英媒：中国为何想在奥运前抛弃龙图腾？
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　　中国在考虑屠龙，因为它担心这虚拟的猛兽代表着一个侵略性的国家。

　　有人敦促政府放弃使用这毒蛇般的、多爪的造物。数千年来，这造物是中国力量的象征。但学者和共产党官员辩称，国家应该采用一个新的象征，而且他们已经建议混合龙和代表着希望与复活的凤凰。上海外国语大学党委书记吴友富认为，龙在西方是一种富于攻击性的怪物。他表示，“中国人把自己看成是龙的传人，但西方人可能并不赞同这层意思。也许有人会故意扭曲来伤害中国人。”

　　龙在迷信的中国人当中仍然是财富和权力的象征，而且在龙年出生的小孩子比在其他生肖年出生的要多。业务开张的开幕礼上包括舞龙，而且龙舟赛是一种深入民心的传统。

　　文化部拒绝对抑制或取消龙的计划发表看法。但尽管国家媒体淡化这个想法，但更换国家象征的想法引起公众的激烈争论。在中国一词一句都有隐藏意思的文化中，屠龙被看作是北京尝试在2008年奥运会以前粉饰中国的形象和抚慰西方的敏感的举动。

　　在一个中文网站的民调中，9万多参与者中有93%表示他们想保留龙。22岁的学生胡梅艳（音译，Hu Meiyan）“我们中国人是龙的传人。我们怎能为了取悦西方就丢掉祖根。”

　　国家的执政者更愿意把逗人喜爱的大熊猫作为非官方象征，但继续保护龙—— 一度禁播耐克的一个电视广告。该广告展示一个美国篮球运动员与一名功夫大师、两名身穿中国传统服装的中国妇女以及一对龙搏斗。据说这个商业广告对龙无礼，侮辱了国家的尊严。（作者：Peter
Simpson）

　　（注：以上中文版本转载自铁血社区。以下是编者检索得到的原文，可供研究者参考。——黄佶，2007年11月26日）

Exit the dragon …
Why China wants to ditch the icon before the Olympics
By Peter Simpson in Beijing, Sunday Telegraph
Last Updated: 1:37am GMT 11/12/2006

China is considering slaying the dragon as its national emblem, because it fears the mythical beast suggests an aggressive nation.

Dragons are a symbol of wealth and power among the Chinese

The government is being urged to drop all use of the serpent-like, multi-clawed creature, which has for thousands of years been a potent symbol of China's power. Instead, academics and Communist Party officials argue, the country should adopt a new symbol — and they have suggested a cross between a dragon and a phoenix, which symbolises hope and revival. "The dragon is seen in the West as an aggressive monster poised to attack," said Wu Youfu, Communist Party secretary at Shanghai International Studies University.

"The Chinese see themselves as the descendants of the dragon, but this meaning might not be shared by the West. It might be twisted by someone with intentions to hurt the Chinese."

Dragons remain a powerful symbol of wealth and power among the superstitious Chinese and more babies are born in the year of the dragon, under the Chinese 12 animal zodiac system, than any other. The opening of a new business includes a dance by a man-sized puppet dragon, and dragon boat racing is a popular annual tradition.

The Ministry of Culture declined to comment on plans to tame, or drop, the dragon. But despite an attempt by state media to play down the idea, the call to replace the national emblem has sparked fiery public debate. In a culture where every word and relationship is scrutinised for hidden meaning, the possibility of slaying the dragon is being seen as part of Beijing's attempt to airbrush China's image and appease Western sensitivities ahead of the the 2008 Olympic Games.

In a poll of more than 90,000 visitors to one Chinese website, 93 per cent said they wanted to keep the dragon. "We Chinese are the descendents of the dragons. How can we dump our ancestral roots just to please the West?" argued an English language student, Hu Meiyan, 22.

The country's rulers prefer the cuddlier giant panda as an unofficial symbol, but have continued protecting the dragon – at one point banning a Nike television advertisement showing an American basketball player battling a cartoon kung fu master, two women in traditional Chinese attire and a pair of dragons. It said the commercial was disrespectful to the dragon, and so insulted the nation's dignity.

原文地址：
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml;jsessionid=4RG3YZNE5HDWVQFIQMFSFGGAVCBQ0IV0?xml=/news/2006/12/10/wchina10.xml