E-mail lunthesis@163.com Phone 0551-65179860-203

Across China: Hugo Award winner Liu brings sci-fi craze to his hometown

Pub Date:2023-09-12 09:04 Source:Xinhua

TAIYUAN, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Beijing-based editor Bi Yumin traveled 400 km by train to a mountainous small city, only to meet her idol Liu Cixin.

In a week's stay in Yangquan, north China's Shanxi Province, she went to the newly-built Liu Cixin Studio in the downtown area, visited the Niangziguan Power Plant where Liu used to work as an engineer, and paid a visit to a gymnasium in the early morning, hoping to make an encounter with him.

"I heard from locals that Liu had a habit of running here in the morning, so I tried my luck here," Bi said with a smile.

Yangquan, an old industrial base in the Taihang Mountains, was little known to the outside world until Liu from the small city won the Hugo Award for his sci-fi saga the "Three-Body" trilogy.

Now, the Niangziguan Power Plant, which has been shut down in a move to cut emissions, has become "a resort" for sci-fi fans.

The plant's outer wall, stretching about 1,000 meters, is painted with the stunning scenes of "Three-Body" and "The Wandering Earth," another novel written by Liu that was adapted into movies. Residents and tourists passing by would slow down their cars or pause to look at these imaginative wall paintings.

"The sci-fi elements that Liu brings here have revived this power plant in another way," said Shuai Xuefeng, a former plant worker who still lives in the dormitory of the power plant.

Since 1999, when Liu started his creation, he has published seven novels and some 40 short stories, with his works translated into dozens of languages, including English, French, Spanish, German, Japanese and Korean.

Luo Xiangdong, an executive of the provincial writers' association, said Liu had built a vast universe with his works, and the movie and TV drama adaptations of his works have, to a large extent, ignited the sci-fi craze among young people and promoted the development of Chinese sci-fi movies and TV dramas.

In a cultural park in the urban area of Yangquan, a sci-fi cultural week was held last month, where many experts and scholars, including Liu, gathered to discuss the present and future of science fiction literature.

The event also included sci-fi literature and fine arts contests, drawing contestants from across China to send their works. Many of the contestants are youths.

Kou Miaoqi, the first prize winner of the sci-fi literature competition, said that she has always loved writing, but this is the first time that she has written a sci-fi work -- a 15,000-character piece called "A Guide to Facing the Sea."

"The contest has given me much confidence, and I hope I can make some achievement in the field of science fiction in the future," said the 34-year-old.

"Science fiction has the power that enables readers, especially young readers, to have a strong interest in nature, the universe and the relationships among man, nature and the universe, igniting their passion for exploring a new world," Liu Cixin told Xinhua.


Editor:Zheng Chen

Related News
- Folk musician brings the spirit of the sea to musical the...    2023-09-11 09:18
- Climate complicates heritage preservation    2023-09-11 09:18
- 24 Solar Terms: White Dew    2023-09-08 10:53
- China's local opera troupe stages performance in Nairobi ...    2023-09-08 09:08
 
photo  >>
Wuhu, Anhui: 100,000 mu of canola flowers blossoming
Guest countries of honor attract visitors at 6th CIIE
Video  >>
【机遇中国 创新安徽】德企精英齐聚安徽看发展:“中国这9年的发展成就不亚于德国90年来取得的成绩”German enterprise elites gather in Anhui to explore development:'Nine years development in China it's like ninety years in Germany.'
【机遇中国 创新安徽】 德国政企考察团点赞合肥:“合肥的科技水平在世界首屈一指!” German government and enterprise inspection team praises Hefei: 'Hefei is at top level worldwide in technology!'
People  >>
Hebei rolls out red carpet for talent
Transnational couple revives ancient dwelling in east China
Travel  >>
2024看中国安徽行 对话国际青年导演 2024 Looking China Youth Film Project Anhui
2024看中国安徽行 对话国际青年导演 Dialogue with International Young Directors
Contact Us
Copyright ©2000-2021 anhuinews.com All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. 皖B2-20080023-7