A scene from Crazy Alien, which stars actors Shen Teng, Huang Bo and Lei Jiayin. [Photo provided to China Daily]

"It's amazing and spectacular," says Liu, who also attended the event.

The internationally acclaimed sci-fi novelist believes such a design works because he has a rule that alien creatures or structures shouldn't be portrayed as humans would imagine them to be.

"The photo makes you feel very strange and remote," Liu says.

"One look convinces you it's not from Earth."