--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: China lacks good science fiction, but not…" description: "\"China lacks good science fiction, but not mediocre science fiction. Even so, the gap between Chinese and American sci-fi is still very large and it is ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/566/liu-cixin-4142_good_china-lacks-good-science-fiction-but-not_1209100.jpg" --- # China lacks good science fiction, but not mediocre science… ![“China lacks good science fiction, but not mediocre science fiction. Even so, the gap between Chinese and American sci-fi is still very large and it is most apparent in quality of the works.” quote by Liu Cixin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/566/liu-cixin-4142_good_china-lacks-good-science-fiction-but-not_1209100.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/566/liu-cixin-4142_good_china-lacks-good-science-fiction-but-not_1209100.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/566/liu-cixin-4142_good_china-lacks-good-science-fiction-but-not_1209100.jpg) > “China lacks good science fiction, but not mediocre science fiction. Even so, the gap between Chinese and American sci-fi is still very large and it is most apparent in quality of the works.” [Liu Cixin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liu-cixin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Chinese sci‑fi often lacks high‑quality works compared to American, creating a noticeable gap **In simple terms:** China’s sci‑fi quality lags behind the US Key Takeaway Recognize and improve quality in Chinese sci‑fi Themes literature culture quality Mood critical thoughtful Type analytical reflective When to use this quote - publishing - education - media criticism Key Concepts genre analysis cross‑cultural comparison Questions to Reflect On - What steps can nurture high‑quality sci‑fi in China? - How does cultural context affect sci‑fi standards? A Different Perspective Improving quality requires systemic support and investment ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [China](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/china/) [Fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction/) [Quality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quality/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Science fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science-fiction/) ## Related quotes > [I am a conventional science fiction author. But that said, once your work is published, it no longer belongs to you. It belongs to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liu-cixin/i-am-a-conventional-science-fiction-author-but-that-said-once-your/) [Liu Cixin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liu-cixin/) > [In high school and college, I started to read more and write science fiction myself. I was fully engaged in writing in the 1990s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liu-cixin/in-high-school-and-college-i-started-to-read-more-and-write-science/) [Liu Cixin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liu-cixin/) > [There are trappings of science fiction which I kind of embrace, but there are also cliches which I run from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-twohy/there-are-trappings-of-science-fiction-which-i-kind-of-embrace-but/) [David Twohy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-twohy/) > [I wish you a wrestling match with your Creative Muse that will last a lifetime. ... I wish craziness and foolishness and madness upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/i-wish-you-a-wrestling-match-with-your-creative-muse-that-will-last-a/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“Listen: Common sense doesn't mean what it used to mean." -Matthias Chalmers, STAIRWAY2 HEAVEN”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaz-thompson/listen-common-sense-doesn-t-mean-what-it-used-to-mean-matthias/) Chaz Thompson > [My briefest ever definition of science fiction is 'Hubris clobbered by Nemesis.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-aldiss/my-briefest-ever-definition-of-science-fiction-is-hubris-clobbered-by/) [Brian Aldiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-aldiss/) > [I'd always wanted the show to be more reality based science fiction, something along the lines of The Day the Earth Stood Still, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-gerard/i-d-always-wanted-the-show-to-be-more-reality-based-science-fiction/) [Gil Gerard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-gerard/) > [Nearly all the writing of our time is likely to disappear in a hundred years. 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Nothing dates harder and faster and more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-can-tell-the-date-of-an-old-science-fiction-novel-by-every-word/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [As a result of reading science fiction when I was eight, I grew up with an interest in music, architecture, city planning, transportation, politics,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/as-a-result-of-reading-science-fiction-when-i-was-eight-i-grew-up/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“What we've done is make the categories of science fiction and fantasy larger, freer, and more inclusive than any other genre of contemporary literature.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/what-we-ve-done-is-make-the-categories-of-science-fiction-and-fantasy/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [“Science fiction and fantasy, though they seem to be about the future or fictional worlds, are always at their core really about the problems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-joseph-adams/science-fiction-and-fantasy-though-they-seem-to-be-about-the-future/) [John Joseph Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-joseph-adams/) > [“The ultimate aim of reality is to become science fiction!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-of-kittim/the-ultimate-aim-of-reality-is-to-become-science-fiction/) [Eli Of Kittim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-of-kittim/) > [I do think that theater is a great venue for science fiction, and not just adaptations but also original work. I also think some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-einhorn/i-do-think-that-theater-is-a-great-venue-for-science-fiction-and-not/) Edward Einhorn > [The thing about science fiction is that it's totally wide open. But it's wide open in a conditional way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-butler/the-thing-about-science-fiction-is-that-it-s-totally-wide-open-but-it/) [Octavia Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-butler/) ## More by Liu Cixin > [“This is Galileo,” said Aristotle. “He advocates understanding the world through observation and experiment. He is an unimaginative thinker, but his results demand our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liu-cixin/this-is-galileo-said-aristotle-he-advocates-understanding-the-world/) [Liu Cixin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liu-cixin/) > [“She could no longer feel grief. She was now like a Geiger counter that had been subjected to too much radiation, no longer capable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liu-cixin/she-could-no-longer-feel-grief-she-was-now-like-a-geiger-counter-that/) [Liu Cixin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liu-cixin/) > [“As he left the hospital, he wasn’t scared. The only emotion he felt was loneliness. His alienation had been building up, but had been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liu-cixin/as-he-left-the-hospital-he-wasn-t-scared-the-only-emotion-he-felt-was/) [Liu Cixin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liu-cixin/) > [“Yes. They spread out to cover the entire solar system. We’re trapped”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liu-cixin/yes-they-spread-out-to-cover-the-entire-solar-system-we-re-trapped/) [Liu Cixin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liu-cixin/) > [I am a conventional science fiction author. But that said, once your work is published, it no longer belongs to you. It belongs to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liu-cixin/i-am-a-conventional-science-fiction-author-but-that-said-once-your/) [Liu Cixin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liu-cixin/) > [“None of these is in line with your original ideal of using the alien civilization as a way to reform humanity. YE: I started…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liu-cixin/none-of-these-is-in-line-with-your-original-ideal-of-using-the-alien/) [Liu Cixin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liu-cixin/) > [“This was characteristic of ultimate deterrence: The deterrer and the deteree shared the same terror of deterrence itself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liu-cixin/this-was-characteristic-of-ultimate-deterrence-the-deterrer-and-the/) [Liu Cixin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liu-cixin/) > [The Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction was a horrible event. Dinosaurs and many other animals and plants were killed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liu-cixin/the-cretaceous-paleogene-extinction-was-a-horrible-event-dinosaurs/) [Liu Cixin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liu-cixin/) > [“Suppose two thousand years ago, or even earlier, humanity learned that an alien invasion fleet would arrive a few thousand years later. What would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liu-cixin/suppose-two-thousand-years-ago-or-even-earlier-humanity-learned-that/) [Liu Cixin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liu-cixin/) > [“Make time for life, or life won’t make time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liu-cixin/make-time-for-life-or-life-won-t-make-time/) [Liu Cixin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liu-cixin/) > [The earth's crust is very thin but the planet can act as a spaceship if a force or energy powerful enough was exerted on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liu-cixin/the-earth-s-crust-is-very-thin-but-the-planet-can-act-as-a-spaceship/) [Liu Cixin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liu-cixin/) > [“Indeed, it is the nature of intelligent life to climb mountains. They all want to stand on ever higher ground to gaze ever farther…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liu-cixin/indeed-it-is-the-nature-of-intelligent-life-to-climb-mountains-they/) [Liu Cixin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liu-cixin/) > [“I’ve always felt that the greatest and most beautiful stories in the history of humanity were not sung by wandering bards or written by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liu-cixin/i-ve-always-felt-that-the-greatest-and-most-beautiful-stories-in-the/) [Liu Cixin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liu-cixin/) > [“Are you under the impression that the object of everyone else’s love actually exists?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liu-cixin/are-you-under-the-impression-that-the-object-of-everyone-else-s-love/) [Liu Cixin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liu-cixin/) > [My own family went through its own difficulties in the Cultural Revolution, perhaps in a milder form than many other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liu-cixin/my-own-family-went-through-its-own-difficulties-in-the-cultural/) [Liu Cixin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liu-cixin/) [Explore all 106 Liu Cixin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liu-cixin/) ## More China quotes > [I don't want to go into space because of war. I think we would if it was triggered. If China said they want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/i-don-t-want-to-go-into-space-because-of-war-i-think-we-would-if-it/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [ \[The Dalai Lama\] told me some years ago, "I've made every concession to China, and I've been as open and tolerant as I could,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pico-iyer/the-dalai-lama-told-me-some-years-ago-i-ve-made-every-concession-to/) [Pico Iyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pico-iyer/) > [One of the things the United States does well is building coalitions. What the U.S. knows is that if you don't have a coalition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shimon-peres/one-of-the-things-the-united-states-does-well-is-building-coalitions/) [Shimon Peres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shimon-peres/) > [Personally, I prefer contemporary films, but the market calls for more period choices, especially since China opened up a cinema market in Hong Kong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-yen/personally-i-prefer-contemporary-films-but-the-market-calls-for-more/) [Donnie Yen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-yen/) > [There is no precedent of an advanced economy withdrawing from a trade agreement as deep and as complex as the European Union.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-johnson/there-is-no-precedent-of-an-advanced-economy-withdrawing-from-a-trade/) [Jo Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-johnson/) > [In China, people are moving from bigger cars to small hatches, and interestingly, the Indian market is graduating to bigger cars and sedans. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winfried-vahland/in-china-people-are-moving-from-bigger-cars-to-small-hatches-and/) [Winfried Vahland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winfried-vahland/) > [Broken china lasts longer than unbroken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-renard/broken-china-lasts-longer-than-unbroken/) [Jules Renard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-renard/) > [Language is so specific to art, all the way to the past in China. Previously, people were not allowed to include various regional dialects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jia-zhangke/language-is-so-specific-to-art-all-the-way-to-the-past-in-china/) [Jia Zhangke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jia-zhangke/) > [I don't see why we and the Chinese should have to be enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indira-gandhi/i-don-t-see-why-we-and-the-chinese-should-have-to-be-enemies/) [Indira Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indira-gandhi/) > [India may be overtaking China as the world's most polluted country. Even now, which country is worse depends on the day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-inskeep/india-may-be-overtaking-china-as-the-world-s-most-polluted-country/) [Steve Inskeep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-inskeep/) > [If China someday gains a more fair, just, and accountable system of government, it will be due to the hard work and efforts of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/if-china-someday-gains-a-more-fair-just-and-accountable-system-of/) [Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/) > [We're always willing to look at ways NAFTA can work better. But it's a fine line between looking at ways to make it work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-harper/we-re-always-willing-to-look-at-ways-nafta-can-work-better-but-it-s-a/) [Stephen Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-harper/) > [The situation with Tibet has to change. China is one of the last huge dictatorships, holding on to these colonies, provinces. 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Sanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-sanger/) [Browse all 3,827 China quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/china/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "China lacks good science fiction, but not mediocre science fiction. 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