A crowd of global fantasy fans attend a science fiction conference
China Science Fiction Award, also known as Galaxy Awards in Chinese, is the highest honor in the field of science fiction in China. The award ceremony is held every two years to recognize the best science fiction works and their authors. This year marks the 34th edition of the awards, which were held at the World Science Fiction Conference.
19 October 2023
The conference was attended by a crowd of global fantasy fans who were eagerly waiting for the results of the award ceremony. The event featured speeches from various renowned science fiction writers and critics from around the world.
One of the highlights of the conference was the launch of a collection of hardcover books designed by Sci-Fi World, featuring masterpieces from Chinese science fiction author Liu Cixin. This is the first time such high-level design and craftsmanship has been used in the production of science fiction books in China.
The much-anticipated winner list was finally revealed during the ceremony. The 34th China Science Fiction Award or "Galaxy Prize" went to 'If We Can't Move at Light Speed', a novel by Jin Caoyu from South Korea, which also won its second award today. This marks the first time a foreign author has won this prestigious prize.
Among other winners, Bao Shu, a Chinese science fiction writer, received the Best Original Book Award for his book "Our Science Fiction World: The Collection of Short and Medium-length Science Fiction Novels" (Sichuan Science and Technology Publishing House). This book is a collection of various short and medium-length science fiction novels that span from ancient times to the future, exploring all inspirations and mysteries connected by the author's talented pen.
Another notable mention was the Book 34 of Chinese Science Fiction, which featured three works - "Our Sci-Fi World: Collection of Short and Medium-length Science Fiction Stories" by Bao Shu, "The Healing Game" by I Will Repair Air Conditioners, and "Love, Death & Robots" by (USA) Liu Yukun et al., translated by Yilin Publishing House, Beijing.
On the other hand, there was disappointment as the Best Novel Award went vacant this year, indicating a lack of strong contenders in the category. This led to some disappointed netizens expressing their views on Weibo, China's most popular microblogging platform. Some criticized the absence of prominent Chinese science fiction works in the list of nominees, while others expressed concern over the declining quality of Chinese science fiction literature.
However, the ceremony was also filled with excitement and joy as fans congratulated the winners, shared their thoughts on the nominated works, and discussed their expectations for future developments in the Chinese science fiction scene. The event served as a testament to the growing popularity of Chinese science fiction on the global stage.
In conclusion, the 34th China Sci-Fi Awards ceremony was a significant event that saw the recognition of outstanding works and authors in the field of science fiction. Despite some criticisms and disappointments, it also highlighted the progress made by Chinese science fiction in recent years and the potential for future growth and success.