development of an agricultural civilization. 长城帮助中原统治者为农业文明的发展营造了相对和平的环境。 "During some historical periods, when nomadic powers broke the defense of the Great Wall and dominated the Central China Plains, the nomadic people became a part of the more influential agricultural civilization. Thus, the Great Wall played a key role in the progress of Chinese history," Zhang says. “在一些历史时期，当游牧势力突破长城防御，统治了中原地区，游牧民族也成为了更有影响力的农业文明的一部分。因此长城在中国历史的进程中也起到了关键作用，”张文平表示。 Building the extensive bulwark — sometimes on dangerous cliffs — and dispatching garrisons cost too much money and labor. Bricks, stones and lime were carried along the mountain ridges on shoulders or by using handcarts and rolling logs. Sometimes, donkeys and goats were used to ferry raw materials. 建立这样一个宏大的防御工事（有时在悬崖峭壁上）并派遣士兵戍守，耗费了大量的财力和人力。当时需要用肩扛、手推车或者滚木沿着山脊运载砖材、石材和石灰，有时候也会用到驴子和山羊来运载建材。 Some dynasties employed other strategies. Tang (618-907) rulers, for example, built three cities in the Hetao Plain and stationed troops there as defense against the comparatively weaker nomadic powers. Qing (1644-1911) rulers including Emperor Kangxi managed the Mongolian powers with a banner system instead of building a wall extension. 除了长城之外，一些朝代也采用了其它战略。比如唐代统治者就在河套平原建立三座城池，并驻扎军队以抵御实力相对较弱的游牧势力，包括康熙帝在内的清代统治者并未扩修长城，而是通过盟旗制度管理蒙古势力。 As both troops and commoners ventured into uncharted territory for security and farming purposes, people of different ethnicities exchanged goods and traditions. "In other words, areas along the Great Wall became a melting pot of cultures and civilizations," Zhang says. 随着军民出于安全和畜牧的需要进入到新的领地，不同民族的人民互相交换货品、交流文化。“也就是说，长城沿线地区成为了文化和文明的熔炉，”张文平表示。 However strong it is, the Great Wall, made of stones, lime, bricks, wood or rose willow, still faced wind erosion and people's influence over centuries so that in many sections, only obscure ruins remain. "This is why we need to capture images for posterity," says 72-year-old Hohhot photographer Lei Qinghui. 无论有多么坚固，由石头、石灰、砖块、木头或柳木建成的长城几百年来仍然饱受风雨侵蚀和人类活动影响，目前许多段落的长城仅存断壁残垣。“所以，我们需要为子孙后代留下长城的影像”，72岁来自呼和浩特的摄影师雷庆辉表示。 Since he retired 10 years ago, Lei has visited 95 percent of the 924-km-long Ming Great Wall in Inner Mongolia and snapped 80,000 pictures. 自从十年前退休以来，雷庆辉走访了内蒙古自治区内长达924千米的长城的95%的部分，拍下了八万张照片。 What fascinates Lei the most are the beacon towers, some of which are 22 meters tall, a feature "rarely seen" elsewhere. 让雷庆辉最着迷的是烽火台，有些高达22米，这在其他长城段落十分“罕见”。 The Ming Great Wall is in relatively better shape than the sections built by other dynasties. Some portions are still magnificent, like the Badaling section in Beijing, which has hosted many world dignitaries, including former US president Richard Nixon and the late Queen Elizabeth II. 明长城相较其他朝代长城保存完好，一些部分仍然很壮观，比如北京八达岭长城，世界名人曾造访过，比如美国前总统理查德·尼克松和已逝的伊丽莎白女王二世。 "Apart from some beacon towers, some sections of the Great Wall, despite the vicissitudes, still appear tough and glorious after so many years, which is really touching to see," he says. “除了烽火台外，长城的一些段落在历经多年风霜后仍然雄伟坚毅，的确令人动容。”他说。