Why are Chinese people so anxious? On April 8 the China Youth Daily published an article illustrating this problem. Here is an excerpt.

　　中国人为什么如此焦虑？《中国青年报》4月8日发表的一篇文章对这个问题进行了分析。以下是文章的节选：

　　Ordinary Chinese people are anxious about education, jobs, personal relationships, houses, love and children's primary education, etc. Because of their anxiety, the words such as “Fangnu” (Slave to house)， “Chenu” (Slave to car) and “Hainu” (Slave to children) are continuing to enrich modern Chinese vocabularies.

　　中国的普罗大众正在为教育、工作、人际关系、房子、爱情和孩子的基础教育感到焦虑。而正因为大家的焦虑情绪，“房奴”(房子的奴隶)、“车奴”(车子的奴隶)和“孩奴”(孩子的奴隶)等新词不断出现，极大地丰富了现代汉语词汇。

　　Rich people are anxious as well. When they didn't have enough money, they were worried about their poor living conditions. When they are affluent enough to purchase a flat, they want a villa. When they possess a car, they wish for a limousine. When they are millionaires, they dream about ten million yuan, but once they fulfill that, aren't they anxious about being billionaires?

　　富人们也同样感到焦虑。以前没钱的时候，他们为自己贫困的生活条件感到忧虑。当他们有足够的钱买一套房子的时候，他们想要一座别墅；当他们买了车之后，他们又渴望要一辆豪华轿车。当他们成为百万富翁的时候，他们想要拥有一千万；然而一旦他们拥有了一千万，难道他们就不会为了成为亿万富翁而感到焦虑吗？

　　Officials must be the envy of most people. However, in a panel discussion during the two National Annual Sessions on March 6, Du Deyin, a representative of National People's Congress, pointed out that officials are also indulging in anxiety, over achievements and promotions. How could they feel no anxiety to see others' promotion, especially their rivals?

　　政府官员无疑是大多数人羡慕的对象。然而，在3月6日全国两会的一个小组讨论上，全国人大代表杜德印指出，政府官员同样身陷由政绩和提拔而引发的焦虑情绪之中。当他们看到别人，尤其是自己的竞争对手，得到提拔的时候，他们怎么能不焦虑呢？

　　The competitive society is full of life pressures and work pressures. Moreover, Chinese people care much about social status and personal wealth. It was reported recently by the Global Times that China was regarded by some foreign media as the top country obsessed with wealth. The 2009 Happiness Index Survey Report conducted by a dozen media outlets, published on April 1, revealed that over half of the participants believe that money brings happiness. However, when all the people are pursuing the same value, and the values of life are universally defined, how could they not feel anxious?

　　竞争激烈的社会充满了生活压力和工作压力。另外，中国人非常在乎社会地位和个人财富。《环球时报》最近的报道称，在一些外国媒体眼中，中国是最迷恋财富的国家。十二家媒体于4月1日共同发布了《2009年幸福指数调查报告》，报告显示，超过一半的受访者相信金钱会带来幸福。然而，当所有人的价值追求一致而且人生价值被普遍定义的时候，他们怎么能不焦虑呢？

　　The White Paper on the Happiness of Middle Class Families was revealed recently by the media, pointing out that the middle class in the most developed cities such as Shenzhen, Beijing, Shanghai, is marked with the lowest happiness index. They have “Fake Happiness”. “My burden is heavy; my shoulders are painful. I wander in the crowd for the sake of saving face. My desires are many while my salary is little. Will I live in such an ordinary way till death? My life has been just so-so,” The Taiwan singer Zheng Zhihua's song expresses the ambitions, depression and anxiety of the middle class.

　　媒体最近发布的《中产家庭幸福白皮书》指出，深圳、北京、上海这些经济最发达城市中的中产家庭幸福指数最低。他们拥有的只是“伪幸福”。“ 我的包袱很重我的肩膀很痛。我扛着面子流浪在人群之中。我的欲望很多我的薪水很少。是不是就这样平凡到老？我的日子一直是不坏不好。”台湾歌手郑智化的歌唱出了中产阶级的野心、沮丧和焦虑。

　　Anxiety is pervading the overall Chinese society, but is it an unavoidable process that the people in a transitional country must experience?

　　焦虑的情绪正在中国社会蔓延，然而对于正处于社会转型期的中国来说，这真的是一个无可避免的过程吗？