For as long as there have been people, there have been comparisons drawn between them. No matter where on Earth, people have thrived off stereotypes, been shocked and amused by them in equal measure.

只要有人，他们之间就会有比较。 无论在地球上的什么地方，人们都从陈规定型观念中茁壮成长，同样被它们所震惊和逗樂。

Today’s politically correct new world order may have had some impact, but it remains that our non-British readers really do not want to know what the English used to say about people from Liverpool.

当今政治正确的新世界秩序可能产生了一些影响，但我们的非英国读者真的不想知道英国人曾经对来自利物浦的人说什么。

It was, and to a certain extent still is, no different in China.

在中国，情况并不不同，在某种程度上，现在仍然不同。

Indeed, the term “Yangzhou Mei Nv“ (扬州美女; Beautiful Yangzhou Girl) is likely the most hackneyed, stereotypical expression in China. Granted we may hear it more than most on account of Nanjing’s proximity to Yangzhou, but nevertheless, the term hints at the depths of stereotyping in the Middle Kingdom.

事实上，“扬州美女”（扬州美女；美丽的扬州女孩）一词可能是中国最老板、最刻板的表达方式。 诚然，由于南京靠近扬州，我们可能比大多数人听到的更多，但尽管如此，这个词暗示了中王国的刻板印象。

Recent history has an interesting story to tell. China is a very large country full of extreme geographical and climatic variety. There are the hundreds, if not thousands, of local dialects spoken everywhere (Mandarin? What’s that?), while cuisines cooked up across the land, together with the clothes worn by those who consume them, could not be more different.

近期历史有一个有趣的故事要讲。 中国是一个非常大的国家，地理和气候变化非常丰富。 各地都有数百种，甚至数千种当地方言（普通话？ 那是什麼？），而各地烹製的美食，以及食用它們的人所穿的衣服，再不同不過了。

Most significantly of all, though, is the fact that there was so little in the way of transportation infrastructure until comparatively recently. Few would stray far from their home towns. Those who did perhaps faced an arduous week-long journey.

然而，最重要的是，直到最近，交通基础设施都很少。 很少有人会远离家乡。 那些这样做的人可能面临着长达一周的艰苦旅程。

And when they came back, they brought with them eye-popping tales of the other beings they had encountered.

当他们回来时，他们带来了他们遇到的其他生物的引人注目的故事。

It was under this backdrop that people thus identified themselves with their particular locality rather than thinking of themselves as Chinese. And so they also drew comparisons based upon the personality traits and attributes broadly assigned to others.

正是在这种背景下，人们才认同自己的特定地区，而不是认为自己是中国人。 因此，他们还根据广泛分配给他人的个性特征和属性进行了比较。

Much like a game of Chinese whispers, these assigned attributes then morphed over the years and became more extreme in nature.

就像中国窃窃私语的游戏一样，这些分配的属性随着岁月的而转变，在本质上变得更加极端。

Some of the more negative stereotypes that have developed in China as a result would make even a Liverpudlian’s hair stand on end.

因此，在中国发展起来的一些更负面的刻板印象甚至会让Liverpudlian的头发都立不前。

While the good people of Yangzhou have got off lucky by being stereotyped in a largely complimentary fashion, the same cannot be said for those from Henan Province.

虽然扬州的好人幸运地被定型为一种主要互补的方式，但那些来自河南省的人不能这么说。

Negative stereotyping about the people of the central-southern province reached an all time high in the first decade of this century. It was no coincidence that this time also saw rural-urban migration go through the roof.

在本世纪的前十年，对中南部省份人民的负面陈规定型观念达到了历史最高。 这并不是巧合，这次农村-城市移民也达到了顶峰。

The issue is discussed at length by Margaret Maurer-Fazio, Rachel Connelly and Ngoc-Han Thi Tran in their paper, “Do Negative Native-Place Stereotypes Lead to Discriminatory Wage Penalties in China’s Migrant Labor Markets?”. Therein, The China Law and Governance Review 2006 stated at the time that Henan people were particularly singled out as possessing a host of negative traits.

Margaret Maurer-Fazio、Rachel Connelly和Ngoc-Han Thi Tran在他们的论文《中国移民劳动力市场的负面刻板印象会导致歧视性工资处罚吗？》中详细讨论了这个问题。 其中，2006年《中国法律与治理评论》当时指出，河南人特别被挑出来，因为具有许多负面特征。

As such, they experienced prejudice on almost a daily basis. Often branded common thieves (the general perception is that they like to steal manhole covers), the Henanese found themselves discriminated against in the job market. “Henan people need not apply” was reported by the Nanhu Evening News as having  been seen on job postings in 2006.

因此，他们几乎每天都有偏见。 河南人经常被打上普通小偷的烙印（普遍的看法是，他们喜欢偷沙井盖），发现自己在就业市场上受到歧视。 据《南湖晚报》报道，“河南人不需要申请”在2006年的招聘广告中出现过。

Apart from the prejudice faced by the Henanese themselves, their reputation was also being hammered home into the minds of children elsewhere. The Shanghai Star newspaper in 2005 reported that it became popular for parents in Sichuan Province to berate their children with the expression, “Behave yourself, or we’ll send you to Henan”.

除了河南人自己面临的偏见外，他们的声誉也被其他地方的孩子们所深入。 《上海星报》在2005年报道，四川省的家长用“好好表现自己，否则我们会把你送到河南”来打孩子，这变得流行起来。

These extreme times also called for extreme measures. In perhaps the saddest example, students from Henan going to university in cities elsewhere would often seek out ways to change the birthplace on their ID card, as a way to escape the taunts and discrimination of their classmates.

这些极端时期也要求采取极端措施。 也许最可悲的例子是，来自河南的学生在其他地方的城市上大学，经常会想办法改变身份证上的出生地，以此来逃避同学的嘲弄和歧视。

So that’s Henan out of the way. Good riddance. But of course, the Henanese are not alone in being the target of negative Chinese stereotyping.

所以河南不在路。 很好的摆脱。 但当然，河南人并不是唯一成为中国负面刻板印象的目标。

Northerners also bear quite a brunt, as they do almost everywhere.

北方人也首当其冲，就像他们几乎无处不在一样。

Up north, it is of course cold. The provinces of  Heilongjiang, Jilin and Liaoning may have Siberian winters, but they are rewarded with their beautiful long-legged women. Only problem is the rest of China also know them for being hard drinkers keen to start a fight over any minor fracas.

在北方，当然很冷。 黑龙江、吉林和辽宁等省份可能有西伯利亚的冬天，但他们得到了美丽的长腿女人的回报。 唯一的问题是，中国其他地区也知道他们是酗酒者，热衷于为任何轻微的争吵而打架。

Back over in the west in Sichuan, the province is blessed with a mild climate, plenty rainfall and fertile soil. That  great biodiversity, set off against beautiful landscapes, has earned it the nickname of “land of abundance”. Hence the stereotype that Sichuan people, the women in particular, have good skin. Well, that is when they are not setting it ablaze with their spicy food.

四川省西部的四川，氣候溫和，降雨量大，土壤肥沃。 巨大的生物多样性，在美丽的风景中出发，为它赢得了“富饶之地”的绰号。 因此，人们刻板印象认为四川人，尤其是女性，拥有良好的皮肤。 嗯，那是他们不用辛辣食物放火的时候。

Next up on our stereotype tour of China, the provinces of Jiangxi and Hubei. The expression, “天上九头鸟，地上湖北佬” (Nine birds in the sky; Hubei people on the ground), which means that Hubei people may generally be canny, in a subtly negative sense, has its origins in neighbouring Jiangxi. 

接下来是我们对中国、江西和湖北的刻板印象之旅。 “天上九头鸟，地上湖北佬”（天上的九只鸟；地上的湖北人）这个说法，意思是湖北人一般都很聪明，从微妙的消极意义上说，起源于邻近的江西。

For there it is said, “九个湖北佬，不如一个江西老表”; Nine Hubei men are not as good as an old Jiangxi watch. With the province’s pleasant climate, rich produce and self-sufficiency in food, the people of Jiangxi people are therefore gentle, present little difficulty and shy away from empty talk.

因为那里有人说，“九个湖北佬，不如一个江西老表”；九个湖北男人不如老江西手表好。 由于全省气候宜人，农产品丰富，食物自给自足，因此江西人人温和，没有什么困难，不敢空话。

Just as an old watch, they are simple, honest, realistic and hard-working. But perhaps also a little, well, behind the times, so to speak.

就像一块旧手表一样，它们简单、诚实、逼真且勤奋。 但也许也有点，嗯，可以说，落后于时代。

The folks north of our own Jiangsu also get off lightly in the Chinese stereotyping department. While they too are known for enjoying a drink or five, the down-to-earth folks of Shandong Province are thought of as trustworthy and loyal. But not too lightly. Shandong people are also regarded as being a bit, well, slow to pick up on things. And the men are just plain lazy.

我们自己江苏以北的人们在中国陈规定型观念部门也轻描淡写。 虽然他们也以喝一五杯酒而闻名，但山东省脚踏实地的人被认为是值得信赖和忠诚的。 但不要太轻。 山东人也被认为是有点，嗯，做事迟钝。 而男人們只是單純的懶惰。

Finally, where would we be without mention good old Shanghai? Excellent businessmen, it is well known. But the ladies? Infamous they are, but we are way too afraid to report further.

最后，如果不提及美好的旧上海，我们会在哪里？ 优秀的商人，众所周知。 但是女士们呢？ 他们很臭名昭著，但我们太害怕了，不敢进一步报道。

It’s a sure thing; the Chinese can have a sharp tongue with the stereotypes of their own people. And so when we as foreigners are branded as all being the same, however frustrating it may be, perhaps we should cut them a little slack.

这是肯定的；中国人可以对本国人民的刻板印象有敏锐的舌头。 因此，当我们作为外国人被贴上相同的标签时，无论多么令人沮丧，也许我们应该给他们一点松懈。

As for us Nanjingers; well, we’re the best, of course. And if you believe that…

至于我们南京人；好吧，我们当然是最好的。 如果你相信……