Liu Cixin inspires hometown Yangquan's sci-fi transformation

"Yangquan is my hometown and the starting point of my science fiction journey," said Chinese author Liu Cixin on Sept 8 at the opening ceremony of the 4th Liu Cixin Hometown Science Fiction Culture Week in Yangquan, North China's Shanxi province.

This year's culture week marks the 20th anniversary of the publication of the seminal science fiction novel, The Three-Body Problem. The novel won the Hugo Award for Best Novel at the 73rd World Science Fiction Convention in 2015, making Liu the first Asian author to receive this prestigious accolade.

When The Three-Body Problem began serialization 20 years ago, science fiction was a niche genre with a limited readership in China, rarely connected to urban cultural development. Today, science fiction has expanded into film, study tours, and public culture, gaining widespread societal attention and becoming a vital component of modern popular culture in the country.

Liu said that science fiction is not merely imaginative entertainment but a science-based exploration that offers profound reflections on human destiny, technological advancement, and the future of civilization.

He reflected on the challenges facing writers amid rapid AI development. While anyone can now transform imagination into words with easier access to knowledge, the fast pace of technological progress means real-world breakthroughs often outpace past speculation, making it harder to create awe-inspiring wonder.

"Even so, science fiction creators must not abandon their quest to explore the unknown," Liu said.

The 4th Liu Cixin Hometown Science Fiction Culture Week will run until Sept 12. The event features a variety of activities, including literature, art exhibitions, industry showcases, and science education. Since 2023, Yangquan has hosted the culture week each year, strengthening local cultural branding and fueling the city's transformation with distinctive cultural energy.

The city has used its unique cultural identity to become a "City of Sci-Fi" through initiatives like themed buses, the country's only sci-fi highway service area, and themed tourism sites, integrating science fiction into the urban landscape.