This week we hosted Regina Kanyu Wang, an award-winning writer and editor of Chinese science fiction. In 2022, she co-edited The Way Spring Arrives, a pioneering collection of stories from Chinese female and non-binary authors. We were super excited to have someone from the scene help us develop our thoughts about Chinese science fiction, which eventually turned into Kevin’s article “Golden Age Science Fiction is Being Reborn… in China?”.
In this episode, we discuss Regina’s curatorial approach, the differences between America and China, and what it’s like to be a sci-fi fan outside of the Anglosphere. Plus… whether learning Chinese can expand your cognition? Listen to find out!
TIMESTAMPS
00:00:12 - Intro
00:00:53 - What was it like to see sci-fi become wildly popular in China?
00:04:13 - To what extent does Cixin Liu define Chinese science fiction?
00:10:50 - Why are Chinese science fiction fans younger than their American counterparts?
00:11:52 - The “Bus Theory” of Chinese science fiction fans
00:15:35 - China still romanticizes science as a culture
00:18:54 - The “triangle” driving Chinese science fiction
00:20:21 - Why doesn't China have more cultural exports, and why is Three-Body Problem the exception?
00:24:24 - Is there a lot of censorship in Chinese science fiction?
00:28:09 - The Way Spring Arrives, edited by Yu Chen & Regina Kanyu Wang
00:31:35 - “Dragonslaying” by Shen Yingying, translated by Emily Jin1
00:36:28 - Is Chinese web fiction more addictive than hard drugs?
00:41:46 - What is cultivation fantasy? / “The Tale of Wude’s Heavenly Tribulation” by Count E, translated by etvolare
00:44:56 - Regina's travels in Northern Europe + being adopted by Finnish fandom
00:50:48 - Does Chinese sci-fi have different attitudes about AI?
00:56:18 - Could AI-assisted language learning be used to expand human cognition?
00:59:05 - Haruki Murakami's weird writing process
01:02:25 - Conclusion and final recommendations
01:04:17 - Synthesized Stage Backstage Begins
01:05:41 - Why does China have so much more of a university sci-fi club experience?
01:09:11 - How is Western science fiction different from American science fiction?
01:11:30 - Why Kevin became slightly less intimidated by the Chinese government during the episode
01:12:23 - Gordon appreciates the simplicity of Chinese Golden Age-style SF story
01:13:28 - Why Chinese SF is kind of like George R. R. Martin in its effects
01:14:09 - Kevin and Gordon review the Hugo Award for Best Short Story nominees
01:15:28 - “We Will Teach You How to Read, We Will Teach You How to Read” by Caroline M. Yoachim
01:19:34 - Kevin was surprised by how postmodern the Hugo Awards slate was
01:20:25 - “Why Don't We Just Kill the Kid in the Omelas Hole” by Isabel J. Kim
01:23:25 - “Three Faces of a Beheading” by Arkady Martine
01:27:20 - “Five Views of the Planet Tartarus” by Rachael K. Morgan and “Marginalia” by Mary Robinette Kowal
01:31:09 - “Stitched to Skin Like Family Is” by Nghi Vo
01:35:11 - Conclusion
LINKS
“The Winter Garden” by Regina Kanyu Wang
“The Language Sheath” by Regina Kanyu Wang
“A Record of Lost Time” by Regina Kanyu Wang
Kevin’s article “Golden Age Science Fiction is Being Reborn… in China?”
Kevin and Gordon review the Hugo Award for Best Short Story nominees
Douban, a very interesting Chinese site that combines Goodreads, IMDB, and Rate Your Music all in one
“US Man Credits Chinese Web Novels for Curing His Addiction to Drugs”
This story was originally noted as being by Xia Jia, which is incorrect. We regret this error. It seems that Shen Yingying is more commonly referred to as “Shen Yuyu” through Google Translated-Chinese Internet— unsure if this is a Google Translate L or just an alias.
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