Nov. 25 (NBD) -- The 5th China (Chengdu) International Science Fiction Conference concluded on Sunday. From November 22 to 24, more than 360 famous sci-fi writers, scholars and industry elites from 14 countries and regions gathered for the three-day event.

The big names include Liu Cixin, the writer of Hugo Award winning work The Three-Body Problem and Robert J. Sawyer, Canada's best known Hugo and Nebula Award-winning sci-fi novelist.

Chengdu is not only home to world-renowned giant pandas, but also the cradle of Science Fiction World, China's most popular sci-fi periodical.

Photo/Zhang Jian (NBD)

Having been recognized as a leading voice in sci-fi in China, Liu shared prior to the opening ceremony of the conference that he connects with Chengdu through sci-fi.

With forums, panels, exhibitions, book signings and sci-fi movie week, the sci-fi feast attracted over 46,000 fans and residents, and 568,000 viewers enjoyed the grandeur of the opening ceremony and the "Galaxy Night", the ceremony for China's oldest sci-fi accolade - the Galaxy Award through live stream.

"Chengdu has a long tradition of science and fiction. Science Fiction World used to be the world's largest sci-fi magazine in terms of circulation and has the biggest readership in China. The magazine has cultivated a large number of well-known sci-fi figures and fans," said Liu Cixin to National Business Daily (NBD).

Back in August this year, Chengdu bid for the 81st World Science Fiction Convention (WorldCon). Initiated in 1939, WorldCon is no stranger to sci-fi followers over its 80 years of existence.

"It is our belief that sci-fi is an art form facing the future and sci-fi is indispensable to our beautiful days." commented Galaxy Award-winning sci-fi writer Wu Xiankui. The novelist held that putting in a bid to host WorldCon is a process to make fans, writers and all other practitioners in the sci-fi world in China focus on sci-fi.

In the interviews with NBD, those who took charge of previous WorldCon gatherings were eager to share their experience. 

In the eyes of Dave McCarty, chairman of the 70th WorldCon in Chicago, to host WorldCon requires passionate fans in the local area who are eager to introduce their city to the rest of the world. "When I was in charge of Chicago's bid for WorldCon, I convinced the organization through my passion that I want to bring five thousand of my closest friends from all over the world to my hometown."

Flames of passion swept through McCarty and the experienced chairman believes that sci-fi creation and fan passion should fuse together in a way that is inspiring to creators. "Creation environment for sci-fi and fan base go hand in hand and a passionate fan base brings out creation," remarked McCarty.

On the other hand, Kelly Buehler, chairwoman of 78th WorldCon in Wellington, New Zealand, claimed it arduous to understand the culture of WorldCon starting from the culture of the local fandom and a responsibility to figure out the similarity and difference. "Running a WorldCon needs to find the appropriate way to bring the local fandom into the WorldCon", Buehler said to NBD.

Email: gaohan@nbd.com.cn