My Story and the Chinese Dream Behind It

In the past twenty years, China has faced three American presidents, but till coming to Yale today, I never realized that China really just faced one university. Although, through these three presidents, I understand that the quality of Yale graduates is not so even.

Let me begin my main subject and let me give it a title, called “My Story and the Chinese Dream Behind It”. I want to talk about five particular years. The first is 1968. That year I was born. But it was also a chaotic year for the world. In France, there was this huge street disturbance, and in America, too. Then President Kennedy was assassinated. However, I really did not cause all of these! But that year what ?we remember more was the assassination of Mr. Martin Luther King. Although he fell that year, his words “I have a dream” stood up, not only stood up in America, but across the whole world.

But sadly, not only for me, but for almost all Chinese, we did not know such a dream. It was hard to describe each Chinese as having his or her own dream. China and America were so far apart, no less far apart than the Moon and the Earth. But I didn’t care about any of that. All I cared about was could I have a full meal. Clearly, I was born at a very inconvenient time, not only for China, but even for the world, there were problems.

In 1978, ten years later, I was 10. I still lived in the very little city that had only 200 thousand people at the time I was born. It was 2000 km from Beijing. If you

wanted to read the newspaper from Beijing, you waited three days. So for us, there was no such thing as news. That year my grandfather passed away. Two years before that my father passed away. So there was just my mother left to take care of me and my brother. Her monthly salary was not even ten dollars. As a result, even though I was 10, the word “dream” was still not in my

vocabulary, and I would never think of it. I could not see hope in this family, but only felt bitter cold every winter. Where we lived was close to the Soviet Union. Yet the 1978 in which I could not see hope was also the year that a huge change took place, whether for China or for the relationship between China and America. That is a date that everybody here today should remember. December 16, 1978, China and America officially established diplomatic relations. That was a big event. And two days after that, December 18 was when China opened the 3rd Plenary Session of the Eleventh CPC Central

Committee. That was the beginning of thirty-one years of Reform and Opening. History, two great nations, and a very pitiful family all became intertwined in a theatrical way. Truthfully, from the small personal family, to the big family of the country, nobody then had any idea what the future would be like.

In 1988, I was 20. At this time I had already come out of the little border town to Beijing as a university student. Although we have many people in China today criticizing China’s university entrance exams and see many many deficiencies in it, it must be said that it is such a system that allowed very ordinary people

like me to have the opportunity to change our lives. Of course, at that time, America was no longer a very distant country. It became very specific. It was no longer the “Imperialist America” of the past slogans, but it became the many details in our lives. This was the first time that I tasted Coca-Cola. When I finished drinking it I believed China and America were truly so close, because it tasted just like Chinese medicine.

That was a time when I took a crazy liking to rock’n'roll. That was a time when Michael Jackson still looked relatively handsome. More importantly, that was a time when China experienced very big transformations, as Reform and Opening had already gone on for ten years. That year, China began

experimenting with market pricing for many goods. It may feel like something totally incomprehensible to you, but it was a big deal in China, a huge step, because before that the prices were decided by the government. But in that year, because price controls were relaxed, the whole country went on a crazy shopping spree. Everybody all thought, how long could this last, so they had to get a whole life’s worth of food and goods to bring home. That year symbolized that China marched closer and closer to a market economy.

Of course back then nobody knew that market economy could also have a

subprime crisis. Anyway, I know that 1988 was an extra important year for Yale, because a Yale alum once again became an American President.

In 1998, I was 30. I had already become a news anchor at CCTV. More

importantly, I had become the father of a one-year-old child. That year a very important thing happened between China and America, and the protagonist was Clinton. Perhaps you remember his sexual scandal in America, but in China what we remember is his visit to China that year. In June, when he

visited China, he and President Jiang Zemin held an open press conference in the Great Hall of the People. Then he gave an open lecture at Peking University. The live anchor for both events was me.

During Clinton’s lecture at Peking University, because he used his own

translator the whole time, I guessed that many Chinese viewers only knew that Clinton was definitely saying something, but what he said wasn’t all that clear. So near the end of my live broadcast, I remarked that it looked like for America to learn more about China, sometimes it needed to start with language, though for our two countries, face-to-face was always better than back-to-back. It was also at the beginning of that year that I drove the first car in my life. For me this was unimaginable before, that Chinese people one day would also drive their own cars. A personal delight can also make a lasting impression, because sometimes the first time is the most unforgettable.

In 2008, I was 40. The words “I have a dream” that haven’t been discussed for many years now were heard among so many Americans. It seemed like Obama really did not want to accept Yale’s 20-year occupation of America.

Using words like “change” and “dream”, he even convinced Yale teachers and students to parade and celebrate his election to the Presidency, according to what I’ve heard.

But this was also a year in which the Chinese Dream showed clearly. After encountering many setbacks as any grand dream in the world is destined to, it came through. Whether it was the long-awaited Beijing Olympics, or the first spacewalk by a Chinese aboard the Shenzhou 7, these were all dreams which we have waited for a long time since a long time ago. But the sudden Sichuan Earthquake made all this not as magnificent as we had expected.

Eighty-thousand lives departed, and made every day of 2008 seem like a year. I’m guessing that on Yale’s campus, on every web site, in front of television and newspapers, were also many people from China, and people in all parts of the world, who shed tears for these lost lives. Just like forty years ago when Mr. Martin Luther King fell but allowed the words “I have a dream” to stand higher, more enduring, and seem ever more valuable, more Chinese people also came to understand that dreams are important, but lives are even more so. During the Olympics, I passed my own fortieth birthday. That day I was full of emotional thoughts, because when the day of my birthday approached, I was broadcasting an exciting competition. Twenty-four hours later, when my

birthday was passing, I was still broadcasting. But that day I felt very fortunate.

Because it was such a special fortieth birthday at the Beijng Olympics that made me realize the Chinese Dream behind my personal story.

It was in this kind of forty years that I went from a far-away border-town kid who had no possibility of having a dream, to a newsman who could be at a big festival celebrated with all of humanity and who could communicate and share the happiness with them. This was a life story that took place in China. And in this year, China and America were not far apart. There was a bit of me in you and a bit of you in me, we needed each other. It was said that President Bush spent the longest time in any country abroad as President, and that was during the Beijing Olympics. Phelps took eight medals there, and his family was there by his side. All Chinese wished that extraordinary family well. Of course, every dream will pass. In such a year, China and America almost simultaneously found their new “I have a dream” moment, and it was so coincidental, and so deserving.

America is facing a very very difficult financial crisis, and it isn’t only America, but it affects the whole world seriously. Yesterday I got to New York. As soon as I deplaned, I went to Wall Street. There I saw the statue of President Washington. His gaze was permanently fixed on the huge American flag on the stock exchange. Interestingly, the hall behind the statue was holding an exhibition on “President Lincoln in New York”, so President Lincoln’s huge portrait was also on it, and he also gazed at the flag. I felt the very solemn

weight of history. When I left there, I told my colleague this. I said, many many years ago, if something like this befell America, perhaps Chinese people would have taken pleasure, because see, America is miserable again. But today, Chinese people would especially wish that America get better soon. Because we have hundreds of billions worth of money with America. We also have a huge quantity of products waiting to be put on freighters and sent to America. If America’s economy takes a step for the better, it means behind these products, another Chinese gets a raise, it means he regains his employment and happiness in the family.

In the past 30 years, I don’t know if you’ve noticed the Chinese Dream that is relevant to more and more ordinary Chinese people. I don’t know what other country in this world, in the past 30 years, has changed the individual fates at this magnitude. A kid from a remote small city on the periphery, a kid in despair, today has the chance to have an exchange with these Yale students. Maybe we can change the viewpoint, and look at 1.3 billion very ordinary Chinese, their down-to-earth dreams, their impulsive drive to change their fates, their still kindhearted temperament, and their diligent character. Today’s China is made up of these words I just spoke.

In the past many years, Chinese seemed to be looking at America through a telescope. So everything good that is in America was magnified by this

telescope. Frequently people mentioned America was like this and like that,

then look at us, when can we be like that. In the past many years, Americans also seemed to be looking at China through a telescope, but I am guessing they held it backwards. Because what they saw was a diminished,

always-doing-wrong, full-of-problems China. They overlooked 1.3 very

ordinary Chinese people and this impulsive drive and urge of theirs to change their fate, which caused such huge transformations in our country. But I also always had this dream: why do we need to use telescopes to look at each other?

Of course I hope very many Americans have a chance to go see China, and not to look at China through the media. You know I don’t really trust all of my colleagues. I’m just kidding. Actually I respect my American colleagues very much. I only hope that more and more American friends go to see a real China. Because I can at least guarantee one thing. Even if in America you ate what is deemed to be the best Chinese food, in won’t fetch a good price in China. Just like many many years ago, in every city of China there was this popular “California Beef Noodle” shop. Many Chinese all thought, anything from

America was definitely very very tasty. So they all went to eat. Although it was not very tasty, they didn’t complain because they knew it was from America. This fast-food chain existed in China for many years, until more and more Chinese people came to America, and searched every corner of California for a California Beef Noodle shop, and could not find a single one. Only then did more and more Chinese know that California doesn’t have such beef noodle,

so this chain store in China is in the process of disappearing. This is the kind of discrepancy I am talking about. As we come and go, such misunderstandings will be fewer and fewer.

So lastly I just want to say one thing again. Forty years ago, when Mr. Martin Luther King fell down, his words “I have a dream” spread across the world. But, you must know that there is not just an English version of “I have a dream.” In the distant East, in the China that has held on for thousands of years, there is also a dream. It isn’t a grandiose slogan, it doesn’t lie with the government. It belongs to every ordinary Chinese. It is “I have a dream” written in Chinese.

白岩松：我的故事以及背后的中国梦

过去的20年，中国一直在跟美国的三任总统打交道。但是，今天到了耶鲁大学我才知道，其实它只跟一所学校打交道。透过这三位总统我也明白了，耶鲁大学毕业生的水准也并不是很平均。

接下来，就进入我们今天的主题，如果要起个题目的话，应该叫《我的故事以及背后的中国梦》。

那一年，我们更应该记住的是马丁·路德·金先生遇刺。虽然，那一年他倒下了，但是“我有一个梦想”的这句话却真正地站了起来，不仅在美国站了起来，也在全世界站了起来。

我要讲五个年份，第一要讲的年份是19xx年。

那一年我出生了。但是，那一年世界非常乱，在法国有巨大的街头的骚乱……

在美国也有，然后美国总统候选人罗伯特·肯尼迪遇刺了(他的哥哥约翰·肯尼迪总统在19xx年遇刺)。但是，的确这一切的原因都与我无关(哄堂大笑)。

那一年，我们更应该记住的是马丁·路德·金先生遇刺。虽然，那一年他倒下了，但是“我有一个梦想”的这句话却真正地站了起来，不仅在美国站了起来，也在全世界站了起来。但是，当时很遗憾，不仅仅是我，几乎很多的中国人并不知道这个梦想。因为当时中国人，每一个人很难说拥有自己的梦想，将自己的梦想变成了一个国家的梦想，甚至是领袖的一个梦想。中国与美国的距离非常遥远，不亚于月亮与地球之间的距离。但是我并不关心这一切，我只关心我是否可以吃饱。

很显然，我的出生非常不是时候，不仅对于当时的中国来说，对于世界来说，似乎都有些问题(众笑)。

19xx年，10年之后，我10岁了。

我依然生活在我出生的地方，那个只有20万人的非常非常小的城市。它离北京的距离有2000公里，它要想了解北京出的报纸的话，要在三天之后才能看见。所以，对于我们来说，是不存在新闻这个说法的(众笑)。

那一年，我的爷爷去世了。而在两年前的时候，我的父亲去世了。所以，只剩下我母亲一个人抚养我们哥儿俩，她一个月的工资不到10美元。因此，即使10岁了，梦想这个词对我来说，依然是一个非常陌生的词汇，我从来不会去想它。我母亲一直到现在也没有建立新的婚姻，是她一个人把我们哥俩抚养大。我看不到这个家庭的希望，只是会感觉，那个时候的每一个冬天都很寒冷。

就在我看不到希望的19xx年的时候，不管是中国这个国家，还有中国与美国这两个国家之间，都发生了非常巨大的变化。那是一个我们在座的所有人都该

记住的年份：19xx年的12月16日，中国与美国正式建交，那是一个大事件。而在中美建交两天之后，12月18日，中国共 产 党十一届三中全会召开了，那是中国改革开放31年的开始。

历史将两个伟大的国家、一个非常可怜的家庭就如此戏剧性地交织在一起，不管是小的家庭，还是大的国家，其实当时谁都没有把握知道未来是什么样的。 接下来的年份，该讲19xx年了，那一年我20岁。

这个时候我已经从边疆的小城市来到了北京，成为一个大学生。虽然，今天在中国依然还有很多的人在抨击中国的高考制度，认为它有很多很多的缺陷。但是，必须承认正是高考的存在，让我们这样一个又一个非常普通的孩子，拥有了改变命运的机会。

当然，这个时候美国已经不再是一个很遥远的国家，它变得很具体，它也不再是那个过去口号当中的“美帝国主义”(众笑并鼓掌)，而是变成了生活中很多的细节。

这个时候，我已经第一次尝试过可口可乐，而且喝完可口可乐之后会觉得中美两个国家真的是如此接近(众笑)。因为，它几乎就跟中国的中药是一样的(众笑)。

那个时候，我已经开始非常狂热地去喜欢上摇滚乐。那个时候，正是迈克尔·杰克逊长得比较漂亮的时候(哄堂大笑)。

更重要的是，这个时候的中国，已经开始发生了非常大的变化。因为，改革已经进行了10年。

那一年，中国开始尝试放开很多商品的价格。这在你们看来是非常不可思议的事情。但是，在中国当时是一个很大的迈进，因为过去的价格都是由政府来决

定的。

就在那一年，因为放开了价格，引起了全国疯狂地抢购，大家都觉得这个时候会有多久呢？于是，要把一辈子用的食品和用品，都买回到家里头。

这一年也就标志着中国离市场经济越来越近了。当然，那个时候没有人知道市场经济也会有次贷危机(众笑)。

当然，我知道那一年19xx年对于耶鲁大学来说是格外的重要，因为你们耶鲁的校友又有一个成为了美国的总统。

我说：“看样子美国需要对中国有更多的了解，有的时候要从语言开始”。“对于中美这两个国家来说，面对面永远要好过背对背”。

接下来又是一个新的年份：19xx年，那一年我30岁。

我已经成为中央电视台的一个新闻节目主持人。更重要的是，我已经成为一个1岁孩子的父亲。我开始明白我所做的许多事情不仅要考虑我自己，还要考虑孩子及他们的未来。

那一年，在中美之间发生了一个非常重要的事件，主角就是克林顿。也许在美国你记住的是性丑闻。但是，在中国记住的是，他那一年访问了中国。在6月份他访问中国的时候，在人民大会堂和江泽民主席进行了一个开放的记者招待会，然后又在北京大学进行了一个开放的演讲，这两场活动的直播主持人都是我。 当克林顿总统在上海即将离开中国的时候，记者问道：“这次访问中国，您印象最深的是什么？”

他说：“我最想不到的是这两场讲座居然都直播了(笑)。不过，直播让中国受到了表扬，而美国却受到了批评(众笑)。”当然只是一个很小的批评。在北大的演讲当中，由于整个克林顿总统的演讲，用的全是美方所提供的翻译。因此，他翻

译的那个水准远远达不到今天我们翻译的水准(听众大笑并鼓掌表示对现场翻译的感谢)。我猜想有很多的中国观众，是知道克林顿一直在说话，但是说的是什么，不太清楚(众笑)。

所以，我在直播结束的时候，说了这样的一番话：“看样子美国需要对中国有更多的了解，有的时候要从语言开始”，美国包括美联社在内的很多媒体都报道了我的这句话。但是，我说的另外一句话不知道他们有没有报道？我说：“对于中美这两个国家来说，面对面永远要好过背对背。”

当然也是在这一年年初，我开上了人生的第一辆车。这是我在过去从来不会想到的，中国人有一天也可以开自己的车。个人的喜悦，也会让你印象很久，因为往往第一次才是最难忘的。

这一年，也是中国梦非常明显的一年。它就像全世界所有的伟大梦想，注定都要遭受很多的挫折才能显现出来一样。无论是期待了很久的北京奥运会，还是神舟七号中国人第一次在太空行走，那都是很多年前，我们期待了很久的梦想。 接下来，我要讲述的是：2008这一年，这一年我40岁。

很多年大家不再谈论的“我有一个梦想”这句话了，但是在这一年我听到太多的美国人在讲。看样子奥巴马的确不想再接受耶鲁占领美国20年这样的事实了(耶鲁大学一直盛产总统，而出身哈佛大学的奥巴马终结了这一事实)。

他用“改变”以及“梦想”这样的词汇，让耶鲁大学的师生在他当选总统之后举行游行，甚至庆祝。在这个细节中，让我看到了耶鲁师生的超越。

这一年，也是中国梦非常明显的一年。它就像全世界所有的伟大梦想，注定都要遭受很多的挫折才能显现出来一样。无论是期待了很久的北京奥运会，还是神舟七号中国人第一次在太空行走，那都是很多年前，我们期待了很久的梦想。

但是，突如其来的四川汶川特大地震，让这一切都变得没有我们期待中的那么美好。这个时候中国人对于生命的看待，我相信跟美国人和世界上一切善待生命的民族都是一样的。8万个生命的离开，让整个20xx年中国人度日如年。 我猜得到在耶鲁校园里头，在每一个网页、电视以及报纸的前面，也有很多的来自中国的人，以及世界各地的人们，为这些生命流下眼泪。但是，就像40年前，马丁·路德·金先生倒下，却让“我有一个梦想”这句话站得更高，站得更久，站得更加让人觉得极其有价值一样，更多的中国人也明白了，梦想很重要，但是生命更重要。

在北京奥运会期间，我度过了自己的40岁的生日。

那一天，我感慨万千。虽然，周围的人不会知道(众笑)。因为时间进入到我的生日那一天的时候，我在直播精彩的比赛。24小时之后，当这个时间要走出我生日这一天的时候，我也依然在直播。但是，这一天我觉得非常的幸运。因为，正是这样一个特殊的、在北京奥运会期间的40岁，让我意识到了我的故事背后的中国梦。正是在这样的40年的时间里头，我从一个根本不可能有梦想的，一个遥远边疆的小城市里的孩子，变成了一个可以在全人类欢聚的一个大的节日里头，分享以及传播这种快乐的新闻人，这是一个在中国发生的故事。

而在这一年，中国和美国相距并不遥远，你中有我，我中有你，彼此需要。布什总统据说度过了他作为总统以来在国外、一个国家待得最长的一段时间，就是在北京奥运会期间。菲尔普斯在那儿拿到了8块金牌，而他的家人都陪伴在他的身边，所有的中国人都为这样一个特殊的家庭祝福。当然，任何一个这样的梦想都会转眼过去。在这样的一个年份里头，中美两国历史上几乎是第一次同时发出了“我有一个新的梦想”的时候，如此的巧合，如此的应该。美国面临了一次非

常非常艰难的金融危机，当然不仅仅是美国的事情，也对全世界有重大的影响。 昨天我到达纽约，刚下了飞机，我去的第一站就是华尔街，我看到了华盛顿总统的雕像，他的视线是那么永久不变地在盯着证券交易所上那面巨大的美国国旗(众笑)。而非常奇妙的是，在这个雕像后面的展览馆里正在举行“林肯总统在纽约”这样的一个展览。因此，林肯总统的大幅的画像也挂在那上面，他也在看那面国旗(众笑)。我读出了非常悲壮的一种历史感。

在离开那个地方的时候，我对我的同事说了这样一句话：“很多很多年前如果美国发生了这样状况的时候，也许中国人会感到很开心。”因为，大家会说：“你看，美国又糟糕了！”(众大笑)但是，今天中国人会格外地希望美国尽早地好起来，因为我们有几千亿的钱在美国(鼓掌，众大笑)，我们还有大量的产品等待着装上货船，送到美国来，如果美国的经济进一步好起来的话，在这些货品的背后，就是一个又一个中国人增长的工资，是他重新拥有的就业岗位，以及家庭的幸福。因此，你明白，这不是一个口号的宣传。

在过去的30年里头，你们是否注意到了，与一个又一个普通的中国人紧密相关的中国梦。我不知道世界上还有哪个国家，在过去这30年的时间里头，让个人的命运发生了这么大的变化。

一个边远小城市的孩子，一个绝望中的孩子，今天有机会在耶鲁跟各位同学交流，当然也包括很多老师和教授。中国经历了这30年，有无数个这样的家庭。他们的爷爷奶奶依然守侯在土地上，仅有微薄的收入，千辛万苦。他们的父亲母亲，已经离开了农村，通过考大学，在城市里已经有了很好的工作，而这个家庭的孙子孙女也许此刻就在美国留学，三代人，就像经历了三个时代。但是在中国，你随时可以看到这样的家庭。如果我没有说错的话，现场的很多个中国留学生，

他们的家庭也许就是这样。对么？(鼓掌)

那么，在我们去观察中国的时候，也许你经常关注的是“主义”、“社会主义”或其他庞大的政治词汇，或许该换一个视角去看13亿个非常普通的中国人。他们并没有宏大的梦想、改变命运的那种冲动，依然善良的性格和勤奋的那种品质。今天的中国是由刚才的这些词汇构成。

在过去的很多年里头，中国人看美国，似乎在用望远镜看。美国所有的美好的东西，都被这个望远镜给放大了。经常有人说美国怎么怎么样，美国怎么怎么样，你看我们这儿什么时候能这样(众笑)。

在过去的好多年里头，美国人似乎也在用望远镜在看中国。但是，我猜测可能拿反了(哄堂大笑，热烈鼓掌)。因为，他们看到的是一个缩小了的、错误不断的、有众多问题的一个中国。他们忽视了13亿非常普通的中国人，改变命运的这种冲动和欲望，使这个国家发生了如此巨大的变化(鼓掌)。

但是，我也一直有一个梦想：为什么要用望远镜来看彼此？我相信现场在座的很多个来自中国的留学生，他们会用自己的眼睛看到了最真实的美国，用自己的耳朵去了解最真实的来自美国人内心的想法。无论再用什么样的文字也很难再改变他们对美国的看法。因为，这来自他们内心的感受。当然我也希望非常多的美国人，有机会去看看中国，而不是在媒体当中去看中国。你知道，我并不太信任我所有的同行(众笑，鼓掌)。

开一个玩笑。其实美国的同行是我非常尊敬的同行。我只是希望越来越多的美国的朋友去看一个真实的中国。因为，我起码敢确定一件事情，即使在美国你吃到的被公认为最好的中国菜，在中国却很难卖出好价钱(众笑)。就像很多很多年之前，在中国所有的城市里流行着一种叫加州牛肉面，加利福尼亚牛肉面。相

当多的中国人都认为，美国来的东西一定非常非常好吃。所以，他们都去吃了。即使没那么好吃的话，由于觉得这是美国的也就不批评了(大笑)。这个连锁的快餐店在中国存在了很多年，直到有越来越多的中国人来到美国，在加州四处寻找加州牛肉面(众笑)。但是，一家都没有找到的时候，越来越多的中国人知道，加州是没有这种牛肉面的(笑)。

于是，这个连锁店在中国，现在处于消失的过程当中。你看，这就是一种差异。但是，当人来人往之后，这样的一种误会就会越来越少。

所以，最后我只想再说一句。

40年前，当马丁·路德·金先生倒下的时候，他的那句话“我有一个梦想”传遍了全世界。但是，一定要知道，不仅仅有一个英文版的“我有一个梦想”。在遥远的东方，在一个几千年延续下来的中国，也有一个梦想。它不是宏大的口号，并不仅仅在政府那里存在，它是属于每一个非常普通的中国人，而它用中文写成：“我有一个梦想！”