On the afternoon of October 21, 2023, the key event of the 2023 Chengdu World Science Fiction Convention (Worldcon), "Sci-Fi Boundary: Exploring Sci-Fi and Human Future Development Forum," was successfully held in Hall 3 of the Tianfu Hall of the Sheraton Chengdu Pidu. This event was guided by the Beijing Association for Science and Technology and the Science Fiction Literature Committee of the China Writers Association, supported by the Beijing Science Center, and jointly hosted by the Beijing Yuanyu Science Fiction Future Technology Research Institute and the Beijing Shijingshan District Future Science Fiction Industry Development Center. It was organized by China Science and Technology Press Co., Ltd., the Science Fiction Creation Research Base of the China Science Writers Association, and the Zhongguancun Science Fiction Industry Innovation Center, and co-organized by the China Association of Science and Education Films and Television Producers, Beijing Zhongguancun Tongli Technology Service Co., Ltd., Beijing Shuxiang Wenya Book Culture Co., Ltd., the Hong Kong Science Popularization and Science Fiction Academy (HKSPSF), and the National Children's Science Fiction Alliance.
Sci-Fi Boundary: Exploring Sci-Fi and Human Future Development Forum Main Image
Science fiction has a profound connection with the development of human society, and sci-fi culture has gradually penetrated into public life and industrial production. Sci-fi works inspire innovative thinking, stimulate public interest in science and technology, and promote the development of technological creativity. At the same time, sci-fi guides people to think about the impact of technological progress on social civilization and the challenges it brings in terms of ethics, morals, rules, and regulations.
This forum invited sci-fi creators, experts, scholars, and related practitioners to conduct in-depth dialogues around the theme of sci-fi and human future development, fully reflecting the main purpose of caring for human society and prospering sci-fi creation, and formed a series of achievements. The forum was co-hosted by Tian Songsong, Deputy General Manager of Zhongguancun Science Fiction Industry Innovation Center and Vice Chairman of Beijing Yuanyu Science Fiction Future Technology Research Institute, and Chen Liuqi, Vice President of Beijing Yuanyu Science Fiction Future Technology Research Institute.
Chen Liuqi (left) and Tian Songsong (right) hosting the forum
Yin Chuanhong Delivering a Speech
Famous sci-fi writer and President of Beijing Yuanyu Science Fiction Future Technology Research Institute Liu Cixin delivering a speech
Wang Weiying Delivering a Speech
In the leader's speech session, Yin Chuanhong, Vice Chairman of the China Science Writers Association and President of Science Popularization Times, said that science fiction opens a window to the unknown world for us. The creation of sci-fi writers encourages the public to explore hard, leads readers to cutting-edge science and technology, and turns human enthusiasm and imagination for science into a realistic driving force for the development of civilization. At the same time, sci-fi works also help us foresee the challenges we may face in the future. Famous sci-fi writer and President of Beijing Yuanyu Science Fiction Future Technology Research Institute Liu Cixin said in an online speech that he hopes that through discussions from all parties, the profound connotation of science fiction can be excavated and the path of human future development can be explored. Wang Weiying, President of the Science Fiction Branch of China Science and Technology Press Co., Ltd. and Chairman of Beijing Yuanyu Science Fiction Future Technology Research Institute, said that the landing of this World Science Fiction Convention (Worldcon) in Chengdu, China is a milestone event, marking that Chinese science fiction has been able to integrate into the world sci-fi cultural circle and become an important part of it; Chengdu, a city with great cultural personality, makes this world grand event present a different flavor from the past, with a strong Chinese-style atmosphere. He hopes to take this rare opportunity to vigorously promote sci-fi culture with Chinese characteristics to the world so that more excellent local sci-fi works can be seen by the world.
Wang Jinkang making a keynote speech
Wang Quangen making a keynote speech
Liu Bing making a keynote speech
In the keynote speech session, famous sci-fi writer and Honorary President of Beijing Yuanyu Science Fiction Future Technology Research Institute Wang Jinkang gave a keynote speech on "Embracing the Golden Age of Science Fiction - Countless Possibilities Brought by Science Fiction". He said that biotechnology and artificial intelligence are developing rapidly, and the power of technology has changed from transforming the objective world to transforming human beings themselves; science fiction will bring enlightenment to technological innovation, and at the same time, scientific discovery and technological development will also inspire the creative inspiration of sci-fi writers. To some extent, sci-fi imagination is ahead of technological development. Wang Quangen, a professor at the School of Chinese Language and Literature of Beijing Normal University and a doctoral supervisor, gave a keynote speech titled "The Future is Here - Dialogue with the Future Using Science Fiction", stating that it is very meaningful for humans to imagine and think about the future in a sci-fi way. The important value of science fiction is to bring us enlightenment on philosophical thinking, social responsibility, and the combination of scientific and literary thinking. Science fiction literature is literature facing the future and has a deep spiritual connection with us. Liu Bing, a professor at the Department of History of Science, School of Humanities, Tsinghua University and a doctoral supervisor, gave a keynote speech titled "The Other Side of Imagination: Science Fiction on Future Technological Breakthroughs", stating that science fiction presents us with various imaginations of future possibilities. The scenes conceived in sci-fi works vary widely, providing us with multiple choices about the future.