Impending apocalypse(2)

Reviving the 'golden age'

Wu admitted that the rise of fantasy fiction in recent years has poached many science fiction readers. "Science fiction suffered a setback worldwide in the wake of J.K. Rowling's success with her Harry Potter series," said Wu. "The easy-to-follow plot and mystique of magic attracted many readers. Science fiction naturally requires readers to have a certain understanding of science, which limits its accessibility to readers."

Jia Liyuan, better known by his pen name of Feidao (literally "Flying Deuterium" in Chinese), is a young science fiction writer and graduate of Wu's course. Jia agrees that although technology is developing at a tremendous pace making it a seemingly fertile period for science fiction creation, many young readers feel distanced from in its development.

"High living costs and other pressures nowadays mean more people are focused on working hard to buy an apartment. When they pick up a book to read, they want to relax and not have to think too hard. Science fiction is less appealing to these people, considering it demands background knowledge," said Jia.

Wu added that the current science fiction lull in China can be attributed to history and tradition. "China's ancient civilization of 5,000 years is full of legends and mythological tales - it should be an endless source of literature creation. Yet it has somehow become a burden," he said. "When a nation prioritizes the present and past, it loses interest and the ability to think about the future."

The "golden age" of Chinese science fiction emerged in the late 1970s in the wake of the Cultural Revolution (1966-76). During that time, more than 30 science fiction magazines, 400 literature and science journals and 1,000 newspapers provided pages for science fiction literature.

However, this period of prosperity came to an abrupt end with the Anti-Spiritual Pollution Campaign from October to December in 1983, initiated by the government to crush Western liberal ideas among the Chinese populace. Science fiction was regarded as an evil, corrupt product of Western culture, and was banned from being published.

"It was a heavy blow," Wu recalled. "It severely damaged Chinese science fiction, as many people were forced to give up writing. We haven't recovered from that turmoil yet. Although some genius minds are still writing, the golden age of science fiction is behind us."

Precarious future

One of the professional science fiction writers Wu often invites to deliver guest lectures to his class is Wang Yao, better known by his pen name of Xia Jia. "I've delivered such guest lectures at Peking University before," said Wang. "As a writer, I often find myself stuck on coming up with the structure and plot of a story. These lectures offer the perfect opportunity to brainstorm with talented minds."

Wang explained that if science fiction dies, its cause of death will be the demise of people's imagination.

"Science fiction should bring out the best aspirations of human beings; the beautiful, limitlessness of our imaginations. These used to be virtues promised by communism, but like a wilting flower they have died," said Wang.

Jia Liyuan shares Wang's pessimism about the future of science fiction in China. "I view science fiction's death the same as I view doomsday - both will probably happen," Jia said sternly. "But imagination in science is an art form that will hopefully last a long time."