China ushers in its first WorldCon to embrace magic future

BEIJING, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- The 81st World Science Fiction Convention (WorldCon) is set to open on Wednesday in the southwestern Chinese city of Chengdu. This is the first time that the world's largest and most influential science fiction carnival, with more than 80 years of history, will be held in China, while Chengdu will be the second Asian city to host this convention after Japan's Yokohama.

During the five-day event, science fiction enthusiasts from five continents will rendezvous in China to discuss visions of the future, exchange views on the new trend of technology, and focus on the direction of humanity and even the Earth's destiny in the universe.

Indeed, mankind is at the threshold of an uncertain future -- the arrival of generative artificial intelligence, the progress of controlled nuclear fusion, the breakthrough of quantum computing and communication, the progress of life sciences, and the breath-taking discovery of deep space in the universe -- all bring human evolution to a critical moment.

At the same time, the lingering impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and intensifying climate change, as well as wars under new technological conditions, famine, riots and terrorist attacks, make us reconsider where mankind should or will go and think carefully about how to survive in a challenging environment. The science fiction art, known as Prophecy for Tomorrow, is particularly eye-catching at this time, and the theme of this year's science fiction convention is also identified as the Symbiosis Era.

Modern science fiction was born in the United Kingdom in 1818 and is seen as a product of the sci-tech revolution and industrial revolution. This young genre of literature and art was introduced to China by Lu Xun, a renowned Chinese writer, and others in the early 20th century. It focuses on science and fantasy, considers the changes of the times brought about by sci-tech progress, and explores the future possibilities of mankind and the world.

In 1939, the first World Science Fiction Congress was held in New York, reflecting that in the 20th century, when the theory of relativity and quantum mechanics emerged, human evolution entered a new stage, ushering in endless possibilities and great challenges.

The decision to hold the 81st WorldCon in Chengdu was made at the 79th World Science Fiction Conference in Washington D.C. in 2021. Chengdu, as a bidding city, won the hosting competition after voting by science fiction fans from around the world.

The success of the bid is related to the vigorous development of Chinese science fiction. Chengdu is home to "Science Fiction World," a magazine with the largest circulation of all science fiction publications globally, and is an important base of China's scientific innovation. The output value of China's science fiction industry, including publications, films and others, reached 87.75 billion yuan (about 12.2 billion U.S. dollars) in 2022. China has produced a series of science fiction films such as "The Wandering Earth" that earned billions of yuan at the box office. China also has the world's largest number of science fiction aficionados.

Behind these are the tremendous changes in China's development. Science and technology, described by Chinese leaders as the "primary productive force," has not only boosted China's economic and social progress and become the core driving force for building an innovative country, but also entered the daily lives of the public and gradually formed a popular culture. China is also considered one of the most futuristic countries.

In this context, science fiction has become more prosperous, bringing the prospect of tomorrow's world and the popularization of scientific knowledge into millions of households.

Chinese people increasingly agree with Einstein's view that "imagination is more important than knowledge" and realize that innovation needs to keep the imagination flowing. Indeed, the inventions of modern science and technology were originally derived from science fantasy. Now people are entering an era of science fiction coming true, and science fiction is believed to be a tool that will help people further liberate their minds to create a more magical future.

Chinese science fiction has therefore exerted a growing influence in the world. Nowadays, a number of foreign universities offer Chinese science fiction courses or lectures, and some students even write their master's and doctoral dissertations on Chinese science fiction. Hundreds of Chinese science fiction works are translated into dozens of languages and spread overseas annually.

The 2023 Chengdu WorldCon will focus on common topics of concern to science fiction writers and fans from all over the world, while the unique thoughts and answers provided by Chinese science fiction enthusiasts on the future of mankind have aroused interest. Through thought experiments and brainstorming, people can seek answers from different perspectives to questions about coexistence in the future.

The 65th World Science Fiction Conference in Japan's Yokohama in 2007 saw only a four-member delegation from China. This year, thousands of Chinese science fiction writers and fans will gather in Chengdu, with a large number consisting of Chinese youths who are sharing with the world their knowledge of new technology and their visions of a new world, which in itself forms part of shaping the future. To embrace science fiction is to create a new future.