In the past several days, I heard people talking about China.

我也跟朋友談論中國和中國的網路

And also, I talked to friends about China and Chinese Internet.

我發現有件事極具挑戰性

Something is very challenging to me.

我想讓我的朋友了解

I want to make my friends understand:

中國是複雜的

China is complicated.

所以在描述一件事情時，我總是會說

So I always want to tell the story, like,

從某方面來看是這樣，但從另一方面來看又是這樣

one hand it is that, the other hand is that.

你不能只看事情的一面

You can't just tell a one sided story.

比如说，中國是金磚四國（BRIC）之一

I'll give an example. China is a BRIC country.

金磚四國指的是巴西、俄羅斯、印度和中國

BRIC country means Brazil, Russia, India and China.

這些新興的經濟體大大提振了全球經濟

This emerging economy really is helping the revival of the world economy.

然而，從另一方面來看

But at the same time, on the other hand,

中國也是「有病四國」（SICK）之一

China is a SICK country,

這個詞在臉書的上市申請書中第一次出現

the terminology coined by Facebook IPO papers -- file.

有病四國指的是敘利亞、伊朗、中國和北朝鮮

He said the SICK country means Syria, Iran, China and North Korea.

這四個國家的民眾都不能上臉書網站

The four countries have no access to Facebook.

所以簡單來說，中國就是個有病的金磚之國

So basically, China is a SICK BRIC country.

（笑聲）

(Laughter)

中國建立了另一套機制

Another project was built up

來監視中國和中國的網路

to watch China and Chinese Internet.

今天，我想跟大家講講我個人

And now, today I want to tell you my personal

過去幾年對中國網路防火牆的一些觀察

observation in the past several years, from that wall.

如果你喜歡影集《冰與火之歌：權力遊戲》的話

So, if you are a fan of the Game of Thrones,

你一定知道一道堅固的城牆對一個古老的國家來說有多重要

you definitely know how important a big wall is for an old kingdom.

城牆能抵禦北方異族

It prevents weird things from the north.

中國也是如此

Same was true for China.

在北方，我們有座萬里長城

In the north, there was a great wall, Chang Cheng.

兩千年來守護中國不受侵擾

It protected China from invaders for 2,000 years.

但中國也有一座網路長城

But China also has a great firewall.

那就是全世界最大的數字國界

That's the biggest digital boundary in the whole world.

網路長城不只維護了中國的政權

It's not only to defend the Chinese regime from overseas,

使其不受全球價值觀的影響，但也防止

from the universal values, but also to prevent

中國人民接入全球自由網際網路

China's own citizens to access the global free Internet,

甚至將中國人民自己也區隔成一塊塊的，而非團結起來

and even separate themselves into blocks, not united.

所以，基本上“網際網路”有兩種

So, basically the "Internet" has two Internets.

一種是全球網際網路，另一種是中國網際網路

One is the Internet, the other is the Chinanet.

但如果你以為中國網際網路

But if you think the Chinanet is something

就像孤島或一灘死水一樣，我覺得你就錯了

like a deadland, wasteland, I think it's wrong.

我們會用一個非常簡單的譬喻，也就是貓捉老鼠的遊戲

But we also use a very simple metaphor, the cat and the mouse game,

來形容過去十五年的情況

to describe in the past 15 years

這是一場角力

the continuing fight between Chinese

一方是中國政府的審查制度，也就是那隻貓

censorship, government censorship, the cat,

另一方是中國的網路使用者，也就是我們這些老鼠

and the Chinese Internet users. That means us, the mouse.

但這樣的譬喻有時又太簡化了

But sometimes this kind of a metaphor is too simple.

所以今天我想把這升級成 2.0 的版本

So today I want to upgrade it to 2.0 version.

中國現在有五億網路使用者

In China, we have 500 million Internet users.

居全世界之最

That's the biggest population of Netizens, Internet users, in the whole world.

所以即便中國的網路受到全面審查

So even though China's is a totally censored Internet,

中國的網路世界依然蓬勃發展

but still, Chinese Internet society is really booming.

如何做到呢？其實很簡單

How to make it? It's simple.

你們有 Google，我們有百度

You have Google, we have Baidu.

你們有推特，我們有微博

You have Twitter, we have Weibo.

你們有臉書，我們有人人

You have Facebook, we have Renren.

你們有 YouTube，我們有優酷和土豆

You have YouTube, we have Youku and Tudou.

中國政府封鎖了

The Chinese government blocked every

所有網際網路 2.0 提供的服務

single international Web 2.0 service,

我們中國人就把每個都複製過來

and we Chinese copycat every one.

（笑聲）

(Laughter)

這就是我所謂的聰明的審查制度

So, that's the kind of the thing I call smart censorship.

這制度不單單是為了審查你

That's not only to censor you.

有時中國的網路政策非常簡單：

Sometimes this Chinese national Internet policy is very simple:

封鎖和複製

Block and clone.

一方面，政府要滿足人民對社交網站的需求

On the one hand, he wants to satisfy people's need of a social network,

這點很重要，因為大家真的很喜歡網路社交

which is very important; people really love social networking.

另一方面，政府又希望把伺服器留在北京

But on the other hand, they want to keep the server

這樣政府便能隨時取得他們需要的資訊

in Beijing so they can access the data any time they want.

這也是 Google 退出中國的原因

That's also the reason Google was pulled out from China,

因為 Google 不肯同意

because they can't accept the fact

讓中國政府把伺服器留在中國

that Chinese government wants to keep the server.

阿拉伯的專制統治者不了解這兩個面向

Sometimes the Arab dictators didn't understand these two hands.

比如說穆巴拉克封鎖了網路

For example, Mubarak, he shut down the Internet.

想要防止線上公民批評他

He wanted to prevent the Netizens [from criticizing] him.

但民眾一旦不能上網，就只能上街了

But once Netizens can't go online, they go in the street.

現在結果很清楚

And now the result is very simple.

我們都知道穆巴拉克跟死了沒什麼兩樣

We all know Mubarak is technically dead.

同樣地，突尼西亞總統班•阿里

But also, Ben Ali, Tunisian president,

也沒有遵守第二條規則

didn't follow the second rule.

就是把伺服器留在自己手中

That means keep the server in your hands.

他讓立基於美國的臉書網站

He allowed Facebook, a U.S.-based service,

繼續留在突尼西亞境內

to continue to stay on inside of Tunisia.

所以他不能防範國內的民眾上傳影片

So he can't prevent it, his own citizens to post

抨擊他的貪污腐敗

critical videos against his corruption.

同樣的事情發生了，他是第一個

The same thing happend. He was the first

在阿拉伯之春中垮臺的政權

to topple during the Arab Spring.

但這兩條非常聰明的審查政策

But those two very smart international censorship policies

並沒有阻止中國的社交媒體成為真正的公眾論壇

didn't prevent Chinese social media [from] becoming a really public sphere,

成為凝聚公眾意見的通道，和中國官員的夢魘

a pathway of public opinion and the nightmare of Chinese officials.

因為中國有三億微博用戶

Because we have 300 million microbloggers in China.

這相當於美國的全部人口

It's the entire population of the United States.

所以當這三億微博用戶聚集在一起

So when these 300 million people, microbloggers,

即便微博內容會在審查平臺上被攔截

even they block the tweet in our censored platform.

但中國網際網路自身就能夠創造出

But itself -- the Chinanet -- but itself can create

非常巨大的能量

very powerful energy, which has never happened

而這在中國歷史上是從未發生過的

in the Chinese history.

2011 年7月，兩輛動車相撞

2011, in July, two [unclear] trains crashed,

在中國南方城市溫州

in Wenzhou, a southern city.

事故發生後不久

Right after the train crash,

官方竟然想借著掩埋列車殘骸來掩蓋整起事件

authorities literally wanted to cover up the train, bury the train.

這激怒了中國網友

So it angered the Chinese Netizens.

動車追尾事故發生後的五天裡

The first five days after the train crash,

社交媒體上就已經有數量上千萬的批評和聲討

there were 10 million criticisms of the posting

而這在中國歷史上從未發生過

on social media, which never happened in Chinese history.

那年年底, 鐵道部部長被停職,

And later this year, the rail minister

並且被判處十年有期徒刑.

was sacked and sentenced to jail for 10 years.

最近還發生了一場令人啼笑皆非的爭論

And also, recently, very funny debate between

另一方是美國駐京領事館

the Beijing Environment Ministry

美國駐京領事館之間的爭論.

and the American Embassy in Beijing

北京環境部譴責

because the Ministry blamed

美國領事館干預中國內政

the American Embassy for intervening in

因為美國領事館對外公佈了

Chinese internal politics by disclosing

北京的空氣污染指數

the air quality data of Beijing.

上方是美領館公佈的PM2.5

So, the up is the Embassy data, the PM 2.5.

它顯示148，這對於過敏人士已達危險水準

He showed 148, they showed it's dangerous for the sensitive group.

所以建議大家最好不要外出

So a suggestion, it's not good to go outside.

而這是環境部的資料，只顯示50

But that is the Ministry's data. He shows 50.

說明空氣是好的，適宜外出

He says it's good. It's good to go outside.

但是99%以上的中國微博用戶

But 99 percent of Chinese microbloggers

都堅決站在美領館這邊

stand firmly on the Embassy's side.

我住在北京。每天我都會看

I live in Beijing. Every day, I just watch

美領館的資料空氣品質指數的資料, 來決定我當天是否該開窗

the American Embassy's data to decide whether I should open my window.

為什們中國的網路社交，即使有審查也能蓬勃發展？

Why is Chinese social networking, even within the censorship,

部分原因在於中文（的特性）

so booming? Part of the reason is Chinese languages.

你們知道，推特和推特的複製品都有

You know, Twitter and Twitter clones have a kind of

140個字的字數限制

a limitation of 140 characters.

在英文中，這只夠20個單詞，或者一句話加上一個短連結

But in English it's 20 words or a sentence with a short link.

也許在德文中，只夠表示“啊哈！”這個意思

Maybe in Germany, in German language, it may be just "Aha!"

（笑聲）

(Laughter)

但是在中文裡，這是真真切切的140個方塊字

But in Chinese language, it's really about 140 characters,

能表示一個段落，能講述一個故事

means a paragraph, a story.

（140個方塊字）幾乎能涵蓋所有的新聞要素

You can almost have all the journalistic elements there.

比如說，這是莎士比亞的哈姆雷特

For example, this is Hamlet, of Shakespeare.

同樣的一段內容。你能清楚地看到

It's the same content. One, you can see exactly

一則中文推特等于3.5則英文推特`

one Chinese tweet is equal to 3.5 English tweets.

中國人擅長作弊對不對？

Chinese is always cheating, right?

正因為這樣，中國人是

So because of this, the Chinese really regard this

把微博當成媒體本身來看待的，而不僅僅是媒體的標題

microblogging as a media, not only a headline to media.

新浪公司

And also, the clone, Sina company is

複製了推特

the guy who cloned Twitter.

並命名為“微博”

It even has its own name, with Weibo.

“微博”是微型博客的中文翻譯

"Weibo" is the Chinese translation for "microblog".

它有自己獨到的創新

It has its own innovation.

它的評論功能讓中國的微博

At the commenting area, [it makes] the Chinese Weibo

更像臉書，而不是原版的推特

more like Facebook, rather than the original Twitter.

微博和其他類似網站，帶著這些創新功能和克隆功能

So these innovations and clones, as the Weibo and microblogging,

當2009年甫一開通

when it came to China in 2009,

就立刻演變成了一個媒體平臺

it immediately became a media platform itself.

演變成了擁有3億讀者的媒體平臺

It became the media platform of 300 million readers.

它自身就是媒體

It became the media.

微博上未提及的話題

Anything not mentioned in Weibo,

對中國的公眾來說就不存在

it does not appear to exist for the Chinese public.

同時，中國的社交媒體

But also, Chinese social media is

正在改變中國人的思維方式和生活方式

really changing Chinese mindsets and Chinese life.

比如說，它讓沒有發言權的人

For example, they give the voiceless people

獲得了發言的管道

a channel to make your voice heard.

中國有一個上訪系統。這是司法系統之外的一種補償系統

We had a petition system. It's a remedy outside the judicial system,

因為中國中央政府希望維持這樣一個神話

because the Chinese central government wants to keep a myth:

皇帝是好的；地方當局的老傢伙才是惡棍

The emperor is good. The old local officials are thugs.

這就是為什麼那些上訪者、那些受害者、那些農民，

So that's why the petitioner, the victims, the peasants,

希望能坐火車到北京去中央政府上訪

want to take the train to Beijing to petition to the central government,

他們希望最高領導者能解決他們的問題

they want the emperor to settle the problem.

但是當越來越多的人進京上訪

But when more and more people go to Beijing,

就存在引發革命的風險

they also cause the risk of a revolution.

所以當局近年來老是把上訪者送回老家

So they send them back in recent years.

有些甚至進了黑監獄

And even some of them were put into black jails.

我們現在有了微博，我稱之為微博上訪

But now we have Weibo, so I call it the Weibo petition.

人們用手機上網發微博

People just use their cell phones to tweet.

你的悲慘故事，就有可能

So your sad stories, by some chance your story

被記者、學者和名人選中

will be picked up by reporters, professors or celebrities.

其中一個是姚晨

One of them is Yao Chen,

她有全中國最受歡迎的微博帳號

she is the most popular microblogger in China,

擁有2100萬粉絲

who has about 21 million followers.

這相當於一個全國性的電視臺覆蓋面

They're almost like a national TV station.

如果你的悲慘故事能被她轉發，那可想而知

If you -- so a sad story will be picked up by her.

所以說微博這個社交媒體，儘管有審查制度

So this Weibo social media, even in the censorship,

還是為3億中國人提供了一個機會

still gave the Chinese a real chance for 300 million people

能每天一起談天說地

every day chatting together, talking together.

就像一個大型的TED，對不對？

It's like a big TED, right?

同時，這也是中國首次

But also, it is like the first time a public sphere

出現公眾論壇

happened in China.

中國人開始學習如何談判

Chinese people start to learn how to negotiate

如何與人對話

and talk to people.

當然，審查制度這只大貓也沒睡覺

But also, the cat, the censorship, is not sleeping.

在中國微博上發佈敏感詞彙是非常困難的

It's so hard to post some sensitive words on the Chinese Weibo.

比如說，你無法發佈主席的名字

For example, you can't post the name of the president,

胡錦濤，你也無法發佈重慶這個城市名

Hu Jintao, and also you can't post the city of Chongqing, the name,

不久以前，你甚至不能搜索國家領導人的姓氏

and until recently, you can't search the surname of top leaders.

而中國人

So, the Chinese are very good at these puns

又十分擅長雙關語、別稱

and alternative wording and even memes.

他們甚至為自己命名

They even name themselves -- you know,

用諧音改詞

use the name of this world-changing

包括“草泥馬”和“河蟹”的對立關係

battle between the grass-mud horse and the river crab.

“草泥馬”的讀音為caoníma

The grass-mud horse is caoníma,

是網友用來自稱

is the phonogram for motherfucker,

“X你媽”的諧音

the Netizens call themselves.

“河蟹”的讀音為 héxiè，是

River crab is héxiè, is the phonogram for

“和諧”的諧音，意思是審查

harmonization, for censorship.

這就是“草泥馬”和“河蟹”有趣的關係

So that's kind of a caoníma versus the héxiè, that's very good.

於是，每當有重大政治事件發生

So, when some very political, exciting moments happened,

你就能在微博上看到各種貌似詭異的故事

you can see on Weibo, you see a lot of very weird stories happened.

用詞千奇百怪

Weird phrases and words, even if you have a PhD

就算你是中文專業的博士，也未必能看懂

of Chinese language, you can't understand them.

但你也無法再去擴展了

But you can't even expand more, no, because

因為中國的新浪微博

Chinese Sina Weibo, when it was founded

在推特被正式遮罩後的一個月就出現了

was exactly one month after the official blocking of Twitter.com.

這就意味著在最開始

That means from the very beginning,

微博就已經說服了中國政府

Weibo has already convinced the Chinese government,

我們不會成為

we will not become the stage for

任何反政權言論的舞臺

any kind of a threat to the regime.

比如，你想發佈的任何內容

For example, anything you want to post,

像“聚會”，“碰頭”，“走動”

like "get together" or "meet up" or "walk,"

會自動記錄和資料採擷

it is automatically recorded and data mined

並且被上報，用於政治分析

and reported to a poll for further political analyzing.

如果你想要集會

Even if you want to have some gathering,

在你到達集會地點之前，員警就已經在等著你了

before you go there, the police are already waiting for you.

為什麼？因為他們有資料

Why? Because they have the data.

他們掌握了一切資訊

They have everything in their hands.

他們可以用1984年叛亂來進行情景模擬和資料採擷

So they can use the 1984 scenario data mining of the dissident.

鎮壓十分嚴厲

So the crackdown is very serious.

但我要向你們指出

But I want you to notice a very funny thing

貓鼠遊戲中有趣的一個地方

during the process of the cat-and-mouse.

審查是貓，但不只一隻

The cat is the censorship, but Chinese is not only one cat,

除開中央政府貓，還有地方政府貓

but also has local cats. Central cat and local cats.

（笑聲）

(Laughter)

你們知道，伺服器在中央政府貓的手中

You know, the server is in the [central] cats' hands,

所以，就算線民開始抨擊地方政府

so even that -- when the Netizens criticize the local government,

地方政府可無法染指北京的資料

the local government has not any access to the data in Beijing.

不能賄賂中央政府貓

Without bribing the central cats,

地方政府就只能道歉了

he can do nothing, only apologize.

所以在過去的三年中

So these three years, in the past three years,

與微博有關的社會運動

social movements about microblogging

真正改變了地方政府

really changed local government,

它們變得更加透明

became more and more transparent,

因為他們無法擅自修改資料