BEIJING — This year is ending on an especially high note for Stephon Marbury, the former N.B.A. point guard who came to China five years ago in hopes of a new start and rocketed to fame and favor, leading the Beijing Ducks to three Chinese Basketball Association championships.
北京——今年年末,前NBA控卫斯蒂芬·马布里(Stephon Marbury)迎来了一个特别的“关门红”。马布里五年前来到中国,希望有一个新的开始,很快他就声名鹊起,带领北京首钢男篮三次夺得中国篮球联赛的冠军。
He had already been honored with a statue, a musical based on his life and a series of postage stamps. Last year, the mayor of Beijing awarded him “honorary citizenship” for his contributions to the city’s home team.
一尊雕像,一部根据他的经历制作的音乐剧,以及一系列邮票,这些是他已经在享受的荣耀。去年,北京市市长还授予了他“荣誉市民”称号,表彰他对这座城市的球队做出的贡献。
Then, on Monday, Mr. Marbury, 38, presided over the opening in Beijing of a museum, the House of Marbury, devoted to his career. And on Friday, Christmas Day, his agent said, he will receive a Chinese green card, becoming one of the most prominent Americans to be granted permanent residence status in China.
而在本周一,38岁的马布里为北京的“马布里之家”揭了牌,那是一个专门记录他的职业生涯的博物馆。他的经纪人表示,本周五圣诞节那天,他将获得中国绿卡,成为被中国授予“永久居留证”的最著名的美国人之一。
“I’m so blessed and thankful to receive my Chinese green card,” he wrote last week on his Weibo microblog after his application was approved. “I feel like my love for China is being shown in the same way. Being the first foreign basketball player to receive a green card means a lot in making history in China. Thank you so much!”
“能获得中国绿卡,我感觉非常幸运,对此我非常感谢,”上周申请获得批准后,他在微博里写道。“我觉得我对中国的爱也以同样的方式表现了出来。成为第一个获得中国绿卡的外国篮球运动员,很有首开先河的意义。太谢谢你们了!”
Since the permanent residence program was set up in 2004, only about 5,000 foreigners of more than 600,000 living in China have been granted a green card, according to China Daily, a state-run newspaper.
官方媒体《中国日报》表示,自从2004年永久居留计划开展以来,只有大约5000名外国人获得了绿卡,而居住在中国的外国人有60多万。
Government guidelines say that permanent status applicants should have a direct investment in China, hold senior positions in companies or academic institutions, or have significant talents and skills needed in China.
官方的申请指南称,“永久居留证”申请人应在中国有直接投资,在公司或学术机构担任高级职位,或有中国需要的突出才能。
Mr. Marbury told China Daily that holding a green card would mean he would no longer have to apply for a visa to stay in China and that it would enable him to bring business to China and “do all little different things in Beijing.” He added, “That’s a historical moment.”
马布里告诉《中国日报》,有了绿卡意味着他要不再需要申请签证就能留在中国,这样一来,他就能把生意带到中国来,并且能“在北京做各种事情”了。他说,“这是一个历史性的时刻。”
On Weibo, his fans responded with similar enthusiasm.
在微博上,他的球迷报以同样的热情。
“Good to have ya not only as Duck player, but real Beijinger!” a user identified as Liu PengBryan wrote.
“Good to have ya not only as Duck player~but Real Beijing 人儿!”(太好了,你现在不仅是北京鸭的球员,还是真正的北京人儿了!)一个网名为“刘朋-Bryan”的用户写道。
“Congratulations,” a commenter with the handle Xiao Rui loves Beijing Ducks wrote. “We will always love you, and we are a family!”
“恭喜,”一个名为“小蕊子爱首钢”的网友写道。“我们永远爱你,我们是一家人!”
The good cheer was in clear evidence on Monday, when Mr. Marbury inaugurated the House of Marbury, a short distance from Tiananmen Square in Beijing.
周一在离天安门广场不远的“马布里之家”举行揭幕式时,气氛的确十分喜庆。
“Today was one of the best days of my life in opening my own museum,” he wrote on Weibo, maintaining his ebullient tone. “I couldn’t of dreamed this dream for myself although God has created another miracle in this life for me. Without my teammates, coaches and fans from Beijing, this wouldn’t be possible.”
“今天是我生命中最美好的日子之一,我有了自己的博物馆,”他在微博上写道,语气中依旧洋溢着热情。“这是我做梦也想不到的事情,虽然上帝已经为我的生命创造了另一个奇迹。如果没有我在北京的队友、教练和球迷,这是不可能做到的。”
The museum, which displays photos of Mr. Marbury tracing his younger years in Brooklyn, his N.B.A. career and his new life in China, will open to the public next Monday, the state news agency Xinhua reported. It quoted Mr. Marbury as saying at the opening ceremony that his Beijing Ducks jersey meant the most to him of all six jerseys exhibited at the museum.
官方通讯社新华社报道称,博物馆将于下周一对公众开放。馆内展示的照片追忆了他在布鲁克林度过的年少时光、在NBA的职业生涯以及在中国的新生活。报道援引马布里在揭幕式上的话称,对他来说,博物馆里展出的六件球服中,首钢队那件是最重要的。
“I don’t say that because of the championship, but just because I’m here at home and I’ve had a support system,” he said at the ceremony, which family members and Beijing Ducks teammates and coaches attended.
“我这么说不是因为获得了冠军,而是因为这里是我的家,我有一个支持系统,”他在揭幕式上说。家人和首钢队的队友及教练都出席了仪式。
In 2010, Mr. Marbury, who had played for the Minnesota Timberwolves, New Jersey Nets, Phoenix Suns, New York Knicks and Boston Celtics, wrapped up his N.B.A. years and went to China to start anew. After playing briefly with the Shanxi Zhongyu Brave Dragons and the Foshan Dralions, he joined the Beijing Ducks in 2011. In the four years since, he has led the team to three national championships.
2010年,曾为明尼苏达森林狼队、新泽西网队、菲尼克斯太阳队、纽约尼克斯队和波士顿凯尔特人队效力的马布里结束了在NBA的征战,去中国重新开始。在短暂效力于山西中宇猛龙队和佛山龙狮队后,马布里于2011年加入首钢队。从那之后的四年时间里,他带领首钢队三夺全国冠军。
Thus the statue, the musical, the honorary city citizenship, the stamp, the museum and next, the green card. And his fans’ fervor is unabated.
于是,马布里有了自己的塑像、音乐剧、荣誉市民称号、邮票以及接下来的绿卡。他的球迷狂热不减。
“My father and I watch every of your games on TV together,” wrote a user identified as Shuo_Xs on Weibo. “Because of you, the Beijing team now has hopes, and my father and I now have more to talk about and we are becoming closer. I support you forever.”
“我和爸爸会在电视上看你的每一场比赛,”微博上一个名叫Shuo_Xs的用户写道。“因为有你,北京队现在有了希望,我和爸爸也有了更多可以聊的话题。我们的关系更近了。永远支持你。”