An advertisement centred around "leftover women" in China has gone viral, provoking an emotional debate about single women in the country.
近日一则关于“中国剩女”的视频在网上蹿红，这个视频引起了对于中国单身大龄女生的激烈讨论。
The issue of unmarried females, often stigmatised as "sheng nu" or leftover women, has long been a topic of concern in a society that prioritises marriage and motherhood for women.
中国社会素来认为女性应该以婚姻和母亲身份为主，所以大龄未婚女性常常被贴上“剩女”的标签，关于大龄未婚女性的讨论也成为社会的一大话题。
Called the "Marriage Market Takeover", the four-minute long documentary-style video was commissioned by Japanese beauty giant SK-II.
这个称为《剩女反击战》的视频，时长4分钟的纪实片，由日本一位名叫SK-II制作。
In a statement to the BBC, SK-II President Markus Strobel said the advert was part of "a global campaign to inspire and empower women to shape their destiny".
在BBC的采访中，SK-II说道这个视频广告是为鼓励和激发女性重塑自己命运的全球运动”。
"The film brings light to the real-life issue of talented and brave Chinese women feeling pressured to get married before they turn 27, for fear of being labelled ’sheng nu’".
“即将进入27岁害怕被贴上‘剩女’标签的勇敢并有才华的女性，这个视频给备受压力的她们带来希望。”
He also said the company was adopting "a positive approach in helping women face pressures".
他还表示公司在采取“积极的措施来帮助女性来应对压力”。
Heavy pressures from society
来自于社会的压力
By government definition, a "leftover woman" refers to any unmarried female above the age of 27.
根据政府的定义，“剩女”指的是27岁以上未婚女性。
China’s ruling Communist Party tries to urge single women to marry, to offset a huge gender imbalance caused by the recently ended one-child policy.
中国共产党党激励单身女性结婚，以此来缓解近期因结束计划生育政策而引发的性别不平衡。
But according to Leta Hong Fincher, author of "Leftover Women: The Resurgence of Gender Inequality in China", single Chinese women are at "a real turning point" and many are beginning to embrace a single lifestyle and push back the stigma.
根据《剩女：中国性别不平衡的重新崛起》作者Leta Hong Fincher介绍，中国的女性正处于“转折点”，很多女性非常喜欢独自生活，给“剩女”这一带有歧视性的社会标签有力一击。
She told the BBC: "These are young women with strength and confidence, who are being specifically targeted by the state’s deliberate campaign to pressure [them] into marrying. Chinese women today are more educated than ever before and they are increasingly resisting marriage."
她告诉英国广播公司（BBC）:“那些独立自信的中国年轻女性是被受结婚压力的主要群体。中国现在的女性比以前接受教育程度更高，她们越来越反对逼婚。”
Ms Hong Fincher, who had a small consulting role in the video, said what made it particularly powerful was that it depicted "the actual state" of women in the country.
Hong Fincher在视频中接受咨询，说道中国社会女性被逼婚已经成为被表述为社会的“一种常态”。
"This is the reality and it was told in a very creative, moving and empowering way: that these women are leading great lives in many ways, in being single," she said.
“这是社会的现实状况，这个视频以一种很有创新性、感人并且充满正能量的方式告诉大家：单身女性在生活的很多方面都做的很好，”她说道。
"But the torture experienced by the women in holding out against intense marriage pressure is also extremely real. It reflects the reality of so many young women professionals in China."
“但是由于结婚的巨大压力所带来的折磨也是非常真实的。视频反映了很多中国单身女性的现实状况。”
An unmarried woman is incomplete’
不结婚的女人是不完整的
At the heart of the video is heartfelt testimony from the women themselves, with some breaking down when relating difficulties they face being single.
视频中也展现了女性由于单身所带来的种种压力的由衷坦言，一些人由于单身几近奔溃。
"In Chinese culture, respecting your parents is the most important quality. And not getting married is like the biggest sign of disrespect," shared one woman, who later broke down in tears.
“在中国传统文化中，孝敬父母是最重要的品质。而不结婚是对父母的不孝敬，”一位女性含泪诉说道。
Another woman said: "People think that in Chinese society, an unmarried woman is incomplete."
另一位女性说道：“在中国，人们认为不结婚的女性是不完整的。”
The tough stances of the parents were also featured prominently.
父母想让儿女早日结婚的立场也是非常坚定的。
"We always thought our daughter had a great personality. But she’s just average-looking, not too pretty. That’s why she’s leftover," said one mother, who sat next to her daughter who tried to fight back tears.
“我一直认为我们的女儿性格很好。她只是长相很普通，不算漂亮。所以就剩下了，”一位母亲说道，女儿坐在身边强忍着眼泪。
But the video has proven popular online, resonating strongly with thousands of social media users.
这个视频非常火爆，在网上迅速迎来数万用户的反响。
A YouTube video uploaded on the brand’s official channel drew hundreds of thousands of global views and was shared widely among Facebook users.
土豆视频上传了这个视频，吸引了数万人次浏览，并且脸书用户转发无数。
In China, the video received more than 4,000 likes and was shared close to 20,000 times on SK-II’s official Sina Weibo account.
在中国，这个视频收到4000多个点赞，SK-II 的官方新浪微博账号这个视频被转发2万余次。
It drew huge praise from vocal netizens on the popular micro-blogging site and prompted a serious discussion.
这个微博获得了很多用户的赞赏，并且引发了激烈讨论。
"Every woman’s choice should be respected in civilised society," commented Weibo user Lotus Seed Core.
“在一个文明的社会，每个女性的选择都应该受到尊重，”微博用户Lotus Seed Core说道。
Cecilia Leung from Beijing commented: "I am a single girl and I needed to see this ad, to tell me that I am not alone and I am not wrong for my choices. One can be happy without a man, and we shouldn’t be punished for our choices in life when we have not wronged others."
来自于北京的Cecilia Leung 评论道：“我是个单身女孩，我需要看到这个广告，并且告诉我，我并不孤独，我的选择没有错。没有男人，女人可以照样活得很好，我们不应该因我们的选择而受到任何惩罚，因为我们并没有对不起任何人。”
Another user had this to share: "Age is only a number and should not be used to gauge everyone’s goals in life, it’s different. To sisters who have yet to meet their soul-mates, don’t give up hope and listen only to your heart. Not even your parents, for only you know what is right for yourself. And if you don’t, do not grieve but celebrate your life."
另一位用户这样说道：“年龄只是一个数字，年龄不应该成为划分每个人生活目标的标准，每个人都是不一样的。对于还没有找到心仪之人的姐妹们，不要放弃，听从你内心的选择。甚至不能听父母的安排，因为只有你知道谁才是最适合你的。如果没有遇到心仪之人，不要悲伤，应该尽情享受生活。”
Ending on a positive note, the advert sees the single women and their parents visiting a "marriage market".
视频中以积极的态度结尾，单身女性和其父母去游览“婚姻市场”。
These "markets" are usually a place for parents to leave posters listing the details of their unmarried children, in the hopes of finding a match.
这些“市场”通常是父母将自己未婚子女的细则海报张贴出来，以此希望找到合适对象。
However, in this case, the parents are shown posters of their daughters, with positive messages for their parents.
然而，在这个视频中的婚姻市场中，父母为女儿张贴了积极鼓励的信息海报。
In one poster, a woman tells her parents: "I don’t want to get married just for the sake of marriage. I won’t be happy that way."
在一个海报中，一个女性这样告诉父母：“我不想为了结婚而结婚。那样我就不会快乐。”
"I am opposed to the term ’leftover woman’," says another, with her mother adding: "The ’leftover men’ need to try harder."
“我反对‘剩女’的标签，”另一个女生说道，她的母亲说：“‘剩女’需要更坚强些。”
Only the beginning’
这只是开始
But can the single women of China see real happy endings - where society will truly accept their choices?
但是中国的单身女性真的会看到愉快的结局吗—社会真的会接受她们单身的选择吗？
"At the moment, that is only a fantasy," says Ms Hong Fincher, adding that the "incredible angst, personal torture and societal pressures" depicted in the advert are still prevalent.
“目前，这只是一个幻想，” Hong Fincher先生说道，视频广告中人们的“巨大忧虑、个人的折磨和社会压力”仍然会普遍存在。
"Marriage in China is extremely patriarchal and women need to see that being single is something to be celebrated, not to be ashamed of," she says.
“中国的婚姻是以男权为主，所以单身女性应该是值得庆贺的，而不是羞愧的，”她说道。
"But I believe that this trend of women who choose to be single and independent is going to increase and this is the beginning."
“但是我认为女性选择独立会越来越多，这只是个开始。”
"But I believe that this trend of women who choose to be single and independent is going to increase and this is the beginning."
“但是我认为女性选择独立会越来越多，这只是个开始。”
