薛蛮子回归微博 向粉丝道歉

One of the most influential users of China's top micro-blogging platform appears to have returned to the site seeking forgiveness, after having been detained on charges of soliciting a prostitute in an arrest that signaled the start of what is widely seen as a government offensive to reassert its control online.

中国最大微博平台最有影响力的用户之一似乎已经回归微博，寻求人们的谅解。之前他因涉嫌嫖娼被拘捕。人们普遍认为这起事件标志着政府在互联网管控战役中吹响了新的号角。

Messages posted on Saturday were the first in nearly eight months from the account of Charles Xue, an American venture capitalist whose remarks on Weibo were once a must-read for millions of Chinese social media users. They came three days after Mr. Xue was released on bail for unspecified health reasons. Mr. Xue is a U.S. citizen who was born and works in China.

美国风险资本家薛蛮子(Charles Xue)的微博账户上周六发布了近八个月以来的首批信息。他在微博上的言论曾经是中国数百万社交媒体用户必读的内容。三天前，薛蛮子因为未详细说明的健康原因获得保释。薛蛮子是美国公民，出生于中国并在中国工作。

'Through my lack of self-discipline and mistakes, I've brought irreparable harm to my family, and for this I apologize sincerely to my wife and family members,' said the first of a series of messages on Saturday afternoon from the account of Mr. Xue, whose legal name is Xue Biqun. He uses the handle Xue Manzi online. 'At the same time, I bow earnestly and sincerely in the direction of my followers. I'm sorry. The old man disappointed you,' said another.

薛蛮子上周六下午发布了多条信息，其中的第一条中说，“因为我的不自律和过错，给我的家人带来了无可弥补的创伤，在此我真心向妻子家人道歉。”另一条信息说，“同时我也诚心诚意给我的粉丝盆友们鞠个躬，说一声对不起，老汉辜负你们了。”薛蛮子真名薛必群。

The posts capped an extended period of Beijing's public humiliation of Mr. Xue. Since shortly after being detained, the investor was branded as morally degenerate by state media and shown handcuffed on national television confessing to being reckless online, in what some Weibo watchers described as a 21 century version of a Cultural-Revolution struggle session.

这些博文是北京公开羞辱薛蛮子的延续。在薛蛮子被捕后不久，中国官方媒体给他打上道德腐化的标签。在政府公布的视频中，薛蛮子戴着手铐，承认自己在网络上草率地转发评论。一些微博观察人士称，这形同“文革游街示众”21世纪版。

Mr. Xue couldn't be reached for comment. His family and friends have declined to comment or disclose his current contact information.

记者未能立即联络到薛蛮子置评。他的家人和朋友不愿发表评论，也不愿披露薛蛮子目前的联系方式。

The white-bearded investor was among the biggest of Weibo's so-called Big Vs--influential users with verified accounts--who at one point boasted more than 12 million followers. He currently has 11.5 million. Politically liberal, he was sometimes critical of the government. And thanks to his following, Mr. Xue was capable of drawing massive attention to stories that cast authorities in an unfavorable light.

胡须斑白的薛蛮子是新浪微博“大V”（拥有众多粉丝、影响较大的认证微博账户）之一。他的微博账户一度拥有逾1,200万粉丝，目前拥有约1,150万粉丝。薛蛮子是自由派人士，他有时会在微博上批评政府。由于粉丝众多，薛蛮子在微博上的评论使那些对政府形象造成负面影响的报道受到了广泛的关注。

It isn't clear whether Mr. Xue has stood trial on the solicitation charges or whether he might face trial on those or other charges in the future. Typically, people released on bail are given freedom on the condition that they continue to behave in ways the authorities find acceptable.

尚不清楚薛蛮子是否已经因被控寻 滋事受审，也不清楚未来他是否可能因涉嫌这一罪名或其他罪名受审。一般来说，取保候审的犯罪嫌疑人被暂时解除羁押，前提是保证随传随到。

On Thursday, the People's Daily published a 'confession' under Mr. Xue's name in which the 61-year-old apologized for spreading unverified rumors.

上周四，《人民日报》发表了署名薛蛮子的悔过书，61岁的薛蛮子就散布未经证实的谣言进行道歉。

'As a Big V when I reposted items about China's tap water being contaminated with contraceptives, mercury in the fish in Zhoushan, etc., it caused serious damage to society,' the People's Daily confession said, urging other verified Weibo users to think of their social responsibility before every post. 'For me to be punished by the law I think is entirely appropriate.'

《人民日报》刊登的薛蛮子悔过书称：“作为一个网络大V，我当年转发了关于自来水含避孕药、舟山渔场含汞等微博，造成了很严重的社会危害。”他还敦促其他微博认证用户每发一条微博，都要考虑肩负的社会责任。他说：“我受到法律的惩罚，我认为这是完全应当的。”

Pleading for clemency, he also reportedly apologized for his offline behavior. 'Group sex and soliciting prostitutes and are both repulsive things, and for me they're also a little difficult to talk about,' the article cited him as writing. 'For this ugliness, I've already paid an enormous price.'

薛蛮子还对线下的行为表示歉意，并恳请得到从宽处理。他在悔过书中称：“不管是聚众淫乱，还是卖淫嫖娼，都是件非常丑恶的事情，对我来说也是一个说起来有些难以启齿的事情，我为这个罪恶已经付出了很大的代价。”

In the last of the messages posted to his Weibo account on Saturday, Mr. Xue was quoted as telling his followers that he intended to pursue constructive activities, including helping China's youth realize 'the dream of entrepreneurship, the China dream.' The message also said he planned to nurse himself back to health; the People's Daily piece alluded to heart problems. The message concluded with: 'Do you support me?'

在上周六发布的最新微博中，薛蛮子告诉粉丝，他将继续从事建设性活动，包括帮助青年人实现他们的创业梦、中国梦。这条微博还说，他会好好养病（《人民日报》刊文中提到他有心脏病）。在微博结尾，他说：“你们支持吗？”

Though some people exulted in his humiliation, most users pledged their support. Still others dismissed the messages as forced.

尽管有些人感到幸灾乐祸，但大部份微博用户表示了支持。不过也有一些人认为上述信息是薛蛮子被迫发出的。

'I want to know what you really think. Really,' wrote one such user.

一位用户写到：“我想知道你究竟是怎么想的，真的。”