美国《洛杉矶时报》文章8月21日发表记者John M. Glionna发自北京的报道，题目是China tries in vain to keep bellies buttoned up（中国徒劳地阻止男人露肚皮），报道说北京最近几年在整顿市民不良习惯方面可没少下力气，但在最炎热的夏日，还是管不住某些男人，无论年龄和体型如何，将衬衫卷起并露出肚皮。这篇报道的译文如下（转引自参考消息网，王会聪译），英语原文附后：

（photo:John M. Glionna, Los Angeles Times）

    在炎热难耐的夏天，当清爽的凉风不再光顾北京，胡连群（音）心不在焉地就找到了解决办法：卷起T恤衫，晾出大肚皮，他还经常把衣服当空调，不时抓起来给自己扇扇风。从乡村到现代化气息浓厚的北京等大都市，无论年龄、社会地位和体型如何，许多中国男人经常在公共场所展示肌肤。

　　他们被称为“膀爷”，即“光膀子的男子”（不管年龄多大）。在炎热的季节，“膀爷”似乎无处不在：在商业区内昂首阔步、在公园里下棋、在动物园里带小孩、在熙熙攘攘的街巷闲谈。他们中拥有搓衣板式腹肌的人凤毛麟角。尽管如此，许多人并没意识到自己招来衣着时尚的路人的窃笑。大多数人根本不在乎。

　　“我不知道，只是感觉这样更凉快”，一个闷热难耐的早晨，正在公园长凳上乘凉的胡先生说，“瞧，只要扇扇上衣就能弄出点凉风。我没瞅见任何人笑话我。”在附近一家体育用品商店，齐童（音）对这种说法嗤之以鼻。“这有损北京作为国际大都市的形象”，这名21岁的年轻人说，“我有时在家也光膀子，但在公共场所从不这么做。如果同我一起外出的爸爸抓起衣角，我就威胁回家。实在太丢人了。”另一名男性顾客说：“我永远不会这样。这不文明。”

    近几年，中国一直特别关注公共形象。2008年奥运会前，首都精神文明建设委员会就开始治理随地吐痰、当街谩骂、排队加塞、在公园长椅睡觉等不文明行为。今夏世博会期间，上海市也敦促市民不要再闯红灯和穿睡衣上街。

　　但事实证明，男人露肚皮是一种难以制止的风气。多年前，中国男人们为图凉快经常将上衣脱得一干二净，结果遭到坚决抵制。2002年，北京媒体甚至发起一场让人们彻底明白光膀子是粗俗行为的运动。每天，报纸都登载大腹便便的光膀子照片，让他们感到羞耻而改掉这种陋习。但就像巴黎的“T型台”，潮流总在演进中。在北京，光膀子很快就演化为掀起上衣。有些人为凉快甚至干脆将两个裤腿也翻上来。

　　许多人为这种习俗辩解说，历史也站在他们那一边———人们曾因被称为“大老粗”而感到脸上有光。虽然许多男人称在大热天露肚子有益健康，但医学从业者不这么看，“暴露肚皮与中医理论没丝毫关系。”

　　蔡克清（音）表示自己没什么不好意思的。在做零售工作的间隙，他懒洋洋地躺在公园长椅上，掀起上衣，嘴上还叼着香烟。他对“暴露肌肤男”现象的争论一清二楚。“我才不在乎什么公众形象呢”，他说，“实在太热了。”▲（王会聪译）

China tries in vain to keep bellies buttoned up
Beijing has been on a manners kick for the last few years, but on the hottest summer days, there is no stopping men of all ages and shapes from rolling up their shirts and exposing their tummies.
August 21, 2010|By John M. Glionna, Los Angeles Times

John M. Glionna, Los Angeles TimesReporting from Beijing — In the sweltering heat of summer, when the refreshing breezes desert the city, Hu Lianqun absent-mindedly reaches for a solution: He rolls up his shirt to expose his belly, often fanning himself with the garment to create his own air conditioning.

They're known as bang ye, or "exposing grandfathers"(despite their age range). In the hottest weather, bang ye seem to be everywhere, striding among the tall buildings in Beijing's business district, playing chess in parks, holding children's hands at the zoo and negotiating crowded alleyways.

There are precious few washboard abs among the lot. Still, many fail to notice that they're drawing smirks from fashion-conscious passersby. Most just don't care.

"I don't know, it just feels cooler," says Hu, perched on a park bench on a sultry weekday morning, the temperatures already into the 90s, the humidity soaring. "Look, you just shake your shirt to create a breeze. I don't see anyone laughing at me."

In the sports attire section of a nearby department store, Qi Tong scoffs at such reasoning.

"It lowers Beijing's standing as an international city," the 21-year-old says. "I go without a shirt sometimes at home, but never in public. If my dad reaches for his shirt when I'm out with him, I threaten to go home. It's just too embarrassing."

Says a shopper in the men's suits section: "I'd never do it. It's uncivilized."

In recent years, China has shown a keen awareness of its public image. Before the 2008 Summer Olympics, Beijing's Spiritual Civilization Steering Committee railed against such bad manners as spitting, cursing, cutting in line, urinating in public, sleeping on park benches and loudly slurping food.

During this summer's World Expo, the mayor of Shanghai has urged residents to stop running red lights and strolling the streets in pajamas, a popular summer attire.

But male belly-baring has proved a tough habit to beat. Years ago, men often did the full Monty with their shirts, taking them off completely, as a way to beat the heat, prompting fashionistas to put their foot down.

In 2002, one Beijing newspaper even sponsored a campaign to drive home the point that going shirtless was gauche. Each day, the Beijing Youth Daily ran candid pictures of shirtless men, often with bellies bulging, in an effort to shame offenders into compliance.

But as on the catwalks of Paris, style evolves. In Beijing, it soon morphed into the rolled-up-shirt look. Some go even further to beat the heat, rolling up their pants legs.

Many defend the practice, insisting that history is also on their side: During the Cultural Revolution, when good manners were condemned as bourgeois, it was considered a compliment to be called a dalaocu, or "a rough old guy."