Across China: Hugo Award winner Liu fuels sci-fi enthusiasm in his hometown

This photo taken on Oct. 13, 2024 shows the Liu Cixin Sci-fi Museum in Yangquan, north China's Shanxi Province. (Xinhua/Wang Hao)

TAIYUAN, Oct. 18 (Xinhua) -- A literary museum dedicated to Liu Cixin, a celebrated science fiction writer and Hugo Award-winning novelist, was inaugurated recently in Yangquan, a city in north China's Shanxi Province.

Liu, the author of the acclaimed sci-fi novel trilogy "The Three-Body Problem" and a native of Yangquan, expressed his hope that the museum will provide visitors with a deeper understanding of sci-fi works and ignite their interest.

The museum, situated at a cultural park, provides a comprehensive display of Liu's growth, creation journey and literary achievements, as well as adaptations of many of his works into films, TV series and animated content.

It also features an array of captivating and immersive elements, including sci-fi cultural creations, and interactive VR and AR experience spaces.

"I hope the museum will bring more joy and inspiration to young people, encouraging them to explore the cosmos through their imagination and embrace the future," said Liu.

A series of activities was also held in the cultural park, including discussions among sci-fi and popular science writers, and a sci-fi fine arts exhibition.

Since 1999, when Liu embarked on his writing journey, he has released seven novels and approximately 40 short stories, with his works translated into a variety of languages, including English, French, Spanish, German, Japanese and Korean.

Chen Xiaoyu, a sci-fi enthusiast from Shanghai, fondly recalled how he eagerly followed the serialization of "The Three-Body Problem" trilogy during his university days.

Now, his son in middle school has the same passion for Liu's work. The father and son paid a first visit to Yangquan, where they not only got Liu's autograph but also picked up some exciting sci-fi merchandise.

According to the 2024 China Science Fiction Industry Report, the total revenue of China's sci-fi industry exceeded 100 billion yuan (about 14 billion U.S. dollars) for the first time in 2023, recording year-on-year growth of 29 percent and reaching over 10 times the figure of 2016.

Once an obscure industrial city, Yangquan captured global attention when local author Liu won the Hugo Award for his trilogy "The Three-Body Problem."

Liu once worked as an engineer at the local Niangziguan Power Plant. To facilitate industrial transformation and upgrading, the plant, which had been operating for nearly 40 years, was shut down in 2009.

A sci-fi-themed mural is painted on the 1,000-meter-long outer wall of the plant, showcasing breathtaking scenes in chronological order from the works of "The Three-Body Problem" and "The Wandering Earth." The mural has attracted numerous sci-fi enthusiasts to the "resort" to snap photos.

"Yangquan will catalyze the deep integration of sci-fi culture with future industries, accelerating the development of sectors such as sci-fi literature and sci-fi equipment," said Lei Jiankun, Yangquan's Party chief. ■

This photo taken on Oct. 14, 2024 shows the sci-fi-themed mural painted on the outer wall of the Niangziguan Power Plant, where Chinese science fiction writer Liu Cixin used to work as an engineer, in Yangquan, north China's Shanxi Province. (Xinhua/Wang Hao)