WINNERS of the 16th Xingyun Awards for Chinese science fiction were announced in Chengdu, Sichuan, marking another milestone for the rapidly evolving genre. The top honor for the 2024 annual novel went to Yang Wanqing’s “Jintao” (“Golden Peaches”), a sweeping tale set in the Tang Dynasty (618-907) that imagines an ancient civilization guided by a “super algorithm” born from classical Chinese mathematics. Blending human drama, mechanical agency, and historical texture, Yang’s novel drew praise for its lyrical scope and philosophical ambition. Awards were also handed out across multiple categories — best novella, best short story, non-fiction of the year, translated fiction of the year, and best new writer — reflecting the awards’ commitment to recognizing diverse forms and voices. Notably, the gold prize for review of the year was withheld this year, while the art award made a triumphant return, attracting 449 entries from around the world and highlighting the expanding global reach of Chinese-language science fiction. The ceremony doubled as a showcase of the genre’s creative vitality. Speakers emphasized how contemporary Chinese sci-fi is increasingly pluralistic in style and theme, engaging with history, technology, and social imagination in new ways. Liu Cixin, one of the country’s most influential science fiction authors, argued in his keynote that these works probe broader possibilities for China and the world, and expressed optimism that Chinese science fiction is entering a new golden age. Founded in 2010 and also known as the Chinese Nebula Awards, the Xingyun Awards have established themselves as a premier platform for Chinese-language speculative writing. Operating as a public-interest initiative, the awards aim to discover and promote outstanding works and authors worldwide, stimulate creative energy across the field, and contribute to the revival of cultural industries tied to speculative literature. This year’s ceremony in Chengdu underlined the awards’ ongoing role in mapping the future of Chinese science fiction, as the community continues to expand its horizons and international presence. (Xinhua) | 