Hugo Award winner Hao Jingfang: On being a science fiction writer

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“We all have a lot of imagination in our head; everybody has imagination, but just a lot of people don’t have the habit of putting their imagination down on paper,” revealed Hao Jingfang, the winner of the 2016 Hugo Award – science fiction’s most prestigious award – on CGTN's "The Point with Liu Xin".

Hao, who wrote the short story "Folding Beijing", is the first Chinese female writer to win the award.

In the story, China's capital has been divided into three different living spaces that spin and rotate so each can take turns on the surface of the planet every day.

Hao Jingfang, the winner of the 2016 Hugo Award. /CGTN‍

Hao addressed two future challenges through the novel: income inequality and the possibility of AI replacing labor.

“These two challenges intertwine with each other,” Hao said. “AI takes our jobs; people can’t find proper work, while for those in the AI sectors and for other creative people, they may gain much more in the future.”

Apart from being a sci-fi writer, Hao is also a macroeconomics researcher, and contributes to a public program for children in remote areas.

She said her multiple identities gave her inspiration for her creation. “New things happen when you just cross the border of knowledge, and then you just link different things together,” Hao said.

2016 Hugo Award for Best Novelette: "Folding Beijing", a science fiction novel by the Chinese writer Hao Jingfang. /Douban Photo

Before the results of the 2017 Hugo Award were revealed, Hao predicted “there is only one challenging opponent of Liu Cixin (a Chinese science fiction writer whose work "Death’s end" was nominated for the best novel), and that is a female writer from the United States.”

That prediction turned out to be true. On August 11, American speculative fiction writer Nora K. Jemisin won the Hugo Award for Best Novel 2017 for her work "The Obelisk Gate".

The 2017 Hugo Award for Best Novel: The Obelisk Gate. /CGTN Photo

Hao doesn't think there is a large gap between eastern and western writers. “We are just writing as well as [them]," she said.

Her new book revolves around artificial intelligence and will be published in October.

"The Point with LIU Xin" is a 30-minute current affairs program on CGTN. It airs weekdays at 9.30 p.m. BJT (1330GMT), with rebroadcasts at 5.30 a.m. (2130GMT) and 10.30 a.m. (0230GMT).