素不相识
萍水相逢
This is not an abstract painting...Check if you can get the right interpretation with the Artist playing a game of world politics (and don't miss the conclusion part)....
这是一幅油画，最近在西方社会以及网络世界引发的口水已经比画家所用的颜料多出千倍。画家是刘溢，一个去了加拿大的中国人。2005年3月6日纽约一个画展据说展出了此画，引起了很多猜测，因为画作的题目是：“2008北京”。
Recently this oil painting has created more verbal exchanges in the Western society and cyberspace than the colors used in the same. The painter is Liu Yi, a Main Land Chinese migrated to Canada. On 6th March 2005 the painting was apparently displayed in an exhibition in New York. It aroused many interpretations. The title is "Beijing 2008"
这张图很有意思，名字叫北京2008，画的却是四个女人打麻将，显然有隐藏得很深的含义在里面。
It is interesting. While the painting is titled "Beijing 2008", it shows 4 ladies playing Mahjong. There are some messages in it.
正面下方背后有文身的亚裔女子，应该是中国了。
左手打牌打得聚精会神的，是日本。
穿着上衣侧头的是美国。
躺得很YD的的，是俄罗斯。
旁边站着的小女孩，是台湾。
Right in front, the Asian lady with tattoo at the back should be China.
On the right, the lady with full concentration should be Japan.
Address with the tops looking sideway is USA .
Lying rather seducing is Russia.
The little girl standing by the side is Taiwan.
中国碰了“东风”，是何含义？可能是两层意思，一是中国借了东风在崛起；二，“东风导弹”是中国已经摆在台面上的有力武器。中国一方面形势好像不错，但不知道其他的牌如何，而她又在牌桌下做着小动作。
China "tripled" the Dong tiles (East Winds, this is a double up). Maybe it means China has arisen with the circumstance (the winds); maybe that is the display of the "East Wind" missiles she possesses now. It looks like China is doing ok, but there is no clue about the other cards (tiles). Meanwhile she is doing some little tricks under the table.
美国一副成竹在胸的样子，看着台湾，表情很耐人寻味，一方面是想从台湾的表情里读懂些什么，一方面眼神又在给台湾做暗示。
USA, appearing confident, is looking at Taiwan with an expression; perhaps trying to read from the look of Taiwan and send some messages.
俄罗斯一副漠不关心的样子，其实不然。一边脚勾搭着美国，一边在给中国递牌，两国可以说是在暗中互相交换利益。
Russia may appear indifferent, but it is far from that. A leg is on USA and one hand is passing card(s) to China. They are some exchanges.
日本人一本正经看着自己的那副牌，全然不知道别人在做些什么动作，只顾着打着自己的牌。
Japan is all eyes on the cards, unaware of what others are doing.
台湾身穿红肚兜，可能意思是中华文明的最后真正继承者。。。台湾一手拿着水果一手拿着水果刀，表情阴郁而愤恨得看着中国。。。但没办法，他不入局，无论最终谁胜利，他都只能帮别人切水果。
Taiwan wears a red abdominal vest, maybe implying she is the last successor of the Chinese culture. She holds a tray of fruits in one hand and a fruit knife in the other, looking quietly at China with resentment. But she has no option. She is not in the game (a little girl?). She may only offer the cut fruits to the winner(s), whoever she may be.
窗外河边乌云密布，应该是暗示海峡两岸局势危机，一触即发了。
墙上的挂象很有意思，孙中山的胡子，蒋介石的光头，毛泽东的长相。。。
Dark clouds hang over the river outside the window, should be the tension over the straits separating Main Land and Taiwan. Any time now...The portrait on the wall is interesting, moustache of Sun Yet Sun, the bare head of Chiang Kai Shek, the face of Mao Tze Tong...
这四个女子的着装也很有意思。
中国光着上身，下边一条裙子一条内裤。
美国一件外套一件内衣，下身却光着。
俄罗斯只剩一条内裤了。
日本已经什么都不剩了。
这也是各国局势的写照。
How the 4 ladies dress is also very interesting.
China bares top, with a panties and a skirt.
USA has a --- and a top, bares the bottom.
Russia is left with panties.
Japan has none.
These perhaps reflect the status of each nation.
美国衣着看上去最整齐，实力也最强大，其他几人均有点衣不蔽体，但美国貌似光鲜，但却其实已经暴露了自己的底线，而中国和俄罗斯虽然貌似赤裸，但关键阴私却藏住了。
The attire of USA appears to be most complete, probably she also the most powerful. Others are short of something here and there. Though USA is most presentable, she has nevertheless exposed her bottom (line). Then while China and Russia look naked, the private parts are covered.
假设这局牌是赌脱衣服的，谁输了谁脱。
We assume this is a stripping game, loser strips a piece.
这一局牌打下来。。。中国输，则沦落到如今俄罗斯的地步。。。（跟苏联解体情况相当。。。）
美国输，也会沦落到俄罗斯的地步。。。
俄罗斯再输，则彻底沦落到一无所有。。。
而日本，其实已经一无所有了。。。俄罗斯貌似相公，在陪打。。。其实俄罗斯是在和中国换牌，真正的陪打是日本。。。因为她已经没东西可输了，而且一输就立刻出局了。
This game..... China loses, she will be like Russia today... (broken up).
If USA loses, she will also be like Russia ...
If Russia loses again, then she has nothing left...
And Japan is already left with nothing....
Russia may appear to have drawn an extra tile (by rule cannot complete the game i.e. cannot win), and is hanging on...BUT she is actually exchanging tiles with China ...
The other person hanging on is Japan, since she has no more "chip". She is out of the game if she loses.
总结一下。。。
In conclusion:
美国最假正经，看上去最光鲜。。。但其实危机不小。如果打输这一局，他就得交出霸主的地位。
USA is pretending. She looks most glorious but faces great dangers. If she loses this game, she loses the dominating position.
俄罗斯两边勾搭，最是阴险狡诈。。。情况有点类似解放后的中国，一会倒向苏联一会倒向美国。。。因为自身实力不济，只能在两边摇摆以求得生存和发展
Russia has a leg each on a boat, most sly... Her situation is a little like China after liberation (when the communist took over China), sometime with USSR sometime with USA ... Due to her lack of self sufficiency, she has to yo-yo between two parties for survival and room for development.
中国的牌有太多看不见了，说明中国隐藏了很多实力？而且桌面下又和俄罗斯在换牌。。。而美国人却只能从台湾的表情上去揣测中国和俄罗斯干了些什么。。。日本人则一无所知，继续打着自己的牌。。。中国的牌最深不可测。
China has many tiles but not in view, does that imply China keeps her strengths under wrap? And she is exchanging tiles with Russia under the table…USA can only try guessing from the expression of Taiwan what may be happening between China and Russia… Japan looks ignorant, just continues to play her cards. China’s hand (of tiles) is most unpredictable.
日本。。。别人在搞这么多动作，他基本没有赢的可能。。。而且一输的话立刻出局。
Poor Japan ... so many things happen around her, she has no chance of a win; and, she is out the moment she loses.
台湾。。。她冷眼旁观，桌上这些人在搞什么她都看见了，心里也清楚。。。可是她没有入局的资格和能力，也没有话语权。。。心怀不满也无济于事，只能做你的丫头，给胜利者献上你的水果。
Taiwan… keeping watch as a bystander. She sees all that transpire in the game, and she understands. But she is not qualified to, nor capable of participating in the game; and she has no right to speak…she is full of grievances but helpless. She will be the maid, offering fruits to the winner(s).
胜利者应该在中国和美国之间产生，这个悬念不大。但要看清楚，美国尽管实力强，但她们玩的是中国麻将，不是西方扑克，按中国人的规矩玩牌，美国人的成算又有多少？
The winner should be a pick between China or USA , there is little doubt above this. Then again if you notice, they are playing Chinese Mahjong, not Western Pokers. Playing with the rules of Chinese game, what is the odd for USA?
