中国新任第一夫人优雅亮相

China's new First Lady is poised to impress--and burnish China's image overseas.

中国新任第一夫人已做好准备，去提升中国的海外形象。

Peng Liyuan, wife of China's new president Xi Jinping, made her debut as China's First Lady this week accompanying Xi in his first overseas trip as China's new state president.

上周，彭丽媛陪同新任国家主席习近平开展履新第一次外事访问，以第一夫人的身份首次公开亮相。

Wearing a belted overcoat, accented by a stand-up collar and a light-blue scarf, she stood next to Xi when they arrived in Moscow, the first stop of Xi's three-nation trip. Smiling radiantly, she shook hands with the Russian hosts, a step or two behind her husband.

在抵达莫斯科机场时，彭丽媛身穿束腰立领大衣，系着一条浅蓝围巾，站在习近平的身边。莫斯科是习近平三国访问之旅的第一站。尾随着习近平，彭丽媛微笑着和俄国的接待人员握手。

We've always looked forward to having an elegant First Lady that's presentable to the outside world," a Chinese official told me. "Now we have one."

“我们一直希望有一位优雅大方的第一夫人，向世界展示中国形象。现在这个愿望实现了。”一位中国官员告诉我。

Peng, 51, hardly needs help when it comes to public is a popular soprano, widely known in China for her soaring, glass-breaking voice and patriotic folk songs.

51岁的彭丽媛对大众来说并不陌生。她是著名女高音歌唱家。其家喻户晓的代表作包括：《父老乡亲》和《在希望的田野上》。

"Of course," the Chinese official replied. "She looks elegant, she is a successful professional and she comes from a modest background."

“当然。她平民出生，端庄大方，事业成功。”那位中国官员如是回答。

Peng was born to a family of artists in Shandong Province. Her mother was a member of a local art troupe; her father was a curator of local museum.

彭丽媛出生在山东的一个艺术之间。她的母亲是当地艺术团的成员，父亲则是博物馆馆长。在前几年的一个电视访谈中，彭丽媛回忆起童年，父亲带回来一台照相机。那是她第一次看见照相机，父亲却拒绝给她照相，因为相机是“国有的”，不是私人物品。后来，她的叔叔用相机偷偷地给她拍了张照。那是她童年唯一的一张照片。

In a TV talk-show interview a few years ago, Peng recalled the time when as a child she first saw a camera brought home by her father, who refused to take her picture because the camera was "state-owned," not a family property.

Later, her uncle secretly took her picture that became her only childhood portrait.

At age 14, Peng enrolled at a local university of art and design. Four years later, she joined the arts troupe of the People's Liberation Army as a soprano.

14岁时，彭丽媛考入当地一所入艺术学院。4年后，她加入了中国人民解放军文艺团，成为了一名女高音演唱家。她拥有民族声乐硕士学位，现任中国人民解放军艺术学院院长，少将军衔。

Peng became a superstar in 1983, when she sang in the first Lunar New Year's TV extravaganza, broadcast nationwide by state-owned China Central Television (CCTV).

1983年，她在央视首届春晚上演唱，从此走红。春晚当时大获成功，并从此成为中国每年收视率最高的节目，可与美国的超级杯媲美。此后彭丽媛几乎每年都会亮相春晚。直到2007年，习近平进入领导阶层，成为下届主席接班人，彭丽媛悄悄地淡出了公众视线。

She became an ambassador for tobacco control in 2009. Last year, she was appointed as the ambassador for the fight against tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS for the World Health Organization, an initiative aided by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

2009年，她成为控烟形象大使。去年，她被世界卫生组织聘请为抗击结核病和艾滋病亲善大使。该活动由比尔盖茨基金赞助。

Chinese analysts think Peng can similarly help burnish China's image overseas by projecting a softer touch.

中国分析家认为彭丽媛通过展示柔性外交能提高中国形象。

"I believe Peng has the prerequisites and the ability to contribute to China's diplomacy," said Liu Guchang, a former ambassador to Russia.

“我认为彭丽媛有能力为为中国外交做贡献。”中国前任驻俄大师刘古昌说道。

译者：Iris07