Artist and fierce government critic Ai Weiwei has turned the tables on China’s Communist regime by transforming a crippling tax fine he says is designed to silence him into a huge wave of solidarity.
中國藝術家與政府的猛烈批評者艾未未最近讓中國共黨政權翻盤，因為艾未未把被他稱為企圖讓他消音的政府鉅額逃稅罰金，變成了一股強大的團結浪潮。
The painter, sculptor, architect and activist was a thorn in the side of the government even before he managed to pay a 8.5 million yuan bond thanks to money raised by some 30,000 Chinese people in record speed.
即使在他尚未透過3萬名中國民眾在創紀錄的極短時間內募得高達人民幣850萬元的保證金之前，身兼畫家、雕塑家、建築師與運動人士多重身份的艾未未就一直被中國政府視為眼中釘。
The artist disappeared into police custody for 81 days earlier this year. He was released in June, but on November 1 was ordered to pay 15 million yuan in back taxes levied against a company he set up.
這位藝術家今年稍早曾遭警方拘留，有81天音訊全無。他後來在6月獲釋，但11月1日又被要求繳交他所開設公司積欠的1500萬元逃漏稅金。
Days later, a spontaneous online movement to help Ai began. Supporters sent him money orders, cheques, Internet transfers, and even rolled bank notes into balls and threw them over the walls of his Beijing studio.
數天後，網路上自動自發地出現一場幫助艾未未的運動。支持者寄給他匯票、支票、或透過網路轉帳，甚至把鈔票捲成小球，直接朝他位在北京工作室的牆裡丟。
Renaud de Spens, a Beijing-based Internet expert, said the outcome was a “huge kick in the teeth” for the government. “The regime tried to scare him, but it was not a good strategy,” he said.（AFP）
住在北京的網路專家何諾表示，這種結果對當局而言是「料想不到的重大挫敗」。「中國政權企圖嚇唬他，但這並不是個好策略，」他說。
新聞辭典
turn the tables on somebody：片語，指扭轉局勢，翻盤，如She turned the tables on her rival with allegations of corruption.（她靠著反控敵手貪污扭轉了局勢。）
thorn in someone’s side：片語，指欲除之而後快的眼中釘、肉中刺，如Health inspectors are a thorn in the side of most restaurants.（大多數餐廳都把衛生督察員視為眼中釘。）
本文由自动聚合程序取自网络，内容和观点不代表数字时代立场
