毕业论文-导游购物回扣问题研究与对策建议.docx

导游购物回扣问题研究与对策建议摘要：旅游购物是旅游六要素中不可或缺的环节和旅游行程重要的项目安排,也是旅游业收入构成中最具潜力的增长点。但是随着近年来旅游业的发展，参与人数的不断增加，导游回扣问题却愈演愈烈，在旅游购物活动中,导游人员收受或私拿回扣,诱导、蒙骗或强迫旅游者购物以谋取高额的回扣已经成为旅游行业一个公开的秘密。而这对旅游六个环节的破坏必然影响到旅游业的可持续、健康发展。就这是个困扰旅游界多年的难题，本文将对导游购物回扣的现状展开分析，简要分析导游回扣的危害，找到导游购物回扣问题的根本原因，最后就如何解决这一问题提出些个人的看法。关键词： 导游 购物 回扣研究study on the problems and countermeasures of tour shopping rebateabstract:tourism shopping is an indispensable link and travel six elements of tourism important project arrangement, constitute the most potential growth and tourism income. but with the development of the tourism industry in recent years, the number of participants increase, guide rebate has become a problem, in the tourism shopping activities, tour guide personnel receiving or personal kickbacks, induction, deceive or forced tourists shopping to seek higher rebate has become the tourism industry an open secret. the sustainable, healthy development and the destruction of tourism six links is bound to affect the tourism industry. this is the problem that the tourism industry for many years, this paper will present on the tour shopping rebate analysis, hazard analysis guide kickbacks, fundamental reason to find a tour guide shopping rebate problems, finally puts forward some people on how to solve this problem.keywords: tour guides，shopping rebates，analysis of causes，measure目录摘要abstract绪论5 1.1本论文研究的意义5 1.2本论文所研究的导游回扣5 1.3本论文要做的工作及论文结构框架61 导游购物回扣问题的现状和定性分析71.1导游购物背景分析 71.2旅游回扣形成的原因71.2.1旅行社企业恶性削价竞争的必然结果81.2.2现行的导游薪金制度不合理81.2.3导游人员自身原因82 导游购物回扣问题负面影响分析92.1对行业发展的危害性92.2对导游人员自身的形象影响93 治理旅游回扣的对策103.1建立公正、合理的导游人员薪资分配制度103.1.1尝试建立导游人员薪金体制和社会保险体系103.1.2根据旅行社企业的整体效益设定导游人员的效益工资113.2整顿规范旅游购物市场113.3加强对旅行社的管理113.3.1遏制旅行社的恶性削价竞争113.3.2加强对旅行社企业劳动人事制度的监管力度114 参考文献12绪论 1.1本论文研究的意义作为旅游发展的六要素之一，旅游购物在现代旅游业发展中的地位是毋庸置疑的，购物回扣作为导游重要的收入来源，促使了导游采取各种方法对购物产生影响，而这对旅游业整体的健康发展是极不稳定的因素。具体而言，导游购物回扣问题的研究就相关对策建议的意义主要体现在以下三个方面：第一：促进旅游业中对导游人员管理的各项法律法规的建立和健全。导游回扣现象的出现有很多原因，但造成不当的导游购物回扣现象的根源却是导游薪酬制度的不合理以及各项监督和约束法规的缺失。这也是我国旅游体系业发展不健全的表现之一，对这一问题的研究将促进我国旅游市场的规范化，同时也为相关立法部门提供资料和建议。第二：加强旅游六要素的协调发展。吃、住、行、游、购、娱作为旅游业的六大要素，其中任何一个要素被破坏都将对其他要素产生影响，从而使这一完整的过程变得不再连续。这将大大破坏旅游业的持续发展和旅游环境，在我国旅游业起步晚的情况下，破坏这一完整的产业链会导致更难以和世界 旅游业接轨也更加难以抵挡欧美等旅游发达国家对我国旅游业和旅行社的冲击。第三：增强人们的出游信心，加快实现大众旅游时代的到来。导游人员对游客进行理性消费的引导，尊重游客的购物自由和决定，在一定程度上会减少游客的出游顾虑和参加旅行社的顾虑。这样做一方面增加了旅行社的收入和发展，另一方面则促进了旅游市场的繁荣、增大了游客量，为大众旅游时代的到来减少障碍。1.2本论文所研究的导游回扣 导游回扣的法律定义来源于中华人民共和国反不正当竞争法第八条：“在账外暗中给予对方单位或者个人回扣的，以行贿罪论处；对方单位或者个人在账外暗中收受回扣的以受贿罪论处。经营者销售或者购买商品，可以以明示方式给予对方折扣，可以给中间人佣金。经营者给对方折扣、给中间人佣金的，必须如实入账。接受折扣、佣金的经营者必须如实入账。”从此定义出发，经营者给予对方单位或者中间人的“好处费”，如果双方如实入账，此费用就是合法的折扣或者佣金；否则就是回扣，是行贿受贿的违法行为（戴学锋，1997）1 戴学锋.关于打击旅游业中的回扣的几点想法 j .旅游学刊, 1997(1)1。对导游来说，导游向游客推荐一些旅游商店去消费，商家以游客购买额的一定比例付费给导游，导游没有将此部分折扣、佣金入账而是据为己有，此部分收入即为导游回扣（苗学玲，20012 苗学玲. 对旅游业回扣现象的反思 j . 旅游学刊, 2001 , 16( 2 )2。导游回扣主要分为三个主要部分，一种是在旅游线路中都安排有购物环节，购物店与旅行社之间都有协议，即导游带人去购物店进行购物，店家会根据进店人数和所购金额给予一定的回扣，即购物回扣；一种是导游人员在自费景点门票中的回扣，即景点项目回扣；最后一种是旅行社在旅游行程中会安排一些具有特色的餐饮饭店供游客品尝地方风味从中拿取回扣，即餐饮回扣。本文将要分析的是第一种回扣，即购物回扣。1.3本论文要做的工作及论文结构框架 导游购物回扣问题已经影响到旅游业的健康发展，找出导游回扣形成的根本原因，采取科学、实事求是的态度，引导导游回扣回归正常化、法律化、可接受化是本文的主要工作。基本内容分为三个部分：第一部分，对导游购物回扣问题进行现状的分析。这一部分简单介绍一些基本理论。通过对导游购物背景的分析，阐述导游购物的含义及实质以及作用和地位。在了解背景的基础上分析高额回扣的由来即回扣的组成部分。最后通过几个不同的角度解释购物回扣形成的原因，这也是第一部分的主要内容和本篇论文的重点，原因的详述是下文的对策建议提出的基础。第二部分，对导游购物回扣问题后果分析。通过三个方面阐述导游回扣问题的危害及影响。即导游回扣问题对行业发展的危害性、对导游人员自身的形象影响、对旅游者的权益和正当利益的影响。认清导游购物回扣的造成的恶劣影响，在一定程度上会增加改革导游薪酬的力度。第三部分，提出对导游购物回扣现象整治的四点个人意见。通过对收集资料的总结和概括，对导游购物的认识进一步精确化，更加科学的揭示规律，把握本质，理清关系，预测研究对象的发展趋势，在归纳的基础上提出自己的观点，即建立公正、合理的导游人员薪资分配制度、整顿规范旅游购物市场、加强对旅行社的管理、需要配套做好的其他工作。1 导游购物回扣问题的现状和定性分析1.1导游购物背景分析 随着我国旅游业的高速发展，旧有的各项管理制度和体制已不再适应现在的发展要求；随着旅游市场的成熟和大众旅游时代的到来，各地旅行社如雨后春笋般涌现出来，再加上外国旅行社的冲击、旅行社进入壁垒底等情况，使得旅行社行业的竞争进入白热化，整个行业进入微利时代再加上旅游产品不规范的市场操作等原因，直接引起了导游购物回扣问题并有愈演愈烈之势。1.2旅游回扣形成的原因 第一；现行的导游薪金制度不合理是这一问题的根源。 当前社会，导游薪酬的组成比较特殊，导游都属于“三无人员”：无基本工资、无基本福利保障、无明确劳动报酬保障，不少业内同行自嘲为“生活在社会边缘的人”。导游的工资在全国一般标准大约为200-800左右/月，大多为300-600之间。当然，也有旅行社不给导游基本工资。许多旅行社为了节约成本都是在旺季时临时聘请导游的，不但不发给导游人员微薄的工资和各种福利保障，而且还要求他们向旅行社交纳上千元的押金和一定的管理费用、带团“人头费”（即导游花钱买团带）等等。这种不合理的薪金制度不能全面评价导游的工作量和工作质量，不能保证导游劳动价值的补偿。它极大地挫伤了导游人员的服务积极性，使得服务质量再好的导游也会滑向“导购人员”，妨碍了旅游业的健康发展。而国家对于导游的这种病态的工资制度也没有相应的法律文件去改善制约，这也可以看作是对导游私拿回扣的一种放任。这些都是导游拿回扣的直接原因。第二；旅行社企业恶性削价竞争的必然结果。首先由于旅行社进入门槛较低，只要交纳规定数额的注册资金和质量保证金就可以成立，随着旅游业的发展，旅行社业急剧膨胀，我国旅游业的市场有限，一些旅游业管理部门没有充分发挥出宏观调控的作用以及监察力度，在一定程度上纵容了旅行社间的恶性竞争，削价竞争激烈。有关数据显示在20世纪末旅行社的利润率还在8%左右，但到了21世纪的最近几年旅行社的利润率已经跌到了2%左右，我国旅行社业正逐步成为微利时代。在竞争的压力和利益的驱使下, 许多旅行社仅以“顾客导向”为主, 忽视“成本导向”, 竞相以削价为主要手段来销售产品, 使得销售价与采购价之间的差异微乎其微”(杨雪兰，2009)5 杨雪兰. 导游回扣问题及其治理措施基于宁波市专职导游人员的调查分析 j .浙江师范大学学报, 20095。为保证必要必要的利润, 旅行社唯有取消导游的薪酬、 降低接待标准,甚至纵容、怂恿导游带客购物, 以获得不菲的 “人头费”和购物签单。旅行社组团利润的偏低和恶性低价竞争使得导游不得不把很大一部分精力放在购物上,而不能专心带团, 这是造成以回扣为主的导游薪金体制的最重要原因, 也是导致导游服务质量下降的最直接原因。第三；导游人员自身原因。“新中国的导游队伍最早产生在二十世纪七十年代后期，当时由于我国旅游事业的刚刚起步，外语类院校的毕业生能获得优先从事导游工作的机会。再加上其他专业的毕业生的陆续进入，逐步形成了我国导游翻译队伍的“科班”核心”4 安刚强 .导游购物回扣问题研究 j .西北师范大学学报, 2007表格来源：旅游调研2008年第4期 数据截止于2008年8月引自长江网/whyw/rdph/201104/t1339119.htm4。到了八十年代末期，国家为了适应旅游业的进一步发展对导游员人的需求增加，采取了导游人员资格考试制度，以吸引高校学生为主的更广泛的社会人员投身旅游事业，也打破了导游队伍的“门槛限制”。直到2000年，国家进一步改革和放宽了导游考试的形式，下放了导游考试的命题和模式的权限，导致更多的新导游进入到了旅游行业的队伍之中。但是，导游队伍的学历和文化程度并没有出现质的飞跃。有数据显示，2002年的导游人员大专以下学历占到81.1%，(见表一)到2006年9月，全国拥有导游资格证的人数达到47.27万人，其中职业导游人数达32.05万人中，30岁以下的占80%，大专及以下学历者仅仅下降到了80%，学历水平提高不快。同时，我国导游队伍呈现年轻化、平均学历偏低的状况，当前我国导游队伍中，初级导游占97%，高级导游和专家型导游人数极少，与海内外游客市场对导游的知识和阅历较高要求明显不相适应。导游人员的基本素质的提高的速度较缓，为进一步提高旅游服务质量就埋下了负面的伏笔。学历层次百分比（%）高中、中职、中专41.7大专39.4本科18.9研究生以上0 表一导游队伍学历构成表 来源：旅游调研2008年第4期 数据截止于2008年8月2 导游购物回扣问题造成的负面影响分析2.1对行业发展的危害性购物回扣的直接来源是“商品购销差价与偷税漏税”。许多导游带领旅游者进入景区纪念品店，甚至地处偏远的金银珠宝、钻石玉器、或者茶叶商场，利用旅游者对环境的陌生感以及语言不通而产生对导游的依赖感，引导或劝说游客购物获得回扣收入。由于购买商品为旅游地纪念产品，没有价格的可比性，很少有客人去探讨其真实价格，很容易购买到“价高质劣”产品引起旅游投诉，对旅游地的形象产生不好的影响，从而影响旅游地的口碑和形象。回扣的存在对国家的影响表现在巨额的税收损失上，回扣是不如实入账的好处费。定点商店与导游、旅行社暗中交易，所以没有人确切地知道某一导游每月的回扣收入为多少，旅行社和定点商店按规定应交多少税。回扣现象与旅行社价格竞争是互为因果的，旅行社为了生存发展不得不参与价格竞争，较低的价格要求较低的成本，所以旅行社降低甚至不给导游工资，导游只有利用职务之便追求“高额回扣”，而回扣反过来又成为旅行社利润来源的补充，就这样旅行社成了导游索取回扣的指使者和同伙，使旅游业的发展和管理形成了恶性循环。2.2对导游人员自身的形象影响导游素有“民间大使”的别称，有的国家甚至称导游是祖国的一面镜子，是一国一地的形象代表。由于导游的工作是引导旅游者旅游活动的核心，是旅游活动的灵魂，因此导游工作的好坏往往会影响整个旅行游览活动的成功与否。虽然导游工作涉及的食、住、行、游、购、娱中包括购这一项，但导游在其中起的只是翻译和辅导作用，以帮助旅游者更好地完成购物活动，解决各种问题，介绍有民族特色的纪念品，而不应是与商家联合起来坑骗旅游者。这样的行为不可能给旅游者留下美好的旅游回忆，只会让他们产生厌烦的心理。导游变成导购，是对导游形象的极大损害。2.3对旅行社的影响 目前，无论国际社还是国内社都深陷于削价竞争的旋涡中，旅行社的利润率越降越低。旅行社决不会打无利润的战争。他们早期通过降低消费标准，减少景点数目等来弥补损失。旅游者投诉的压力使他们只好采用较为隐蔽的方法把损失转嫁给游客，如:向导游按旅游团人数收取人头费；减少停车费过高速路费的报销金额；从购物点索取按人头计算的联营费；取消或压低导游的工资等。其结果是，他们的损失都从游客的各种消费回扣中得到弥补。所以，正是回扣的存在使旅行社的削价竞争成为可能，压价竞争不仅扰乱了旅行社行业的正常竞争，而且严重影响了旅游业整体接待质量。3 治理导游回扣的对策3.1建立公正、合理的导游人员薪资分配制度立足于导游等级和工作能力设定导游人员基本工资导游人员薪酬制度不合理严重阻碍了导游服务质量的提高和游客满意度的提高，成为制约旅游业发展的瓶颈。改变现行导游薪酬制度非常迫切，新制度应实现导游薪酬与游客计划外消费回扣的完全脱钩，并尽可能体现导游的工作量与工作质量。具体来说，衡量导游工作量时可考虑一定时段内导游累计工作时间和服务的团队人数；衡量工作质量时可参考导游的等级和游客填写的密封回收的导游服务质量评价表。因旅游有淡旺季之分，旅行社企业在制定导游薪酬标准时应力求做到以旺季的高收入来弥补淡季低收入，导游全年的收入应尽可能定在社会平均水平之上。导游是一项脑力和体力劳动强度都比较高的特殊工作。一次旅程的成功与否，在很大程度上取决于随团导游的服务水平和努力程度；而导游人员的服务水平和努力程度又在很大程度上取决于他们所得到的报酬和待遇。由于我国旅游市场尚不规范，没有适当的组织来保障导游的正当权益，要促进整个旅游业的良性发展，就必须在推行合法的旅游佣金制度的同时建立合理的导游薪酬制度。在旅游行业中建立合理的导游薪酬制度不仅是“按劳分配”原则的具体体现，也是确保合法的旅游佣金制度顺利实施的必要举措。3.1.1尝试建立导游人员的薪酬保障和社会保险体系国内大多数导游从业者，没有任何基本工资保障的现状，更有甚者，不仅没有基本的薪酬保障，甚至与旅行社或导游服务公司连劳动合同都没有。导游员是民间大使，工作特点是高脑力和高体力结合的独立运作，一名合格的导游，以专业知识、社会经验、应变能力、户外的辛苦和超时的付出给游客带来愉快、方便和时间的节约，从职业特点和从业资格来看导游员不应该成为社会低收入者。所以，首先应该提高导游的底薪和带团补贴费用的金额，让导游成为高薪职业。其次，导游与旅行社之间是雇佣关系，要建立合同关系并确立适当的社会保障体系，为全职导游人员购买各项社会保险，解决导游的后顾之忧。3.1.2根据游客满意度和工作量发给导游人员带团津贴导游的职业特点要求有较高的综合素质和良好的修养，按照素质不同、水平差异必然要形成合理的收入差距。可以实行如下方式：实行底薪等级制度。把导游底薪与导游等级相挂钩，不同等级底薪不同，允许差距激励导游提高自身素质；实行带团补贴差别化。把导游出团补贴与其提供服务的质量和游客满意度相挂钩，加强对游客回访和意见征集，对服务质量差的实行较低带团补贴。3.2整顿规范旅游购物市场 旅游经营行业组织商定佣金的合理比例执行合法佣金制度 。目前旅游市场上享受佣金分配利益的主体太多、佣金的给付比例过高，造成购物商店的商品和服务价格太高，严重影响了旅游者的利益和旅游体验。应该执行合法佣金制度，由旅游经营行业组织商定佣金的合理比例，寻求实现商家、司陪人员和旅行社企业之间利益的公平分配，并将佣金收授限于旅游商品销售企业和旅行社企业之间结算，杜绝高额佣金和暗箱操作。建立一支由旅游、工商、公共安全专家、税务、物价、质量技术监督等部门的联合执法队伍，来规范和整顿旅游购物市场，真正做到明码标价，实价实标。消除“回扣”的源头。3.3加强对旅行社的管理3.3.1遏制旅行社的恶性削价竞争 高额的购物回扣使旅行社能从中赚回其超低成本接团所附出动代价。从当前来看，加强旅游价格的市场监控，恢复正常的组团利润非常重要。有关部门要大力加强监督查处以“回扣”补偿的不正当削价行为，完备法制体制，提高行业进入门槛。对旅行社来说，要加快体制改革和企业重组，建立现代企业制度，通过专业化分工、市场细分和加强管理来提高生产效益。使旅行社由低价竞争转向质量和人才的竞争。而隶属旅行社“人头费”和签单费的压力，彻底摆脱“导购”的包袱，转而提高业务和服务质量来参与旅行社的带团竞争3.3.2加强对旅行社企业劳动人事制度的监管力度旅行社企业在国家发展旅游业中发挥了重要的作用，但有些企业钻国家在劳动人事监管力度不足的漏洞，至劳动法于不顾，至“五险”（养老、失业、工伤、生育、医疗）等社会保险。如果企业倒闭，导游人员生病、养老就必将陷入困境。另一方面，在传统等劳动人事管理制度下，一线导游员水平提高、贡献再大，在薪酬福利等方面与管理层存在着不小的差距，再加上受社会世俗观念的影响很多人不愿学技术、当导游。这导致了导游队伍出现断层，特别是中高级导游人才储备严重不足。有关方面应加强对旅行社企业的劳动人事监督力度，督促各旅行社企业加快改革人事用工与薪酬分贝制度，构筑吸引和留住中高级导游员的机制。4 参考文献您好，为你提供优秀的毕业论文参考资料，请您删除以下内容，o(_)o谢谢！a large group of tea merchants on camels and horses from northwest chinas shaanxi province pass through a stop on the ancient silk road, gansus zhangye city during their journey to kazakhstan, may 5, 2015. the caravan, consisting of more than 100 camels, three horse-drawn carriages and four support vehicles, started the trip from jingyang county in shaanxi on sept 19, 2014. it will pass through gansu province and xinjiang uygur autonomous region, and finally arrive in almaty, formerly known as alma-ata, the largest city in kazakhstan, and dungan in zhambyl province. the trip will cover about 15,000 kilometers and take the caravan more than one year to complete. the caravan is expected to return to jingyang in march 2016. then they will come back, carrying specialty products from kazakhstan a small art troupe founded six decades ago has grown into a household name in the inner mongolia autonomous region. in the 1950s, ulan muqir art troupe was created by nine young musicians, who toured remote villages on horses and performed traditional mongolian music and dances for nomadic families. the 54-year-old was born in tongliao, in eastern inner mongolia and joined the troupe in 1975.he says there are 74 branch troupes across inner mongolia and actors give around 100 shows every year to local nomadic people. i can still recall the days when i toured with the troupe in the early 80s. we sat on the back of pickup trucks for hours. the sky was blue, and we couldnt help but sing the folk songs, nasun says. the vastness of inner mongolia and the lack of entertainment options for people living there, made their lives lonely. the nomadic people were very excited about our visits, nasun recalls. we didnt have a formal stage. the audience just sat on the grass. usually, the performances became a big party with local people joining in. for him, the rewarding part about touring isnt just about sharing art with nomadic families but also about gaining inspiration for the music and dance. ulan muqir literally translates as red burgeon, and todays performers of the troupe still tour the regions villages and entertain nomadic families, but their fame has spread around the world. on may 16 and 17, nearly 100 singers and dancers from the troupe performed at beijings poly theater. their show, titled ulan muqir on the grassland, depicted the history and development of the art troupe. being from the region allowed me to embrace the culture of inner mongolia and being a member of the troupe showed me where i belonged, nasun, the art troupes president, who is also a renowned tenor, tells china daily. during a tour in 1985, he went to a village and met an elderly local man, who told him a story about his friendship with a solider from shenyang, capital of northeast chinas liaoning province, decades ago. the solider gave the old man a handmade saddle when they bid farewell. the story inspired nasun to write carved saddle, a song that later became one of his most popular numbers. now, every year, nasun recruits young singers and dancers for the troupe. the troupe has also designed a new repertoire, which is mostly based on the daily lives of mongolian people, especially the lives of nomadic families, and has combined contemporary musical elements with folk songs of the region. haimu, a 25-year-old khoomei (a local variant of overtone singing) singer, joined the troupe three years ago. along with a six-member band, he performs fast songs and soft ones that he writesall while playing the horse-head fiddle.although i learned the piano since childhood and grew up listening to various kinds of music, to me, the folk music of inner mongolia is the root, he says. performing in remote villages is pleasant. i feel at home on the boundless grasslands, and the warm people there make me feel fulfilled. the first round of spring auction season in beijing ended last week, but it failed to create much spring in the art market. although two pieces of chinese painting fetched more than 100 million yuan, the decline in trading volume and sale rate showed a downturn this year. in the “grand view: chinese painting highlight” session at china guardian 2015 spring auctions, pan tianshous representative work eagle, rock and flora hit a record auction price of 279 million yuan, while li kerans masterwork jinggang mountain fetched 126.5 million yuan, an unexpected high in recent years. however, the trading volume fells to 1.87 billion yuan from 2.22 billion yuan in the same period the year before. the huangchen 2015 spring auctions, which recorded 42.5 million yuan in total sales, experienced the same. the section number went down to 5 from 12 compared to last year. according to expert shao jianwu, the art market did not attract much excitement this year due to the booming stock market and the persistent problems of forgery and fake deals. the two pieces of chinese painting notched up high price this spring due to their own value not due to a revival in the market. the successful transaction of two works with a hammer price of more than 100 million yuan once again confirms that valuable and rare works of high quality always earn the long-lasting high price. chinese painting and calligraphy is still the pillar of the market. however, the overall sales rate has dropped slightly, which reflects the demand for the ordinary auction goods has weakened,” said the president of china guardians hu yanyan. besides, the entry of new buyers also makes certain changes to the direction of purchasing. in a word, the overall market trend is very unpredictable. although china guardian 2015 spring auctions has achieved remarkable results, it does not mean that the market has walked out of the predicament. we still have to wait for the big economic boom to invigorate the art market.” even so, the hot pursuit of some special items appeared this spring. a special session of china guardian spring auctions titled “fine giltbronze buddhist images” achieved a great deal with total sales volume of 41.89 million yuan and 92 percent sale rate. the 5th shamar rinpoche statue from 16-17th century of tibet was sold for 5.06 million yuan. the beijing chengxuan auctions featured almost 2,800 items of coins and stamps in three sessions with good sale rate. the huachen auctions also set a special session of photographs under the condition of large-scale decline of auction sessions. there was a palpable dull thud of disappointment that accompanied the return of the imperial entourage of zhen huan to her homeland. it followed a couple years of hushed excitement as chinese fans were fed tidbits about their proud concubine who was supposed to conquer the high ground of the north american market. zhen huan is, of course, the title character of the legend of zhen huan, a 2011 television series that swept china off its feet and later took other asian countries by storm. two years ago, it was reported that hbo, a premium cable service headquartered in the united states, was going to air it in north america after some modification. now, a condensed version that provides english subtitles but no dubbing has finally been made available on netflix for online streaming. this version, highly anticipated as a milestone in chinas cultural foray overseas, has been widely panned by its home audience. retitled empresses in the palace, the american version has been shortened from its original 76 episodes at 45 minutes each, to six 90-minute episodes. the quick pacing threw off many native viewers, who are accustomed to a more leisurely daytime-soap-style narrative rhythm. (chinese tv stations would run two or three episodes every day.) i did not finish the full-length version and found the truncated one not difficult to follow. whats lost, i believe, are the interesting setups and pauses that illuminate the chinese art of storytelling. much of the plot is still there. it is the flavor that was sacrificed. the american edition uses the framework of the empress dowager in her senior years reminiscing at the beginning and the end of each episode, hinting at whats to come and recapping the key points. this device, not used in the original, is culturally understandable but artistically mediocre. what puzzles me is the two new songs for the opening and end credits. they were written in english, but sung by chinese with an uncomfortable accent. they were obviously designed to appeal to an english-speaking base, but do not jibe with the chinese dialogue. speaking of the dialogue, the english translation, picked apart by some chinese, is too literal for my taste. i can imagine a typic