The timing and purpose were perhaps not the most fortunate. Opened in time for the 2014 Youth Olympics, named the Nanjing Eye and hot on the heels of the London Eye opening for the 2012 Olympics, comparisons and criticisms were sure to be drawn.
时机和目的也许不是最幸运的。 及时为2014年青年奥运会开幕，命名为南京眼，紧随2012年奥运会伦敦眼开幕，肯定会引来比较和批评。
Why copy the name? In fact, it’s pure coincidence, but one that nevertheless conveniently capitalised on the fame of its UK-based, very distant cousin. The “Eye” of course refers to the cable-stayed bridge’s two supporting towers, they being oval and eye shaped.
为什么要复制名字？ 事实上，这纯粹是巧合，但尽管如此，它还是方便地利用了其英国非常遥远的表弟的名声。 “眼睛”当然是指斜拉桥的两座支撑塔，它们是椭圆形的，呈眼形。
As the first sightseeing pedestrian bridge on the Yangtze River, the Nanjing Eye links the Nanjing International Youth Culture Center (NIYCC) and Jiangxin Zhou Youth Olympic Forest Park.
作为长江上第一座观光人行桥，南京眼连接南京国际青年文化中心（NIYCC）和江州青年奥林匹克森林公园。
But the Nanjing icon was originally destined to be very different, very big in fact. The design is based on Zaha Hadid’s original proposal for the project (she was also responsible for the adjacent “spaceship”, otherwise known as NIYCC). Her single-arch design was to be 150 metres high and feature a three-story observation platform at its top.
但南京的图标原本注定要非常不同，事实上非常大。 该设计基于扎哈·哈迪德对该项目的原始提案（她还负责相邻的“宇宙飞船”，也称为NIYCC）。 她的单拱设计高150米，顶部有一个三层的观景台。
But frugality was a watchword for Nanjing’s Youth Olympic Games. Therefore, things got toned down and the bridge’s two eyes now instead rise vertically just 82.5 metres. And that observation platform? Cancelled.
但节俭是南京青年奥运会的口号。 因此，事情变得低调了，桥的两只眼睛现在垂直上升，只有82.5米。 那个观测平台呢？ 取消了。
From an architectural perspective, the Nanjing Eye takes its cue from the ancient stone-arch bridges typical of China’s Jiangnan area. From afar, the eyes appear as white-jade belts tied to the River, while the bridge’s steel cables seem to flutter upward, like the strings of a harp.
从建筑角度来看，南京眼以中国江南地区典型的古代石拱桥为线索。 从远处看，眼睛看起来像绑在河上的白玉带，而桥上的钢索似乎像竖琴弦一样向上飘动。
Special mention is also reserved for the bridge’s lighting system and guard rails.
还特别提到了桥梁的照明系统和护栏。
The Nanjing Eye has three different modes of lighting; weekday mode, holiday mode and special celebration mode. As for the guardrails, in the people-oriented, equal and fraternal spirit of the Youth Olympics, there is an upper guardrail, described as being for “ordinary adults”, and a lower guardrail, intended for use by children or those in wheelchairs.
南京眼有三种不同的照明模式：平日模式、假日模式和特别庆典模式。 至于护栏，本着青年奥运会以人为本、平等和博爱的精神，有一个上护栏，被描述为“普通成年人”，还有一个下护栏，供儿童或轮椅使用者使用。
Construction of the Nanjing Eye pedestrian bridge got underway on 15 January, 2013. With typical China efficiency in the large public works department, upon its completion, the 827-metre-long pedestrian bridge was put into use on 16 August, 2014, the very same day as the opening of the Youth Olympics.
南京眼人行天桥于2013年1月15日开始施工。 凭借中国大型公共工程部门的典型效率，这座827米长的人行桥竣工后于2014年8月16日投入使用，就在青年奥运会开幕的同一天。