What is the "Chinese Dream?" (中国梦)

Question

Sorry if this is getting too non-language specific, but I think it still has language merits that fit the sites requirements.

中国梦 we really don't need a translation as it's clearly just a play on 美国梦 (the "American Dream), so we have: the "Chinese Dream."

What we do need is a definition. What is the Chinese Dream?

There are, of course, certain connotations that come with the American Dream: freedom, prosperity, etc. but I'm at a loss as to what the Chinese Dream means or even denotes.

Answer 1

Chinese Dream is mostly a political slogan of Chinese President Xi Jinping. It's the Communist Party's official vision for China since the 18th National Congress.

大家都在讨论中国梦，我以为，实现中华民族伟大复兴，就是中华民族近代以来最伟大的梦想

Everybody is discussing the Chinese Dream. I believe that accomplishing the great revival of the Chinese race, is the greatest dream of the Chinese nation in recent times.

_{-- President Xi Jinping, 29 November 2012}

Secondly, Xi has outlined his plan of Chinese Dream to be:

1. Achieving a moderately prosperous society by 2021 (the 100th anniversary of the Communist Party of China's founding).
2. Achieving the dream of the Chinese nation's great revival by 2049 (the 100th anniversary of the People's Republic of China's founding), by putting in place the socialist utopia.

Lastly, the Communist Party subsequently issued a list of ways in which the Chinese Dream is supposed to differ from the American Dream. Conversely this establishes the definitions of the Chinese Dream to be:

1. Achieve national wealth - as opposed to private, personal wealth of American Dream
2. Achieve national success - as opposed to the individual success of American Dream
3. Limited to Chinese persons - as opposed to American Dream being for foreigners too
4. Harmonious joy of the group - as opposed to American individual liberty/happiness
5. Based on the depth of history - as opposed to American materialism of now
6. Focus on the power of the masses - as opposed to American individualism
7. For the sake of national glory - as opposed to American belief for individual prestige

I leave whether to believe any of their ideas for "Chinese Dream" up to you... You can read more about it on the wikipedia article.

Answer 2

the song 《我的要求不算高》 from last year's CCTV spring festival gala articulates some aspects of the chinese dream on a micro level e.g. blue skies, greater healthcare provision, educational opportunities. it's possible to read this as the state-sanctioned limits on individual Chinese dreams as content in the gala is tightly controlled and vetted.

the singer doesn't mention "pushing back against US/Japan hegemony in the south and east china seas" for example, which would be part of the larger Chinese dream. Nothing overly political or structural is included: at the heart of the Chinese dream is the continued leadership of the CCP.

watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=di-qATFK3WM http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XNjY3ODU2NDI4.html

Answer 3

Here is mine:

   Fresh air;
   Clean water;
   Blue sky;
   Sparkling teeth;
   Beautiful women, frank and affectionate;
   Handsome men, frank and affectionate;
   Magnificent animals in natural habitats;
   High quality of living;
   Significant contribution to world's science and technology;
   Significant contribution to world's philosophy and art.