pictrue from baidu.com

I have always wanted to write about the people and events of the Transformers. Of course, just like most of my articles, they are not only about the Transformers but also, more importantly, the good old days of our generation, because it’s more than just fleeting memories of the past, it also represents the most beautiful times of our lives, our carefree childhood.

　　我一直都有个想法，想写下有关变形金刚的一些人和事物，当然，如同我的文章多数一样，我写的不仅仅是变形金刚，更是一代人对于逝去那童年的追忆，因为那不仅仅是一种回忆，更是代表了我们那人生中最美好的时光之一，那段无忧无虑的童年。

The latest Transformers: The Last Knight movie was recently released, i spent quite some time thinking about the stories of the Transformers and finally decided to write about them in a series of articles. They will be The Memory of Our Generation, Memoirs of Transformers: How They Came to China; Memoirs of Transformers: Their Past Lives; and Memoirs of Transformers: Their Current Affairs. I do hope you will enjoy reading them, and i will be thrilled if you resonate my love for Transformers too!

　　随着电影版《变形金刚 5》的上映，我想了许久的关于变形金刚的内容，终于确定下来，我准备花几篇文章来写，分别为《一代人的记忆：变形金刚回忆录之国内诞生记》、《变形金刚回忆录之变形金刚前世篇》、《变形金刚回忆录之变形金刚今生篇》，希望大家喜欢，当然，能找到大家的共鸣最好不过了。

In late 1987, two unexpected visitors arrived at STV (Shanghai Television Station) lobby, and they are foreigners! Even though the Chinese economic reform has been carried out for some time, and Shanghai is a popular international trading port so it’s not uncommon to see foreigners, but the arrival of these two guys did surprise the staff at STV.

　　1987年底，上海电视台大堂，来了两个不速之客，而且还是老外！虽说改革开放已有几年，而且在上海这个国际大都市，人们也已经习惯了老外，并没有表现出太多的惊讶，但是这两个老外的到访，还是让电视台的工作人员吃了一惊。

They introduced themselves as marketing representatives from an American toy company. Those who were present that day couldn’t remember much about them, but were all very impressed when they demonstrated the toys they brought along. The action figure transformed magically into a car in their hands, all just in the blink of an eye. It was truly fascinating.

　　老外自称是从美国过来，说是美国一家玩具公司的市场部工作人员，几个当事人回忆，已经对当时的老外印象不深了，但是那两个老外边介绍，边翻弄着手上的玩具，令在场的人印象深刻的是，老外手里那几个卡通小人，稍微翻几下，像变换魔术般，眨眼间就变成了一部汽车，非常神奇。

Later we would know that the toy company they represented was the famous Hasbro. Since the Transformers TV series were very popular in America, Hasbro had made their action figures a bestseller too.

　　后来我们都知道，这家公司就是大名鼎鼎的孩之宝公司，而且当时随着《变形金刚》在美国的热播，孩之宝公司已经将变形金刚在美国炒得热火朝天。

One of the marketing representatives told his audience enthusiastically that many American TV stations would pay double the price to broadcast their Transformers series. Of course no Chinese believed him, and nobody would want to believe him because back then, China had never imported a foreign animated television series, let alone paying a high price for it. Later the STV program department found out that before Shanghai, these two Hasbro representatives had first been to Beijing, and tried selling their program to the prestigious CCTV (Central Chinese Television) but were rebuffed, reasons being “there’s too much violence, not suitable for TV culture, so there is no way we would broadcast it.”

　　其中有个老外带着略微涨红了的脸激动地跟在场的人讲，国内(美国)很多电视台都愿意付双倍的价钱，来买他们自己的片子(变形金刚动画片 84版)。。。

　　然而现场根本就没人相信，也没人愿意相信，因为很简单，国内的市场迄今为止，那时候还没从海外引进过任何动画片，更别说花大价钱购买了。

　　节目部的后来人才知道，来上海之前，这两个已经去过了北京，找到电视台一哥中央电视台，但没曾想在央视那里碰了一鼻子灰，据说央视内部人给出被拒的原因主要是“”暴力成分比较多，不利于塑造荧屏文化，根本就没商量余地”。

Perhaps it was due to their previous rejection by CCTV, or they were just too eager to enter the Chinese market, while STV was still considering the matter, the Hasbro representatives approached STV chief and told them that, after communicating with their headquarters in America, they had decided to give STV the Transformers (98 episodes) broadcasting rights for free! Not even a penny.

　　可能是先前在北京吃过闭门羹，或许是老外急于打开中国市场，正当电视台里意见不一时，那两个老外又找到电视台负责人，一再宣称，经过跟美国总部沟通过，最终决定98集《变形金刚》，全部免费无偿送给上海电视台播放，不要一分钱。

What a great opportunity fell into their lap! STV decided to give it a go.

　　天上掉下个大馅饼，这等好事当前，上海电视台决定先试试看。

Cream rises to the top. Just as explosive as the atomic bomb, Transformers became an overnight sensation in China. Almost in every street you would hear boys calling “Autobots, transform and roll out!!”

　　是金子始终会发亮的，如同引爆了“原子弹”般，几乎是一夜之间，全国各地，大街小巷，几乎每个男孩子都高喊着“汽车人，变形，出发！”

In 1988, as a little boy and who first saw Transformers on TV, i was instantly mesmerized by the characters and their stories. I believe that many of us who grew up in the 80s are deeply fond of the Transformers, just like me. When i was little, my greatest wish was to have a transformer action figure. Of course, i didn’t ask for Optimus Prime or Megatron, because even an unknown character would make my biggest dream come true!

　　1988年，童年的我，第一次在电视台上看到《变形金刚》，那一瞬间，就被里边的人物和剧情吸引住了。对于变形金刚，相信我们这一代人都有很强烈和很深的感情，我也不例外。童年的时候，我最大的愿望之一，就是希望拥有一只变形金刚，当然，我没渴求擎天柱，又或者是威震天，哪怕是一个微不足道的人物，都是我最大的梦想。