Welcome to Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art,

Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art ›› 2016, Vol. 36 ›› Issue (1): 94-103.

• Issue in Focus: Science Fiction Studies • Previous Articles     Next Articles

The Clash of Civilizations and the Culture Self-Consciousness: Science Fiction and Social Reality in The Three-Body Problem

Chen Qi    

  1. the Institute for Advanced Studies in Humanities and Social Sciences, Chongqing University (Chongqing 400044, China)
  • Online:2016-01-25 Published:2017-09-22
  • About author:Chen Qi is an assistant professor in the Institute for Advanced Studies in Humanities and Social Sciences, Chongqing University (Chongqing 400044, China), with research interests in jurisprudence, law and literature, and political philosophy.

Abstract: From the perspective of the relation between science fiction and social reality, the core question of Liu Cixin's The Three-Body Problem Trilogy is the clash of civilizations between human and Trisolaran, which causes the future possibility of the end of human history. The narrative perspectives of the trilogy are the intelligentsia narrative of Wang Miao (Book I), the heroic narrative of Luo Ji (Book II), and the narrative of "the last man" of Cheng Xin (Book III). If the future civilization of the human beings is likely to encounter the cosmic catastrophe caused by the clash of civilizations between human and aliens, contemporary human elite strata has to reflect on the values of morality and civilization, and dare to create a new history of human.

Key words: The Three-Body Problem, Liu Cixin, science fiction, social reality, clash of civilizations, cultural self-consciousness