Liu Cixin | |
|---|---|
 Liu in 2017 | |
| Native name | 刘慈欣 |
| Born | (1963-06-23)23 June 1963 (age 62) Beijing, China |
| Occupation |
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| Alma mater | North China University of Water Resources and Electric Power |
| Period | 1989–present |
| Genre | Science fiction |
| Notable works | Remembrance of Earth's Past |
| Notable awards | Galaxy Award;Hugo Award |
| Liu Cixin | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simplified Chinese | 刘慈欣 | ||||||||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 劉慈欣 | ||||||||||||||||
| Hanyu Pinyin | Liú Cíxīn | ||||||||||||||||
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Liu Cixin (Chinese:刘慈欣;pinyin:Liú Cíxīn,pronounced [ljǒʊ tsʰɹ̩̌.ɕín]; born 23 June 1963)[1] is a Chinese computer engineer andscience fiction writer. In English translations of his works, his name is given asCixin Liu. He is sometimes called "Da Liu" ("Big Liu") by his fellow science fiction writers in China.[2]
He is a nine-time winner of China'sGalaxy Award, and has also received the 2015Hugo Award for hisnovelThe Three-Body Problem, as well as the 2017Locus Award forDeath's End. He is also a winner of the ChineseNebula Award.[3] He is a member of the China Science Writers Association and the vice president of the Shanxi Writers Association.[4]
Liu was born on 23 June 1963 inBeijing. He grew up inYangquan,Shanxi,[2] where his parents had been sent to work in the mines.[5] Due to the violence of theCultural Revolution he was sent to live in his ancestral home inLuoshan County,Henan.[6] Liu graduated from theNorth China University of Water Conservancy and Electric Power in 1988. He then worked as a computer engineer at a power plant inShanxi province.[7]
A 1990s computer program called "Electronic Poet" (电子诗人) can be found online.[8] It appears to be alanguage model, capable of generating works in the style of 1980sMisty poems.
Liu was labeled the firstcyberpunk Chinese author after his novelChina 2185 was released in 1989.[9] This novel chronicles M102, a computer engineer, who recreates a simulation of Mao’s brain and the consequences that follow that action.[10] Liu's most famous work,The Three-Body Problem, was first published in 2006.[11] It is the first book in theRemembrance of Earth's Past trilogy, and it chronicles the events that unfold after Ye Wenjie intercepts an intergalactic signal and encourages an alien species known as the Trisolarans to visit, an action that ultimately leads to the destruction of the Earth.[12] American authorKen Liu's 2014 translation (published byTor Books) won the 2015Hugo Award for Best Novel, and the book sold 1,200,000 copies in China before it won.[11][13] Liu Cixin thus became the first author from Asia to win Best Novel.[14] The German translation (which included some portions of the original text not included in the English translation) followed in 2016.[15] Ken Liu also translated the third volume ofThe Three-Body Problem series,Death's End, in 2016.[16]Death's End was a 2017Hugo Award for Best Novel finalist and won a 2017Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel.
As pieces of Chinese science fiction literature, Liu'sRemembrance of Earth's Past trilogy was a success within both the Chinese territories and internationally. In 2012, the winner of the Nobel Prize of Literature,Mo Yan, acclaimed the remarkable originality of Liu Cixin.[11] Liu's fiction focuses primarily on problems such as social inequality, scientific development and ecological limitations that impact humanity.[17] Liu cites English authorsGeorge Orwell andArthur C. Clarke as important literary influences.[18] The books ofJules Verne were also literary works that Liu frequented growing up.[19]
To Liu, literature can come off as a self-absorbed art form, mentioning that, despite the species’ brief existence in the overall span of the universe, humanity uses literature to mostly write about their own experiences.[20] As that is the case, and because of his belief in hard science fiction, Liu tries to place importance on science and technology instead of humanity in his own writing.[21] However, he still acknowledges that, compared to science, literature expresses its qualities in a way that is not barred behind prerequisite knowledge.[20]
Liu tries to express the majesty of science through literature, using the genre of science fiction to create an accessible pathway between the two.[20] Because not everyone can dedicate the amount of time needed to become an expert on the subject, Liu wanted to use his work as a means of doing away with science’s barriers of entry in order to share its “beauty” with the world.[20]
Liu, in addition to a plethora of other Chinese science fiction authors, also coined the critical theory of “sci-fi realism”, a way of writing that focuses on the evolution of science fiction as a genre in comparison to the growth of science and technology in the real world.[22] According to Liu, taking reality out of science fiction is an arduous task, as writers use the genre to write about imaginative ideas in the most grounded way they can, trying to ground the unbelievable in some sort of reality.[22]
Chinese video platformTencent Video releaseda series based onThe Three-Body Problem in January 2023.[23]
A cinematic adaptation ofThe Three-Body Problem has been filmed, but its release has been indefinitely postponed.[24] In March 2018,Amazon was rumored to be negotiating for the rights to the project.[25][26] However, YooZoo Pictures released a statement in response stating that it was the "sole owner of the rights for film and TV series adaptations."[26] Although it "was originally scheduled to be released in 2017," the project "was postponed indefinitely due to the company's internal shuffling and the rumored 'bad quality' of the film's first cut."[26] In June 2019, it was reported that work had begun on an animated adaptation,[27] and in 2020, October Media announced another adaptation in the works.[28]
Thecinematic adaptation of his short storyThe Wandering Earth was released in China on 5 February 2019,[29] which became thesecond highest-grossing film in the Chinese box office within 2 weeks.[30]
The science-fiction comedy filmCrazy Alien, adapted from his science fiction short storyThe Village Teacher, had grossed 2.2 billion at the box office, making it the fifteenth film in Chinese film history with a box office exceeding 2 billion.[31]
US streaming platformNetflix announced in September 2020 that it had ordered an English-language series based on Liu's trilogyThe Three-Body Problem. Liu would serve as a consulting producer on the project.David Benioff andD.B. Weiss were named as writers and executive producers. Other members of the creative team included executive producerRian Johnson,Ram Bergman,Bernadette Caulfield, Nena Rodrigue, Lin Qi, andRosamund Pike.[32] TheNetflix television adaptation started production in early November 2021, and was released on 21 March 2024.[33]
Chinese video sharing websiteBilibili released aseries exploring the science of Liu Cixin's science fiction in November 2022.[34]
In most of Liu’s works, two themes are incredibly prominent, with those being posthumanism and political criticism through the lens of a utopia. While Liu’s use of posthumanism is more overt than his use of political criticism, both themes play an important role in some of Liu’s most famous works, includingThe Three-Body Problem trilogy andChina 2185.[10][12][35]
As a believer in hard science-fiction, Liu thinks that human morality, and how self important it is, pales in significance when compared to science, technology, and the grander universe; even if human life were to be extinguished, it would be of little importance to the rest of the universe at large.[21] Typically, his human characters come into contact with extraterrestrial beings from worlds unfamiliar to them, beings so intimidating and otherworldly that their mere existence makes them seem unimportant in comparison.[21]
InThe Three-Body Problem trilogy, the aliens Ye Wenjie contacted to invade earth, known as the Trisolarans, serve as a way to rebuke the ideas of anthropocentrism through the gap in strength their presence creates; the science and technology the Trisolarans wield far exceeds anything humanity could create, again reflecting Liu’s advocacy of hard science fiction.[35] Furthermore, Liu uses the Trisolarans to reflect humanity, emphasizing their “faults” – like competition and authoritarianism – in order for readers to understand what should be fixed in human society.[35] Liu is of the opinion that science and technology are things to be used with an inherent amount of caution and respect, as giving into them completely has the potential to lead to something truly frightening.[35]
When juxtaposed with his contemporaries, Liu's work can seem cold and dark; however, this isn’t always the case.[12] Despite the fact thatThe Three-Body Problem trilogy ends with the destruction of humanity's universe, it leaves things "open" to the humans by showing them there are still worlds out in the depth of space that haven’t been explored yet, meaning they have the chance to find a home again.[12] Liu's posthumans worlds, ironically, give humanity the chance to live again and appreciate the wonders of the universe instead of focusing on themselves.[12]
While subtle political criticism can be found in most of Liu’s works, it is especially prominent in his first novel,China 2185.[10] Using the lens of an utopia, the novel subtly critiques the at-the-time Chinese government by implicitly juxtaposing it with the government of the book; In it, China has become a democratic country, with each citizen equally obtaining the right to vote.[10]
Because the utopian, democratic government ofChina 2185 is a stark contrast from the authoritative government of China in the mid-to-late 1980s that Liu experienced, readers can therefore look at everything happening in the real world through the lens of skepticism;China 2185 shows readers what they lack in terms of government without ever stating it outright.[10] Using it as a comparison, readers could understand the problems facing empirical China, politically and socially, and how it might benefit China to become a democratic country like the one featured in the novel.[10]
As utopian as it may seem from a first glance, the democratic world Liu displays inChina 2185 isn’t without its problems as well; however, when these problems do arise, they are mostly the fault of the resurrected brains.[10] Because of their association with Mao, these brains reflect the more communist politics of China, and as they bring in problems from the society Liu had to live through into the democratic world of the novel, they completely disrupt it.[10] With that in mind, the novel reflects the real world political conflicts of the time of the novel’s publication, explicitly tackling the idea of the battle between “younger,” democratic politics and “older”, communist politics.[10] In this utopian society, thanks to the arrival of the internet, the people are able to communicate with the democratic leaders of their country and, as an extension of that, take part in various governmental processes, like policy-making, something readers couldn’t do in real life during the time of the book’s publication.[10]
Twists on Utopia can also be found in Liu’sThree-Body Problem trilogy, with the near-perfect “starship civilizations”, worlds in the depths of space that operate without the need for living beings, containing lingering aspects of Chinese political values like communism and Maoism, something that gives the human characters hope that they can call these places home.[12] However, these civilizations are not hospitable for humans, instead being more dangerous than the characters originally thought.[12] In their attempts to adapt to them, the humans find themselves eventually having to resort to cannibalism in order to survive, forcing themselves to commit heinous acts in the dim hope of claiming this place as their new home.[12] While Liu includes other instances of political criticism in theThree-Body Problem trilogy (e.g. the struggle session the first book opens with), the “starship civilizations” are an example of how Liu can subvert common science fiction tropes like utopia to do so.
Released in 2006, and translated to English in 2014,The Three-Body Problem was a major success commercially, becoming a best-seller in the United States after the release of its translation.[36] The novel, as well as the other two in the trilogy, were translated byKen Liu.[37]
The novel has garnered several awards, including a Hugo Award in 2015 and a Nebula award.[37]Death’s End, the third and final novel in the trilogy, was also nominated for the Hugo award in 2017.[37]
One of the key ideas ofThe Three-Body Problem trilogy is thedark forest hypothesis, a theory that advises humans not to contact aliens because of potential negative consequences.[19][12]
| Year | Work | Type | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | The Wandering Earth | Movie | Original, Executive Producer |
| 2019 | Crazy Alien | Movie | Original |
| 2021 | Earth Rescue Day (末日拯救) | Movie | Screenwriter |
| 2022 | Rendezvous with the Future | TV series | Main Interviewee |
| 2023 | Three-Body | TV series | Original |
| 2023 | The Wandering Earth 2 | Movie | Executive Producer |
| 2024 | 3 Body Problem | TV series | Original, Consulting Producer |
Liu is married and has a daughter.[38]
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In a June 2019 interview published inThe New Yorker, interviewerJiayang Fan found that Liu "prefers to avoid" talking about politics. In the same article, Liu stated that democracy was not appropriate for modern China. When probed by Fan about "individual liberty and freedom of governance", Liu said that this is "not what Chinese people care about", adding "If you were to loosen up the country a bit, the consequences would be terrifying." He expressed support for policies such as theone-child policy andChina's Xinjiang policies, saying "Would you rather that they be hacking away at bodies at train stations and schools in terrorist attacks? If anything, the government is helping their economy and trying to lift them out of poverty."[39]
Nevertheless, Liu's works (including some of his adaptations) contain various subtle and plot-wide criticisms of the actions of theChinese Communist Party (CCP). In one such case, Liu moved a brutalstruggle session that was common during theCultural Revolution from the middle of the book to the beginning ofThe Three-Body Problem's English translation when suggested by his translator,Ken Liu. In response to the prominently placed plot point, Liu Cixin replied, "That is how I wanted it originally!"[40] TheNetflix adaptation, where Liu Cixin was also aconsultant, also starts with the struggle session.[41] Liu Cixin's Chinese publisherschose to place the politically charged scene in the middle of the book instead of the beginning, in order to get pastgovernment censors.[40][41]
Polish science fiction criticWojciech Orliński argued that Liu's works such asRemembrance of Earth's Past andThe Wandering Earth represent "endorsement of concepts ofworld government,consequentialism" as well as "tacit approval" of "China'ssurveillance andcontrol society".[42] Furthermore, Liu believes that the Chinese Government should try and help the people of the world today when it comes to the issues and challenges they face in life.[19] Research into aliens was something Liu also recommended that the government should consider attaching onto the Twelfth Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development.[19]
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| Year | Title | Award | Category | Result | Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 带上她的眼睛 | (With Her Eyes) | Yinhe (Galaxy Award (China)) | Awarded[43] | ||
| 2005 | 赡养人类 | (Support Human Beings) | Awarded | |||
| 2006 | 三体 | (The Three-Body Problem) | Awarded | |||
| 2015 | 赡养上帝 | (¿Quién cuidará de los dioses?) | Ignotus Awards | Foreign Short Stories | Nominated[44] | |
| 三体 | Hugo Award | Best Novel | Awarded[45] | |||
| (The Three-Body Problem) | John W. Campbell Memorial Award | — | Nominated[46] | |||
| Locus Award | Best SF Novel | Nominated[47] | ||||
| Nebula Award | Best Novel | Nominated[48] | ||||
| Prometheus Award | — | Nominated[49] | ||||
| 2017 | Canopus Awards | — | Nominated[50] | |||
| (Die drei Sonnen) | Kurd-Laßwitz-Preis | Best Foreign SF work | Awarded[51] | |||
| (El problema de los tres cuerpos) | Premio Ignotus | Foreign Novel | Awarded[52] | |||
| (Le Problème à trois corps) | Grand prix de l'Imaginaire | Foreign Novel | Nominated[53] | |||
| 死神永生 | (Death's End) | Dragon Award | Best Science Fiction Novel | Nominated[54] | ||
| Hugo Award | Best Novel | Nominated | ||||
| Locus Award | Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel | Awarded[55] | ||||
| 2018 | — | — | Arthur C. Clarke Award for ... | — | Awarded[56] | |
| 2019 | 圆 | (The Circle) | Seiun Award | Best Translated Short Story | Awarded[57] | |
| 2020 | 三体 | (The Three-Body Problem) | Best Translated Long Work | Awarded[58] | ||
| 2021 | 三体II 黒暗森林 | (The Dark Forest) | Best Translated Long Work | Awarded[59] | ||
| 2023 | 流浪地球 | (The Wandering Earth) | Best Translated Short Story | Awarded[60] | ||
