(Ecns.cn)--For many Chinese people interested in science fiction, books by French writer Jules Verne such as "Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea" were their favorites during childhood.
Though that book was published in 1870 and much of its oceanic "fiction" has now become reality, people are still impressed by the writer's imagination, writing skills and ability to "predict the future" all those years ago.
In China, the history of science fiction – a cultural phenomenon emerging from Western Europe's Industrial Revolution – can be traced back to the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
The first such work to appear in China was Jules Verne's "Fifteen Little Heroes," translated by the scholar Liang Qichao into Classical Chinese (Wen Yan Wen) in the late 19th century. Not long after in 1904, a Chinese writer published the country's first original work of science fiction, called "Yueqiu Zhimindi Xiaoshuo" (or "Lunar Colony").
From that first original book until the present, the development of science fiction in China has been lengthy, if sometimes politically imperiled. And unlike Western countries, the state of original science fiction here has yet to fully take off – yet diehard enthusiasts continue to keep the art alive.
A paucity of talent
Last year, the Chinese science fiction trilogy "Dead End" by Liu Cixin completed publication, with total sales exceeding 250,000 copies, making the series the best seller among all original Chinese science fiction works.
The popularity of the trilogy soon triggered a frenzy of interest in the genre from writers like Wang Jinkang, He Xi and Jiang Bo. It appeared that original Chinese science fiction was ushering in a promising new period.
"For a long time there were no more than 10 domestic publishers for science fiction," said Liu Yi, vice manager of a Chongqing-based publisher. "Before 'Dead End,' the publishing industry took little notice of science fiction, because most science fiction books were for middle and primary school students and were not very profitable," added Liu.
Generally speaking, a science fiction book can only sell 5,000 to 6,000 copies. So if one can sell 10,000 copies, it is regarded as a best seller in the science fiction world, said Liu.
"Although 'Dead End' attracted a much larger range of people – such as white-collar employees and university students – and sold a large number of copies, it does not mean that other books will create the same result," said Yao Haijun, chief editor of the juvenile magazine "Science Fiction World."
In science fiction circles, the most popular books are written by foreign writers and translated into Chinese, but because there is a limitation of good translators, those books are also limited.
The biggest problem is finding qualified domestic science fiction writers, like the author of "Dead End." According to Liu, there are only three books written by domestic writers currently on his publishing list – the rest are all translations.
"Although since 'Dead End' the need for science fiction, especially by domestic writers, has increased, it is hard for publishers to find enough domestic books. This confines the development of the whole industry," said Yao.
