**In the name of GDP **
以GDP之名

In China, a TV soap on corruption attracts a mass following

在中国，一部反腐电视剧吸引了大批追随者

据说某整形医院已经推出了达康书记双眼皮同款哦！

And one character—an official obsessed with GDP growth—becomes a cult hero

cult film/band/figure etc: a film, music group etc that has become very popular but only among a particular group of people

（其中的）一个角色——一位痴迷于GDP增长的官员——成了一个流行的偶像

1）RARELY has a Chinese city boss had more fans than Li Dakang, the earnest, driven Communist Party chief of Jingzhou. “I want development, I want speed and I want GDP,” he recently intoned. “But I want it to be modern GDP, GDP that comes without pollution.” Over the past month tens of millions have tuned in to watch him strive to fulfil these promises. On their smartphones, they share images of the heavy-eyed man with an easy smile, quoting his words and cheering him on. His policies have even been immortalised in a musical tribute, “The GDP Song”.

driven: trying extremely hard to achieve what you want
tuned in: to watch or listen to a broadcast on radio or television

1）几乎没有一位中国的城市领导人比李达康的粉丝更多，他是认真的、有内驱力的京州共产党领导。 “我想要发展，我想要速度，我想要GDP”，他最近吟诵道。 “但我希望它是现代化的GDP，没有污染的GDP。”过去几个月，数千万人打开电视来观看他努力实现这些承诺。在他们的智能手机上，他们分享这位有着轻松笑容、沉重眼皮的男人的照片，引用他的话语并为他加油。他的政策甚至在音乐颂歌——“GDP之歌”中永生不息。

2）Li Dakang is not real, nor is Jingzhou. They exist only on “In the Name of the People”, a wildly popular 55-part television series about China’s battle against graft. Since its first broadcast in March, the show has attracted attention for its depiction of official corruption, unusual in the context of Chinese censorship. Less noted is the insight it has offered into a range of China’s economic problems—not just in its storyline but in the viewing public’s reaction.

graft: especially AmE the practice of obtaining money or advantage by the dishonest use of influence or power

2）李达康不是真的，京州也不是。他们只存在于《人民的名义》中，这是一部非常流行的55集电视连续剧，涉及中国的反腐斗争。自3月份首次播出以来，这一节目因为描绘了官方的腐败现象而引起了人们的关注，这在中国的审查制度下是不寻常的。被较少注意到的是它对中国一系列经济问题提供的洞见——不仅仅是在其故事情节中，而且在观众的反应中。

3）The show touches on economic topics often too hot for the Chinese media to handle. Factory workers clash with police after a bankruptcy wipes out their company shares. A senior leader’s child amasses big stakes in local firms for his family. A small-business owner ends up in hock to loan sharks. Local bankers demand “consulting fees” when extending loans, pocketing the cash. (So realistic is this portrayal that the Chinese press reports that Guo Shuqing, the country’s most senior banking regulator, pointed to the show in a warning to banks at a recent meeting.)

in hock: in debt
e.g. The fashion chain is still in hock to the banks.
pocket: to steal money, especially money that you are responsible for
point to: to suggest that something is true

3）这个节目涉及的经济话题往往太热以至于中国媒体不敢碰。工厂工人与警方冲突，在破产使他们的公司股份流失后。一位资深领导的孩子为家人积累了当地公司的大笔股份。一个小公司的业主以欠高利贷而告终。本地银行家在提供贷款时要求“咨询费”，把钱放进自己腰包。 （这一描写如此真实以至于中国媒体报道，国家最高级别的银行业监管者郭树清在最近的一次会议上向银行发出警告，指出这一幕很现实。

4）The most consistent economic storyline is Li’s relentless pursuit of growth and the problems this narrow focus brings. He himself seems clean, but turns a blind eye to corruption around him. His insistence on moving quickly causes real harm. As a young official, a frenzied drive to build a country road leads to a village chief’s death. Later in his career, his hasty decision to bulldoze a factory sparks a protest in which more than 30 people are injured.

4）最一致的经济剧情是李先生对增长的不断追求和这种狭隘的关注带来的问题。他自己看起来很干净，但对他周围的腐败视而不见。他对于快速行动的坚持造成了真正的伤害。作为一个年轻的官员，建设一条乡村道路的狂热冲动导致村长死亡。在他职业生涯的后期，他仓促决定用推土机拆掉一家工厂，引发了一场30多人受伤的抗议活动。

5）This sorry record seems grounds to object to Li. Instead, this flawed figure is by far the show’s most beloved, more so than the dedicated, upright officials who lead the party’s anti-graft battle. Online merchants, a good bellwether of trends, have started selling versions of the sleeveless jumper and tea Thermos that he favours. The internet memes doing the rounds —for instance, a pledge to “defend GDP” for Li’s sake—are partly in jest but do reveal support for public servants in his mould.

grounds: a good reason for doing, believing, or saying something
bellwether: If you describe something as a bellwether, you mean that it is an indication of the way a situation is changing.
meme: an idea, behavior, style, or usage that spreads from person to person within a culture
do the rounds：if a story, idea, or illness does the rounds, it is passed on from one person to another
e.g. a joke doing the rounds
jest：something you say that is intended to be funny, not serious
in one's mould: if someone is in a particular mould, or fits into a particular mould, they have all the attitudes and qualities typical of a type of person

5）这个抱歉的记录似乎是反对李的理由。但相反，这个有缺陷的人物是迄今为止最受欢迎的人物，而不是领导党的反腐斗争的忠实、正直的官员。在线商家（他们往往是很好的潮流风向标）已经开始销售他喜欢的无袖夹克和热水茶壶的同款。互联网上流传的段子（比如说为了挺李而宣誓“保卫GDP”）部分是玩笑，但却揭露出（民众）对像他这类公职人员的支持。

6）Why is Li Dakang so liked? In part because, warts and all, he is more believable than the saintly officials seeking to snuff out corruption. But there is more to it. Even when Li makes mistakes, his obsession with growth is very well received. Cautious, clean officials who err on the side of inaction are seen in a much less flattering light. In recent years China has started to emphasise policy goals other than GDP, from promoting culture to protecting the environment. Li Dakang-mania shows there are limits to this shift, and not just because of the government. Fast growth is still immensely popular.

warts and all: All defects and imperfections notwithstanding 尽管有各种缺点与瑕疵
err on the side of sth: display more rather than less of (a specified quality) in one's actions.
** in a good, bad, favourable, etc. light**: if you see sth or put sth in a good, bad, etc. light, it seems good, bad, etc
flattering: If something is flattering, it makes you appear more attractive.

6）为什么李达康如此受喜爱？部分原因是，尽管有各种缺点与瑕疵，他比那些想要扼杀腐败的圣徒官员更可信。但还有更多的理由。即使当李某犯错，他对增长的痴迷也非常受欢迎。那些谨慎清廉、过于懒政而不愿犯错的官员看起来似乎就不那么有吸引力。近年来，中国开始强调除GDP以外的政策目标，从促进文化到保护环境。李达康狂热表明，这种转变有局限性，而且不仅仅是因为政府。快速增长仍然非常受（民众）欢迎。

---

原文出处：经济学人

翻译：七呵夫

本译文仅供个人研习、欣赏语言之用，谢绝任何转载及用于任何商业用途。本译文所涉法律后果均由本人承担。本人同意简书平台在接获有关著作权人的通知后，删除文章。