中国年轻人争捧金饭碗

A record number of young Chinese want to become bureaucrats to get the “golden rice bowl benefits that come with a career working for the government.

创纪录数量的中国年轻人想去“当官，以捧上政府部门工作这个“金饭碗。

The number of people taking the country’s civil service exam had steadily dropped over the past three years, but has shot up to an all-time high this year as a slowing economy has made the stability and perks of government work all the more attractive.

过去三年里，中国公务员考试参加人数平稳下降。然而，随着经济增长放缓，政府部门工作的稳定性和“油水吸引力陡增，公务员考试参加人数因此飙升至历史新高。

More than 1.5m people were expected to register for the civil service exam after a huge rush of applications yesterday, the final day to sign up.

昨日是公务员考试报名的截止日，报名人数在这一天出现激增。据估计，报名参加今年公务员考试的人，总计超过150万。

Test-takers specify which job they want, and the competition for some positions is fierce. There were, for example, more than 6,500 applicants for a post in the national statistics bureau’s branch in the southwestern city of Chongqing, according to the People’s Daily newspaper.

考生会指明自己想从事的工作，一些职位的竞争非常激烈。例如，《人民日报》报道称，逾6500人在争夺国家统计局重庆调查总队的一个职位。

In the 1980s and 1990s, as China’s market reforms accelerated, the trend was for bureaucrats and the employees of state-owned companies to leave their government cocoon for the potential riches of the private sector. This career switch became known as “plunging into the sea.

上世纪八九十年代，随着中国市场改革加速，官员和国企员工倾向于离开体制内的安乐窝，进入民营部门追逐潜在的财富。这种职业转变称为“下海。

But over the past decade, the government’s grip on the economy has strengthened, luring people back into the civil service. Jobs in the bureaucracy are perceived as cushy, with light workloads and plenty of benefits from subsidised housing to free meals – hence the term golden rice bowl.

但在过去十年里，政府对经济的控制有所加强，这使得公务员工作重现吸引力。人们认为体制内工作轻松、工作量小，可享受从补贴性住房到免费餐饮等诸多福利——这就是“金饭碗一词的由来。

With corruption rampant, many also believe that the government offers opportunities for self-enrichment. This year’s downfall of Bo Xilai, the disgraced politician, has highlighted the extraordinary wealth available to high-level officials.

由于腐败横行，很多人还认为政府部门工作提供了“自肥的机会。今年，颜面扫地的政治人物薄熙来的倒台，凸显出高级官员能够捞到的巨大财富。

State media have lamented the surge in job applicants over the past week. The Global Times, described civil service careers as an “irresistible temptation. “It is abnormal that so many people are competing for each civil servant position, it wrote in an editorial. “To move forward, China needs to provide more attractive opportunities to its people.

官方媒体对过去一周公务员考试报名数量飙升表示失望。《环球时报》将公务员工作描述为“挡不住的诱惑。“每一个公务员职位都有如此多的人竞争，还是有些失常。该报在一篇社论中写道，“中国要发展，向全体公民提供更多也更有吸引力的人生机会。

The labour market in China has remained tight despite the economic slowdown. The social security ministry said last week that there were 105 jobs for every 100 job seekers in the third quarter, level with the second quarter.

尽管中国经济增长放缓，但劳动力市场仍然紧张。中国人力资源和社会保障部上周表示，第三季度的岗位空缺与求职人数之比为1.05:1，与第二季度持平。

But with China set for annual growth of less than 8 per cent, its slowest in more than a decade, corporate profits have suffered, leading to lay-offs and pessimism in the private sector. By contrast, the civil service appears far steadier. Wages for bureaucrats are about Rmb3,000 ($480) a month on average, less than what many of their peers in industry earn, though this does not include bonuses or illicit income. It is expected there will be an average of 90 candidates vying for each available government post. The bar has been set high for the most popular jobs. To even sit an exam, candidates must first pass strict background checks.

但是，由于今年中国经济的增长率很有可能低于8%（为十多年来的最低水平），企业利润已受到影响，导致民营部门出现裁员和悲观情绪。相比之下，公务员系统似乎稳定得多。公务员的平均月薪为3000元人民币（合480美元）左右，不及许多同等级别的企业界人士，但这里面并不包括奖金或非法收入。预计平均而言，每个公务员职位将迎来90个人的竞争。最热门的职位门槛很高。而且即便是为了参加考试，考生也先得通过严格的背景审查。

One blogger on Weibo, a Twitter-like service, recounted his ordeal. His first choice was a job with the securities regulator, but he was rejected for displaying insufficient writing skills. His second choice was the central bank, but he was rejected for never having studied abroad. His third choice was the insurance regulator, but he was rejected because the profession did not match his degree. His fourth choice was the banking regulator, but he was rejected for not having good enough English. Finally, he said the tax office in the eastern district of Beijing – his fifth choice – had agreed to let him take a test.

类Twitter服务“新浪微博(Weibo)上的一位博主讲述了自己的痛苦经历。他的首选工作是证券业监管部门的一个职位，但因写作能力不够强而遭到拒绝。他的次选是央行，但因无留学经历而遭拒。他的第三个选择是保险业监管部门，但因专业不对口而遭拒。他的第四个选择是银行业监管部门，但因英语不够优秀而遭拒。他说，最后是北京东城区税务局同意让他参加考试——这已是他的第五个选择。

Civil service exams have existed in various forms in China for more than 1,000 years, providing a standardised system for recruiting. However, many applicants say today’s process is less impartial than it appears.

公务员考试已在中国以各种形式存在了上千年，形成了一套标准化的招聘制度。然而，很多报名者认为，今日的流程并不像看上去那样公正。

Ms Lu, a doctoral student who declined to give her first name, said she was applying for the second time, aiming for a job as a translator. “I just want to give it a try. I don’t think I can make it happen, she said. “There are uncontrollable factors, like using personal connections to get it done.

一位不愿透露自己全名的陆姓（音译）博士生表示，她这已是第二次报名考试，目标职位是翻译。“我只是想试试。我不认为我有戏。她说，“这里面有些无法控制的因素，比如利用个人关系来搞定。

Additional reporting by Emma Dong

董慧(Emma Dong)补充报道