Among Chinese collectors of antiquities, power and patriotism sell, or at least that is the assumption Sotheby's is making as it prepares for the spring auction season next month.
在中国古玩收藏者中，象征权力和爱国主义的藏品更受欢 迎，至少苏富比拍卖公司(Sotheby's)在为下个月的春季拍卖做准备时做出了这样的假设。
A collection of rare objects owned by Qing dynasty emperors will fall under the hammer, including a white-jade seal carved for Emperor Qianlong that is expected to fetch more than US$6.5 million. Other imperial memorabilia for sale will include an 18th-century ceremonial pearl necklace and a ruyi scepter carved of boxwood, both believed to have been owned by Emperor Yongzheng.
一批曾为清朝皇帝所有的稀世藏品将被拍卖，其中包括乾隆皇帝的 一枚白玉印章，预计成交价将超过650万美元。将拍卖的其它御用物品还包括一条18世纪的御制朝珠和一个用黄杨木雕刻而成的如意权杖。据信二者均为雍正皇 帝所有。
The theme of the promotional materials, 'Imperial Power,' is designed to appeal to collectors from China keen to buy artwork and antiquities from their own country, said Nicolas Chow, Sotheby's senior director for China and Southeast Asia. Many are business people, often with 'a clear sense they are buying their history back,' he said.
苏 富比中国及东南亚地区高级主管仇国仕(Nicolas Chow)说，宣传材料的主题是“皇权”，旨在吸引渴望购买自己国家的艺术品和古玩的中国收藏者。他说，许多收藏者都是商人，他们通常有着明确的想法，即 要把他们的历史买回来。
For these buyers, an association with power and authority carries more clout than the usual approach taken with Western buyers of Asian collectibles. That approach is summed up by the title of a catalog for the same April 8 Hong Kong auction presented to Sotheby's European and North American clients: 'Objects of Contemplation.'
对这些买家来说，与权力和权威相 关这一内涵比购买亚洲藏品的西方买家所关注的普通卖点更能吸引他们的注意力。苏富比为其欧洲和北美客户准备的香港拍卖会同样定在4月8日。其拍品目录的标 题《沉思之物》总结了西方买家所关注的卖点。
'It is really about pitching the right piece to the right clients and presenting the objects in such a way that our clients can make sense of them with their respective set of references,' said Mr. Chow. 'It is about understanding the objects, what they are, what they say, and having a solid grasp of our diverse clientele.'
仇国仕说，重要的是要把合适的藏品推介给 合适的客户，并且用一种合适的方式加以展示，让我们的客户能够根据自己的一套参照条件来理解藏品的意义所在。你需要理解藏品，理解藏品的内涵和所表达的意 思，并且能够牢牢地把握住不同的客户群。
Buyers from mainland China have become important to the major auction houses. As China's economy expanded, wealthier Chinese auction buyers were gaining ground on their Western counterparts. The global economic downturn, which was less severe in China, accelerated their rise.
对大型拍卖行来说，中国大陆买家已经成为重要客户。随着中国经济的扩张，富有的中国买家正在逐渐缩小与西方买家的差距。全球经济低 迷对中国的影响没有那么严重，这也加快了中国买家的崛起。
That makes it more important for auction houses to tailor their marketing to the Chinese, who are active in other categories as well.
这样，拍卖行对中国买家有针对性的营销活动就变得更加重要了。中国买家在其他领域也很活跃。
Bonhams, which opened a Hong Kong office in 2007, initially sold only art, but soon added watches, jewelry, wine and even whiskey to its roster of Hong Kong auctions. The company also plans more promotional events on the Chinese mainland.
2007年，邦瀚斯拍卖行(Bonhams)设立了香港办事处，最早只卖艺 术品，但很快就在香港拍卖会中增加了手表、珠宝、葡萄酒、甚至威士忌。该公司还计划在中国大陆进行更多的宣传推广活动。
A representative for Christie's International PLC said it promotes auctions by choosing 'the most appropriate lots from a sale to highlight in different countries,' including countries in Asia. 'The choice of such lots is made with careful consideration of cultural tastes and sensibilities,' the representative said.
佳士得拍卖公司(Christie's)的一位代表说， 该公司会在不同国家选择最适宜的拍品作为宣传重点，藉此宣传拍卖会，包括亚洲国家。这位代表说，拍品的选择是经过对文化品位和感受的认真考虑后作出的。
Christie's ran into trouble with the Chinese government last year when it auctioned off two animal bronze heads looted from China's Summer Palace in 1860. Nevertheless, the company saw the value bought by Chinese buyers world-wide in its sales rise 94% in 2009 compared with the previous year.
去年，佳士得与中国政府的关系遇到了麻烦，当时它拍卖了1860年英法联军从圆明园掠走的两个青铜兽 首。尽管如此，2009年中国买家在该公司竞拍中的销售额较上年增长了94%。
In a sign of the importance of the Chinese market, Christie's has dispatched one of its most experienced staffers to head its Hong Kong-based Asian operations. Francois Curiel, who has been with the firm for more than three decades, previously was head of Christie's jewelry division and its European chief.
佳士得还派了经验最丰富的人员之一高逸龙(Francois Curiel)担任驻香港亚洲业务负责人，显示出中国市场的重要性。高逸龙已经在佳士得效力30多年，此前曾担任佳士得珠宝部主管和欧洲业务负责人。