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Posthumanistic Literature Imagination in Chinese Science Fiction - Focusing on Liu Cixin's Three Body

  • The Journal of Study on Language and Culture of Korea and China
  • Abbr : JSLCKC
  • 2022, (65), pp.233-260
  • DOI : 10.16874/jslckc.2022..65.008
  • Publisher : Korean Society of Study on Chinese Languge and Culture
  • Research Area : Humanities > Chinese Language and Literature
  • Received : July 10, 2022
  • Accepted : August 20, 2022
  • Published : August 31, 2022

Son Ju Yeon 1

1목포대학교

Accredited

ABSTRACT

This paper analyzes the Three Body trilogy by Liu Cixin, a representative science fiction novel in China, from the perspective of posthumanism. This study particularly analyzes the relationship between technology, human, alien, and human civilization depicted in the sci-fi universe of the Three Body trilogy that has been embodied by Liu Cixin's literary imagination, and examines the consequent philosophical and literary question on "What is human and human civilization?“ In the Three Body trilogy, alien civilization encounter acts as expansion to the outside of human civilization. Human civilization expands its insight from "human vs human" to "human vs unknown alien-life." The encounter with alien civilization raises questions about ethical issues and the concept of humanity that arise with advancement of technology. The technology advancement presented in the Three Body trilogy is associated with many ethical issues. Mental stamps, cannibalism under extreme conditions, and the strategy of mutually assured destruction of both alien and human civilization raise discussions about the absolute standard of human and ethicality as moral beings. In addition, the technology advancement such as the separation of the brain and body symbolized by the human spirit, and the appearance of alien life embodied in human form, makes it necessary to reconsider the concepts of "human" and "humanity." This leads to seeking answers to the question of 'what factors make humans human'. The future world depicted in the Three Body trilogy offers a retrospect on human civilization, which has already entered an era that emphasizes technology. In this process, readers are able to reconsider the philosophical meaning of the meaning of human existence, the progress of civilization, hope for the future, and the progress of technology.

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