Today, China is flourishing with an evolving education which propels the quality of the population and in turn, promotes social solidarity. Since arriving in Nanjing at the age of 2, I have personally felt the leaping social progress of the last 13 years.
今天，中国正在蓬勃发展，教育不断发展，这推动了人口素质，进而促进了社会团结。 自从2岁来到南京以来，我亲身感受到了过去13年社会进步的飞跃。
Gone are the days of mass spitting or littering. I also notice that more people are now choosing to use Nanjing’s convenient public transportation system instead of traveling in their private cars, helping to make the city more environmentally friendly than ever. Most importantly, the combination of remindful, inspirational advertisements, plus educational PSAs in Chinese have greatly contributed to the population’s awareness as to the importance of making civic decisions.
大规模吐痰或乱扔垃圾的日子已经一去不复返了。 我还注意到，现在越来越多的人选择使用南京便捷的公共交通系统，而不是乘坐私家车出行，这有助于使这座城市比以往任何时候都更加环保。 最重要的是，提醒、鼓舞人心的广告加上中文教育性公共服务广告的结合，极大地提高了民众对公民决策的重要性的认识。
Before China’s opening up and reform, the chances of any ordinary person seeing a foreigner were slim to none; now they are ten a penny. However, colossal change in society over the last 40 years aside, many Chinese people, especially the middle to older generations, still feel a certain fascination when encountering foreigners.
在中国改革开放之前，任何普通人见到外国人的机会都很渺茫；现在他们只有十便士。 然而，抛开过去40年社会的巨大变化，许多中国人，尤其是中老一辈，在遇到外国人时仍然感到某种魅力。
Some weeks ago, as part of a group of international school students, I went on a sports trip from Nanjing to Suzhou. Waiting outside the bus at the service area on the highway, a group of Chinese people from the bus beside ours started taking photos of the foreign students, examining their faces from a distance, enjoying the view of the “Lao Wai”. One man even shoved a professional camera in front of my friend’s face, while another person tried to take a photo with a foreign teacher. He was too shy to ask, so his friend tried to help him ask, saying in Chinese, “My friend, my friend”, showing their interest and “friendliness”, while the teacher was waving no, a simple and common move in western culture that might not look friendly to the Chinese people in this case. This is a pretty typical recount of all of my school trips since 2012, where some Chinese amateur photographers play paparazzi and make us all feel famous for a day.
几周前，作为一群国际学校学生的一员，我从南京到苏州进行了一次体育旅行。 在高速公路服务区的公交车外等待，我们旁边的公交车上的一群中国人开始为外国学生拍照，从远处检查他们的脸，欣赏“老围”的景色。 一个人甚至把一台专业相机推到我朋友面前，而另一个人试图和一位外国老师合影。 他太害羞了，不敢问，所以他的朋友试图帮他问，用中文说“我的朋友，我的朋友”，表现出他们的兴趣和“友好”，而老师则挥手说不，这是西方文化中简单而常见的举动，在这种情况下，对中国人来说可能看起来并不友好。 这是我自2012年以来所有学校旅行的典型复述，一些中国业余摄影师扮演狗仔队，让我们都感到出名了一天。
Yet, taking such photos of strangers in public can sometimes cause feelings of confusion and hurt, making foreigners feel alienated and uncomfortable. Drifting back in time, as far back as fourth grade, our class went to a museum in Nanjing. After visiting all the exhibition areas, we went to the souvenir shop. We stepped inside and shortly after, an older lady asked her granddaughter, “Can you stand beside this young foreigner?”. Nodding her head, she walked and stood beside my friend, who was baffled about what they were about to do.
然而，在公共场合给陌生人拍这样的照片有时会造成困惑和伤害，让外国人感到疏远和不舒服。 时光倒流，回到四年级，我们班去了南京的一个博物馆。 参观完所有展览区后，我们去了纪念品商店。 我们走进去，不久之后，一位年长的女士问她的孙女：“你能站在这个年轻的外国人旁边吗？” 她点了点头，走着站在我的朋友旁边，他对他们即将做什么感到困惑。
“Please move away”, the grandma politely asked me, waving her hand. Predictably, she took out her phone and snapped a photo of them.
“请走开，”奶奶礼貌地问我，挥了挥手。 可以预见的是，她拿出手机给他们拍了一张照片。
At that time, I felt mind blown, and a little infuriated. I thought, “Why not me? I am his friend”. As a non-foreigner, she did not want me in her souvenir picture.
Yes, the taking photos of people without permission involves the right of portrait, and the difference between Chinese and Western property rights is an area ripe with misunderstanding, although again, China has made significant progress recently as to issues surrounding “banqian” (版权); copyright.
那时，我感到心惊，有点愤怒。 我想，“为什么不是我？ 我是他的朋友。” 作为一个非外国人，她不想让我出入她的纪念品照片。 是的，未经许可拍照涉及肖像權，中西方产权的差异是一个誤解的领域，尽管中国最近在圍繞「版權」方面取得了重大進展；版權。
The social phenomenon, on the other hand, is actually very understandable. After years of insight, I’ve learned that such is the result of transitioning from a closed society to an open society (after the economic reform). Chinese adults wanting to take photos of foreign people reflect the tendencies that many Chinese still exhibit today; the worship of all-things foreign and a binging on foreign commodities. Over time, however, the Chinese population will soon start treating foreigners in China as common visitors and foreign residents, leading to the Chinese displaying a new attitude and world view, through education. Not only powerful in developing knowledge, education also shapes people’s character through the learning experience.
另一方面，社会现象实际上是可以理解的。 经过多年的洞察力，我了解到这是从封闭社会向开放社会（经济改革后）过渡的结果。 想要给外国人拍照的中国成年人反映了许多中国人今天仍然表现出的倾向；崇拜所有外国事物和对外国商品的狂欢。 然而，随着时间的推移，中国人口很快就会开始将外国人视为在中国的普通游客和外国居民，导致中国人通过教育表现出新的态度和世界观。 教育不仅在发展知识方面很强大，还通过学习经验塑造人们的性格。
Becoming a mandatory part of the national curriculum in recent years are historical-text studies where students learn about Chinese morality and ethics, greatly benefitting students on character, one of the main elements that determine a person’s success.
近年来，历史文本研究成为国家课程的必修部分，学生在其中学习中国的道德和伦理，这对学生的性格有很大好处，这是决定一个人成功的主要因素之一。
Likewise, there has also been the introduction of liberal-arts elements into education, resulting in a wide range of subject choices, such as the arts and physical education that improve people’s mental and physical health. In addition, cultural and foreign languages, plus history, social and political science, will all help students to acknowledge that globalisation is a trend that also expands the students world view in general.
同样，在教育中也引入了文科元素，产生了广泛的科目选择，如改善人们身心健康的艺术和体育。 此外，文化和外语，加上历史、社会和政治科学，都将帮助学生认识到全球化是一种趋势，也拓宽了学生的总体世界观。
Even though morality and ethics are taught in schools, there are always some events in life that are not taught by schoolteachers or parents, which leaves the question, how much do we know about right and wrong? I once witnessed a street fight between two men, in front of a restaurant. Frenzied and out of control, I was appalled to see the immense amount of blood all over the ground at the scene. Fresh red. Yet, more shockingly was the crowd of bystanders who did not mind the bloodiness. Some were using their phones, not to notify the hospital and the police, but to take videos of the fight as a rare and memorable experience. It was as if someone was performing martial arts. Even grandparents took toddlers with them to ogle the fight scene.
尽管学校教授道德和伦理，但生活中总有一些事件不是由学校老师或家长教授的，这留下了一个问题，我们对对与错了解多少？ 我曾经目睹过两个男人在一家餐厅前街头打架。 疯狂和失控，看到现场满地都是大量的血迹，我感到震惊。 新鲜的红色。 然而，更令人震驚的是旁觀者，他們並不介意血腥。 有些人使用手机，不是通知医院和警察，而是拍摄战斗视频，作为难得的难忘经历。 就好像有人在表演武术一样。 甚至祖父母也带着蹒跚学步的孩子去打斗现场。
It was a far cry from the traditional Chinese point of view; “When you see violence, retreat as soon and as far as possible. Leave well alone; most of the time, it is better to be respectful by staying quiet”.
这与中国传统的观点相去甚远；“当你看到暴力时，尽快尽可能远地撤退。 别管它；大多数时候，最好保持沉默来尊重他人。”
In many countries, citizens are expected to report crimes when witnessed. So too in China, as more people become educated at a global level, their character will change as their world view expands.
在许多国家，公民在目击时需要报告犯罪。 在中国也是如此，随着越来越多的人在全球接受教育，他们的性格将随着世界观的扩大而改变。
Despite the cultural differences in China due to its historical background, ignited by the country’s rapidly advancing education, as the local population becomes more knowledgeable as to global trends, so too shall their characters develop to be a model for centuries to come. China’s advancing education system and a growing awareness amid the population, no matter differing social status, remind us everyone can eventually learn that as humans, we should contribute to society positively, through having a strong moral character.
尽管中国由于历史背景而存在文化差异，但随着当地居民对全球趋势的了解越来越多，他们的性格也将发展成为未来几个世纪的典范。 中国先进的教育体系和人口中日益增长的意识，无论社会地位如何，都提醒我们，作为人类，我们最终都应该通过拥有强烈的道德品格为社会做出积极贡献。
