Writing the future of feelings
Chinese authors explore shifting realities and emotional frontiers as technology transforms storytelling, Yang Yang reports.
"People will realize that understanding our current reality sometimes requires a sci-fi mindset. Society is no longer stable; it evolves rapidly, with trends hinting at possibilities beyond the present. This brings profound uncertainty, which is perhaps the greatest insight science fiction can offer us," he says.
The genre can also broaden people's understanding by reflecting a deeper, more hidden reality, he says.
At the 21st Baihua Literature Award ceremony in Tianjin this September, Wang expressed joy that science fiction is no longer an isolated niche but a confluence of diverse voices.
"Singers, dancers, programmers, delivery workers … more and more people from different backgrounds are picking up the pen. They are all using sci-fi stories to address the existential anxiety of this sci-fi era. Together, we are exploring the future. Each identity is a beam of light reflecting the times. When these beams converge, we can see the signposts leading to tomorrow: How will humans continue to create their own value and meaning in the future?" he said.
Wang's award-winning story is his radical reflection on literature's value and meaning in the future.
