Chinese sci-fi needs to find its own core authenticity, opinions and worldview to gain greater global influence, rather than merely absorbing external influences, said Lucia Luo Xu, the executive director of the World Chinese Science Fiction Association and a member of the China Writers Association.

Lucia, a novelist from Hong Kong, made her remarks while offering insights into Chinese sci-fi literature and cinema during a themed salon held Wednesday in Beijing, a side event of the ongoing China Science Fiction Convention (CSFC) 2023.

Lucia first talked about the definition of sci-fi, citing Han Song, recognized as one of the "Four Heavenly Kings" of contemporary Chinese sci-fi, who said that the genre is the means by which a country and its people imagine, plan and define the future. According to him, it represents a kind of worldview.

In terms of Chinese sci-fi, Lucia said she believed that the international phenomenon, the "Three-Body" Trilogy by Chinese author Liu Cixin, had significantly enhanced the genre's global appeal.

Looking ahead, Lucia suggested Chinese sci-fi could explore silkpunk, a fusion of traditional Chinese style and sci-fi. She added that traditional aesthetics could include Eastern fantasy inspired by silk, poems, Kunqu opera, and Chinese mythology. 

She also proposed the utilization of new media or distributed narratives, integrating literature, music, art, theatre, augmented reality (AR), and the metaverse, among others. This approach could maximize the potential of a sci-fi story and provide a sense of ubiquity. 

Argentinean Guille Bravo, an attendee of the salon and currently a Spanish literature teacher at Capital Normal University, has been reading Chinese sci-fi for two years and praised its unrestrained imagination.

British national Danny Whitehead, a Chinese sci-fi enthusiast, who has worked in China for more than four years, commented, "Chinese science fiction has such a unique flavor and context. It is always embedded in Chinese values and culture, which creates incredibly rich, beautiful storylines, helping me understand more about contemporary China."

He further noted that sci-fi has the potential to help China connect with the rest of the world and vice versa, as it transcends political, economic and cultural boundaries, creating a bridge for people to come together and foster a sci-fi community.

China's sci-fi industry is thriving, with its revenue reaching 87.75 billion yuan ($12.39 billion) in 2022, according to a report released at CSFC 2023. 

Related

Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)