对区块链概念的基本认知

一、“区块链”一词的来源

i. Source of the term “block chain”

区块链的概念第一次出现在我们的视野中是比特币的创始人中本聪在2008年写的《比特币：一种点对点的电子现金系统》中提到的。论文中虽然没有明确提出“区块链”这个词的定义和概念，但是论文详细描述了如何创建一套去中心化的电子交易体系，并且这种体系不需要建立在交易双方相互信任的基础之上。“区块链”这个名词实际上是后来人们总结归纳后提出的。

For the first time, the concept of block chains appeared in our eyes, as was mentioned by Benson, the founder of Bitcoin, in "bitcoin: an electronic cash system at a point-to-point" in 2008. While the definition and concept of the term "block chain" were not explicitly proposed, the paper described in detail how to create a decentralized electronic trading system, which did not need to be based on mutual trust between the parties to the transaction.

在市场经济之中，交易要想发生并完成，交易双方相互信任是基础。没有信任，交易就很难成功，换句话说，交易过程中存在着信任中介。举个简单的例子，现在社会上非常流行在淘宝网购物，我们选中某件心仪商品下单后所付出的货款并不会马上支付给卖家，而是通过支付宝平台，在我们确认收货以后，平台才会将货款转给卖家。

In a market economy, when a transaction takes place and is completed, mutual trust between the parties is the basis. Without trust, it is difficult to succeed, in other words, to have a trust broker in the course of the transaction. By way of a simple example, it is now very popular in society to shop on the Treasurenet, and the money that we choose to pay to the seller will not be paid immediately, but rather through payment of the Treasure Platform, which will transfer the money to the seller only when we confirm receipt.

可以说，我们的金钱、隐私等信息其实都依附于类似支付宝这样的中介平台。线下交易也是如此，货币之所以能作为商品交易的媒介，就是因为有政府作为信任中心赋予货币价值，没有政府为之担保，它就是普通的一张纸。简而言之，区块链就是一种公共记账技术，它的诞生是为了降低我们在交易中产生的信任成本。

It can be said that our information on money, privacy, etc. is in fact tied to an intermediary platform like a payment treasure. The same is true of transactions under the line, where money can be used as a medium for commodity transactions because the government, as a centre of trust, assigns monetary value without government guarantees, it is just a piece of paper. In short, the block chain is a public accounting technology that was born to reduce the cost of trust that we incur in our transactions.

二、对“区块链”性质的认知

II. Recognition of the nature of the block chain

区块链的定义是什么呢?在维基百科上我们可以找到较为详细的描述，简单归纳如下：区块链是一种分布式数据库技术，通过维护数据块的链式结构，可以维持持续增长的、不可篡改的数据记录。但是维基百科的释义并没有将区块链的核心价值点明，它更多的是强调区块链的公共记账技术属性，而区块链更重要的是以去中心化的方式解决多方互信和价值转移的问题。

What is the definition of a block chain? A more detailed description can be found in Wikipedia, which can be summarized as follows: the block chain is a distributed database technology that maintains a chain structure of data blocks that sustains continuous growth and irreproachable data records. But Wikipedia’s interpretation does not identify the core value of the block chain, which places greater emphasis on the technical attributes of the public accounting of the block chain, while the block chain is more important in addressing multiple trust and value transfer in a decentralized manner.

区块链的本质是一种去中心化的分布式记账本。去中心化其实就是将类似支付宝、微信这样的信任中介去除，在我们的日常买卖等商品交易中不需要围着它们转，而可以通过点对点的交易直接进行。如此一来，可以避免中心化存储带来的安全和单点崩溃问题，以及信任中介因为权力太大而随意添加、删减或修改交易信息等问题。

The essence of the block chain is a decentralized distributed book of accounts. Decentralized is actually to remove trust intermediaries like payment treasures, micro-letters, which do not need to be rounded up in commodity transactions, such as our day-to-day sales, but can be traded directly through point-to-point transactions.

分布式记账本，就是将在体系中发生的任意交易加密录人服务器的数据库中，即我们通常所说的“分布式账本技术”或者“全民记账”。区块链并不只是将信息记录到一个服务器中，而是同步记录在不同地方的多个服务器中。信息一旦录人就很难再进行添加、删减或修改。区块链同时结合了共识机制来保证数据的一致性，就算其中一台服务器的数据被损毁，其他的服务器还在，存储的数据依然安全有效，其独立存在于互联网上，不受任何中心化个人、组织或机构所控制，而在体系中的所有人都会维护这个数据库，并且相互监督。

Distributed bookkeeping is the database that will encrypt an encrypted recorder's server for any transaction that occurs in the system, which is what we usually call “distributed book technology” or “public account”. The block chain does not simply record information on a server, but is recorded simultaneously on multiple servers in different locations. Once the recorder has done so, it is difficult to add, delete or modify the information. The block chain combines a consensus mechanism to ensure data consistency, even if the data on one server is destroyed and the other servers are still in place, and the stored data remain secure and valid, independent on the Internet and not controlled by any centralized individual, organization or institution, and the database will be maintained and monitored by everyone in the system.

数据的安全性是当下社会非常关注的焦点问题，区块链的信息同样也是加密的，采用的是非对称加密，每一个数据库就好像是一个保险柜，钥匙在你自己的手里。你或者你授权的人才可以看到在不同的保险柜中属于你的文件。非对称加密一般包含两个密钥：公钥(publi key) 和私钥(private key) ， 它们是成对存在的。公钥的作用是对数据进行加密及验证签名，私钥的作用是对数据进行解密及签名。公钥一般是公开的，私钥是自己保存的。与传统的对称加密相比，非对称加密更加具有安全性，是一种更为高级的加密方式， 常见的有RSA、ECDSA等。因此， 区块链通过去中心化、集体协作、非对称加密等方式来维护数据库安全可靠、不被篡改。

Asymmetric encryption typically consists of two keys: public key (public key) and private key (private key), which exist in pairs. Public key is used to encrypt and authenticate data, private key is used to declassify and sign data. Public key is generally public, private key is kept by yourself. Asymmetric encryption is more secure than traditional symmetric encryption and is a more advanced way of encryption, often RSA, ECDSA, etc.

从某种意义上说，区块链本质上是一种价值传输信任协议，也就是传统意义上的一种协议。在过去很长的时间内，互联网上并没有这种协议，因此也就无法进行价值的传输和确权。现在有了这样一种协议，与传统的互联网相结合，形成“互联网+”，这样一来就可以通过互联网传输各种价值和可信的消息，甚至进行确权、权证转移、消息证伪等。

In a sense, the block chain is essentially a value transfer trust agreement, a traditional one. For a long time, there has been no such agreement on the Internet, and therefore no transmission of value or authentication.