Imaginative visions of future create new dynamic to city

Chengdu, Sichuan province, is making a name for itself with sci-fi tradition and credentials, thanks to best-selling book that led to a blockbuster movie

Relying on technological innovation and a cultural atmosphere, Chengdu, a city renowned for diverse cultures and giant pandas, is once again on the world stage through its endeavors and innovations in science fiction.

The various imaginative ideas of sci-fi may become a key variable in bolstering the emergence and development of new productive forces in Chengdu, thereby giving rise to emerging industries, experts say.

China's renowned sci-fi writer, Liu Cixin, won the Hugo Award for Best Novel at the 73rd World Science Fiction Convention with his work The Three-Body Problem, becoming the first Asian sci-fi writer to win the Hugo Award in more than half a century since its establishment.

The Hugo Award is an annual literary prize for the best sci-fi or fantasy works and achievements given at the World Science Fiction Convention and chosen by its members.

Behind the success of The Three-Body Problem lies the mention of a sci-fi magazine that was founded in Chengdu 44 years ago — Science Fiction World.

The Three-Body Problem was serialized in Science Fiction World in 2006 and published as a book in 2008. Besides Liu, the creative paths of many top Chinese sci-fi writers such as Han Song, Wang Jinkang and He Xi also started from the magazine.

Today, Science Fiction World is one of the largest and most influential professional sci-fi literary journals in China, making Chengdu a hub with a rich sci-fi atmosphere and fan activities.

Chengdu has established student sci-fi associations in 10 universities. Sichuan University and University of Electronic Science and Technology of China have also set up research institutes for sci-fi.

"Chengdu is a geographical basin in China while a highland in Chinese sci-fi," said Wu Xiankui, chairman of the Sichuan Science Writers' Association and the first winner of the Galaxy Awards, one of the country's most prestigious sci-fi literature awards.

Technological strength

Earlier this year, the film The Wandering Earth II was released. Hardcore technologies such as controllable nuclear fusion, a space elevator, virtual digital humans and exoskeleton robots in the film sparked nationwide discussions.

As the place where Liu's original novel The Wandering Earth was published and also the production location of many special effects in the film, Chengdu is not only the starting point of The Wandering Earth, but provides vital support for the film. Moreover, some of the seemingly distant future technologies in the film are becoming a reality in Chengdu.

In the film, humans plan to install thousands of giant planetary engines on Earth, which rely on the enormous energy generated by heavy nuclear fusion to propel the Earth on a "wandering journey".

In reality, the HL-2M Tokamak device, known as China's new-generation "artificial sun" in the Southwestern Institute of Physics under the China National Nuclear Corporation, announced the operation of high-confinement mode under a plasma current of 1 million amperes for the first time in August. It marked a milestone in China's magnetic confinement fusion research toward high-performance fusion plasma operation.

Currently, Chengdu is building a technological innovation center with national influence. A series of "Made in Chengdu" technological achievements such as domestically produced nanopore gene sequencers, cadmium telluride power-generating glass, flying cars and high-temperature superconducting maglev trains are emerging at an unprecedented speed.

Buffalo Robotics Technology (Chengdu), a pioneer of exoskeleton robots in China, is the industrial base of the Robot Research Center of the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China. It has independently developed an exoskeleton robot called the Weight-Reducing Gait Trainer, which has obtained the medical device registration certificate by the China Food and Drug Administration.

"Currently, Buffalo is developing the fifth-generation exoskeleton robot by using human-computer interaction technology to achieve brain-consciousness control of machines to execute instructions and achieve precise rehabilitation," robots in China, is the industrial base of the Robot Research Center of the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China. It has independently developed an exoskeleton robot called the Weight-Reducing Gait Trainer, which has obtained the medical device registration certificate by the China Food and Drug Administration.

"Currently, Buffalo is developing the fifth-generation exoskeleton robot by using human-computer interaction technology to achieve brain-consciousness control of machines to execute instructions and achieve precise rehabilitation," said the person in charge of Buffalo's robot project.

According to the Global Innovation Index 2023 recently released by the World Intellectual Property Organization, Chengdu surpassed Chicago and Houston in the top 100 list of technological clusters, ranking 24th globally, rising five places compared to 2022.

World stage

Chengdu will be the first city on the Chinese mainland to host the 81st World Science Fiction Convention from Oct 18 to 22.

As one of the world's largest and most influential sci-fi events, the 2023 Chengdu World Science Fiction Convention, or the 2023 Chengdu Worldcon, will foster greater participation from sci-fi fans and experts in the fields of sci-fi, games, literature and education at home and abroad.

As early as 1991, the annual meeting of the World Science Fiction Society was held in Chengdu, organized by Science Fiction World magazine. Starting from 2017, the China (Chengdu) International SF Conference has been held every two years and has settled in Chengdu.

Thanks to the thriving growth of sci-fi, Chengdu has established a bridge for cultural exchanges and mutual learning between China and the West.

It not only makes its sci-fi brand shine on the world stage, but showcases the charm of Chinese civilization and the distinctive features of Chengdu's Tianfu culture as a world-renowned metropolis.

The most important thing about hosting this event is to bring the Hugo Award to Chengdu, said Chen Shi, secretary-general of the Chengdu Science Fiction Society.

"At present, sci-fi consumption is still based on intellectual property items that have been accumulated in the past, lacking in new content, people and thinking. Introducing the Hugo Award is an opportunity to enhance extensive communication between Chinese and global works."

According to tradition, the Hugo Award sets up 19 categories, with 114 works and individuals being nominated each year.

"This time, more than 20 Chinese works and individuals have made it to the finals, creating a historical high point among works from non-English-speaking countries," Chen said.

In addition to gathering sci-fi fans from around the world, the 2023 Chengdu Worldcon will attract practitioners from digital economic industries such as game development, animation special effects and sci-fi peripherals.

La Zi, editor-in-chief of Science Fiction World, said that as the birthplace of Chinese sci-fi copyright, especially as the long-standing and important sci-fi base and headquarters in China, Science Fiction World has accumulated the country's finest works for more than 40 years. Therefore, for Chengdu's sci-fi industry, it has encountered a rare historical opportunity.

La said that Chengdu has made attempts in various areas including film, game, culture and creativity, cultural tourism, education, academic research and study tour. The city has also mapped out plans in terms of top-level design, industrial policies and talent policies.

In his view, priority should be given to the process of transitioning from a "sci-fi cultural center" to a "sci-fi industrial center", and this is the opportunity where Chengdu is most likely to form professional advantages.

"The sci-fi community that Science Fiction World has been cultivating and connecting for decades has already gone to various positions, and it is the driving force for the future development of the sci-fi industry."

In the next step, Chengdu will issue favorable policies for the sci-fi industry, launch high-quality sci-fi projects and attract more leading enterprises, talent teams and technological innovation platforms.

wangjinhui@chinadaily.com.cn