Every winter, as homes in northern China are warmed up by central heating, a debate emerges over whether to provide the same service to southern China. This year is no exception.

每年冬天，当北方家庭享受着集中供暖的时候，关于南方是否应该供暖的争论就浮现出来。

The controversy¹ stems from a government decision made six decades ago. In the 1950s, the government drew a line on the map of China, which runs almost along the Qinling Mountains and the Huaihe River. The line not only defines China’s northern and southern regions, but also determines whether you live in a region cold enough to receive government-supported heating, Xinhua reported.

争论来源于60年前的一项政府决议。20世纪50年代，我国政府沿着地图上的秦岭和淮河划了一条线，据新华社报道，这条线不仅成了中国南方和北方的界线，更决定了你住的地区是不是冷得够得上享受政府提供的集中供暖。

Cities north of the line have coal-fired central heating, which circulates hot water generated by government heating stations through pipelines² and radiators³ to almost every residential⁴ building and public facility.

秦岭-淮河一线以北地区燃煤集中供暖，政府供热站生产的热水不断循环，并通过管道和暖气片向各个居民楼和公共场所供暖。

Cities south of the line, including Shanghai, Chongqing and Nanjing, do not have this service. Most residents have to turn to various private heating devices to stay warm in winter, although some local governments have started to build trial heating networks in urban communities and public places.

而以南的地区，包括上海、重庆和南京在内，则不能享受这项服务。尽管有些地方政府在城区和公共场所开始了试点供暖系统，但大部分市民还是不得不使用各种自采暖设备在冬天取暖。

In recent years, there have been growing calls to provide central heating to the south, as more and more people expect a better quality of life. But opinions are divided on the matter.

近年来，随着老百姓对生活质量要求的提高，南方集中供暖的呼声也越来越高。不过大家对此事的看法却有分歧。

Zhang Xiaomei, a member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, supports reform. Pushing the line southward will keep more people warm and is “a solution for energy conservation and emission⁵ reduction”, said Zhang. But industry experts have yet to reach a consensus⁶ on this claim, as coal-fired central heating often leads to smoggy weather.

中国人民政治协商会议委员张晓梅支持改革。她认为将供暖界限南移能让更多人享受温暖，还能“节能减排”。不过业界专家们并未就此达成一致，因为燃煤集中供暖往往会导致雾霾天气。

Han Xiaoping, CIO of the energy information site china5e.com, opposes heating the south. “It is definitely not economical, in terms of energy efficiency, to install public heating in the south,” he told China National Radio.

能源信息网站——中国能源网首席信息官韩晓平就反对南方供暖。他告诉中央人民广播电台：“从能源利用率的角度来说，南方安装公共供暖（设施）并不划算。”

“The coldest time in the south may not exceed 60 days each year, compared with 120 to 180 days in the north,” said Han. “Thus it is not just to build a complicated heating network from scratch.”

“北方一些特别寒冷的地区，供暖期可能会达到120到180天，而部分南方地区恐怕都到不了60天，”他说。“这不仅是从零开始建设这么复杂的城市管网系统的事儿。”

Another problem concerns China’s energy security. Qiu Baoxing, former vice-minister of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, worried that providing a central heating service in the south may undermine China’s energy supply.

另外一个问题和中国的能源安全有关。住房和城乡建设部前副部长仇保兴担心，南方集中供暖会影响中国的能源供应。