China's ?1.4 million sheep
140萬英鎊的中國羊

For the man who has everything, this year's prize bauble in China is a ?1.4 million sheep bred in the ancient Silk Road city of Kashgar.
對擁有一切的人們來說，今年的最佳寵物是來自絲綢之路古城喀什的一頭價值140萬英鎊的刀郎羊

Only 1,000 Dolan sheep exist in the world, according to breeders, and their extraordinary features have made them the latest collectors' item for ultra-rich Chinese.
據(jù)培育者稱目前全世界僅有1000頭刀郎羊存世,，其非凡的特質(zhì)更使得這一物種成了中國富人的新寵,。

"Big bosses come here in their luxury cars and load the sheep into the back seat," said Liu Fenghua, a 48-year-old sheep breeder in the city of Aksu, in the far western region of Xinjiang.
“大老板們坐著高檔車來，把羊放在后座上帶走了,。”居住在新疆的48歲羊農(nóng)劉鳳華這樣說,。

"Usually the bosses are Uighur Muslims who have made their money in the sheep industry and want a prize sheep for a pet," he added.
“一般這些老板都是維吾爾族的穆斯林，他們本身就是養(yǎng)羊發(fā)家的,，所以想要這種特別的羊做寵物,。”

The Dolan breed has a distinctive curved nose and twin tails, as well as a long floppy ears. Originally bred from sheep in Kashgar to grow quickly and to yield more meat, the breed has since become ornamental.
刀郎羊有著與眾不同的鷹鉤鼻,、兩條尾巴和又長又軟的垂耳。這種原產(chǎn)于喀什的羊種最初是為了繁殖更快肉量更多而培育的,，但現(xiàn)在已經(jīng)成了觀賞類動物,。

"The price depends on the pedigree," said Mr Liu. "The darker the fleece, the better. The bigger the ears the better. The more curved the face, the better, like an eagle's beak. The best ones have a dark body and white tail."
“價格由血統(tǒng)決定。”劉先生說,，“毛色越深越好,。耳朵越大越好。面部曲線越深邃越好,，最好是像鷹鉤,。最好的品質(zhì)是身上黑尾巴白的。”

He added that a Dolan can reach maturity, and weigh some 200lbs, after just six months.
他補(bǔ)充說,，只要六個月刀郎羊就能成熟,，體重可達(dá)200磅左右。

The most valuable sheep is a six-year-old owned by Majid Abdul Reyim, a breeder in Kashgar. Mr Reyim said he had received offers of 14 million yuan (?1.4 million) for it, but had not yet succumbed to a sale.
目前最貴的一頭刀郎羊已經(jīng)六歲,，主人是喀什的一個飼主Majid Abdul Reyim,。據(jù)他說有人出1400萬要買它，但他還不想賣,。

"That sheep is the grandfather of all the best pedigree Dolans in the region," said Mr Liu. "I have one of its grandsons and that one is worth some six million yuan. I have 19 in total and I feed them dates and walnuts as well as grass."
“這頭羊是當(dāng)?shù)厮辛挤N刀郎羊的祖父,。”劉先生說，“我就有一頭它的孫子,，價值600萬元左右,。我應(yīng)該養(yǎng)了19頭，除了草料,，每天都喂它們棗子跟核桃,。”

Dolan breeders said that several families often clubbed together to buy a single sheep as an investment and then charge for its breeding rights. The top sheep can command fees of up to 300,000 yuan per dose of semen.
刀郎羊的培育者們說一般幾個家庭會湊錢買一頭種羊，然后租出去配種,。最好的羊的配種費(fèi)是30萬人民幣一次,。

"I sold all my other regular sheep last year, around 320 of them, and could not raise enough money for just one Dolan with that," said Mr Liu. "I started breeding Dolans in 2009, buying a couple for 25,000 yuan. The next year, I had an offer of 250,000 yuan for them, and the price keeps rising."
“去年我把所有別的羊都賣了，一共320頭左右,。但還是不夠錢買一頭刀郎羊,。”劉先生說，“我從2009年開始培育刀郎羊,，當(dāng)時花了25000塊買了一對,。去年有人要出25萬買這兩頭。價錢每天都在漲,。”

The UK's most expensive sheep was an eight-month-old Texel tup, or uncastrated male, called Deveronvale Perfection.
英國最貴的羊是一頭名叫Deveronvale Perfection的八個月大特克賽爾種羊,。

It was sold at auction in 2009 for ?231,000 at a livestock auction in Scotland.
在2009年蘇格蘭的一次拍賣會上拍出了23.1萬英鎊高價。

China's sudden wealth has produced bubbles in all sorts of commodities, from tea to fine wine to jade. Last year, a Tibetan Mastiff puppy called Big Splash became the world's most expensive dog when it was sold for close to ?1 million in the city of Qingdao.
中國的暴富階層促生了各種商品的泡沫,，從茶葉到紅酒再到玉都是如此,。去年一頭藏獒幼犬在青島拍出了近100萬英鎊的天價,，成為全球最貴狗。