Exploring the vibrant life of China's elderly
探索中国老年人的活力生活
Before I came to China last autumn, I had spent several years studying Chinese language and culture, and I felt like I had a good overview of what might surprise me after moving here. However, certain things always managed to evade the scope of textbooks and television shows. For example, I was shocked by the vibrant life of the elderly and the differences in culture between the younger and older generations in China.
去年秋天我来中国之前，我花了几年时间学习中国语言和文化，我觉得对搬到这里后可能会面临的文化冲击有了大致的了解。然而，教科书和电视节目无法面面俱到，例如我对中国老年人充满活力的生活以及年轻一代和老一代之间的文化差异感到震惊。
It's not just the natural variances in their daily routines and lifestyles, which are to be expected anywhere in the world. There is something much more prominent: how different age groups interact with public spaces.
这不仅是他们在日常生活方式中的自然差异，这在世界各地都可以预见。更突出的是：不同年龄段的人在如何与公共空间互动方面存在着差异。
During my routine strolls around the neighborhood, I would often stumble upon scenes that diverged from my expectations. I might encounter someone cooking a meal on a portable gas stove placed in the middle of the pavement. Sometimes, I might stop and join a crowd gathered around a chess or card game. Then there were the occasions where I would pass by individuals taking afternoon naps on a bench, watching TV dramas with blaring speakers, or simply listening to classical music on a radio.
当我日常在附近散步时，我经常会偶遇一些出乎预料的场景。我可能会遇到有人用放在人行道中间的便携式燃气灶做饭。有时我可能会停下来，加入围棋或打牌的人群中。有时我会经过那些在长凳上午睡的人，他们用刺耳的扬声器看电视剧，或者只是听收音机里的古典音乐。
Remarkably, the one common aspect of all these experiences is that they are all from the older generation. All of these activities, which make good use of public spaces, truly embody the term "public space". The younger generation in China, however, is less likely to partake in this form of public life to the same extent. That is not to say there aren't young people out in public spaces, but rather that they don't utilize these spaces in the same manner.
惊人的是，所有这些经历有一个共同点：它们都来自老一辈。这些活动都充分利用了公共空间，真正体现了“公共空间”一词。然而中国的年轻一代不太可能以同样的程度参与这种形式的公共生活，这并不是说公共场所没有年轻人，而他们只是不以同样的方式来利用公共空间。
Norwegian culture is more reserved, and this becomes even more evident regarding older generations. When taking a walk in the park in Norway, for instance, you will see fewer elders engaged in social activities or exercise routines than in China. Of course, the elderly in Norway do socialize, but not like their counterparts in China. My conclusion when comparing these two cultures is that Chinese elders are far more socially active, and they fully embrace the concept of public space.
挪威文化更加保守，这一点对于老一辈人来说更加明显。例如当你在挪威的公园散步时，你会发现参与社交活动或锻炼的老年人比在中国要少。当然挪威的老年人也有社交活动，但与中国的老年人不同。比较这两种文化时我得出结论：中国老年人的社交活动更加活跃，而且他们完全接受公共空间的概念。
There is a saying in Norway that states, "We are all children of our time", meaning that we are all shaped by the time and space in which we grew up. When considering the drastic changes and rapid development of China in the past century, it is no wonder that the social lives and cultural practices of its younger and older generations are so divergent. Each generation in China grew up in a vastly different socio-economic landscape, and they are shaped by these landscapes. This disparity is much more prominent than that in Norway, which has experienced relatively small social changes within the same time span.
挪威有句俗话，“我们都是时代的孩子”，意思是我们都受到成长的时间和空间的影响。考虑到中国在过去一个世纪的巨大变化和快速发展，难怪年轻一代和老一代的社会生活和文化习俗如此不同。中国的每一代人都在截然不同的社会经济环境中成长，他们也被塑造成不同的人。这种差距比挪威更为突出，挪威在同一时期内经历了相对较小的社会变革。
