China's science fiction boom has ignited global interest, catapulting the genre into the spotlight of translation studies. This literary powerhouse demands a razor-sharp balance of artistic brilliance, scientific authenticity, and market appeal. The success of a translated text hinges on the consummate decoding and deft recreation of the intricate contextual nuances that can make or break a work's reception. This paper undertakes an in-depth examination of the multifaceted challenges and innovative strategies involved in translating Chinese science fiction into English. Focusing on the acclaimed translations of Ken Liu, particularly his work on Liu Cixin's seminal The Three-Body Problem, it offers rich insights into navigating political sensitivities, adapting complex narrative structures, and transcending the conventional role of the translator. By analyzing Liu's approach, the study explores how groundbreaking translations like his have contributed to the genre's burgeoning international prominence and significant potential to shape its evolving trajectory within the global literary landscape. Through this contextual and functional analysis, the research sheds light on the pivotal role of translation in propelling Chinese science fiction towards wider recognition and acclaim on the world stage, while also elucidating the specialized skills and perceptive sensibilities required of the science fiction translator.

Fan culture has emerged as a vital force in the overseas dissemination of Chinese web science fiction, with WebNovel playing a pivotal role in this movement. Through various activities of emotional labor - such as reading, commenting, translating, and promoting - Chinese and international sci-fi enthusiasts have collaboratively constructed a unique participatory cultural ecosystem. This not only fosters cross-border exchanges and a deeper fusion of sci-fi cultures but also significantly enhances the global influence and recognition of Chinese culture.

Fans express their admiration and respect for these works by writing in-depth reviews, engaging in online discussions, creating their own content, and voluntarily participating in translation efforts, thereby forming a close-knit community. In this context, fans assume dual roles as both “poachers” and “consumers.” They contribute to the widespread dissemination of these works while also honoring the creators’ efforts by supporting legitimate versions.

WebNovel has provided essential economic support and incentives for the international spread of web science fiction through its effective pay-per-read model. This phenomenon not only challenges the traditional dominance of Western literature in the global arena but also significantly promotes literary diversity worldwide, showcasing the unique charm and rich heritage of Chinese culture. Furthermore, the rise of Chinese web science fiction presents a formidable challenge to the Western sci-fi tradition, offering readers around the globe new dimensions of thought and aesthetic experience.

From the 1950s to the 1970s, space-themed science fiction(SF) flourished amid the US-Soviet space race and technological advancement, with pioneers like Arthur C. Clarke, Isaac Asimov, and Robert Heinlein exploring themes of human space exploration and contact with extraterrestrial civilizations. These narratives not only shaped the genre but also inspired future Chinese SF writers. In recent decades, as China’s space technology and global influence grow, those writers such as Liu Cixin, Wang Jinkang, and He Xi have gained increasing international recognition. This paper examines how these Chinese authors build on the legacy of their predecessors, incorporating features such as scientific imagination, menacing others, and ephemeral humans in their creation. Furthermore, it explores how they infuse their works with unique Chinese cultural elements, including mythological tales, philosophical doctrines, and lyrical verses. In a word, Chinese space-themed SF is poised to delve into deeper existential themes, fostering global cultural exchange and expanding the scope of future environmental humanity studies and the imaginative possibilities for humanity’s future in space.

The power of “imagination” has emerged as an essential facet of cultural soft power, with the competition for the right to define future world imaginaries becoming a new focal point in today’s global power dynamics. As the vehicle of national “imagination,” Chinese science fiction, which originated during the late Qing Dynasty through translation and imitation of Western SF, has now gained significant influence in the West through “transmedial” and “socialized” ways of dissemination, manifesting the evolving patterns of East-West cultural exchange. In the era of digital globalization, the rise of media convergence and participatory culture has given birth to new cultural paradigms, namely, the integration of traditional and new media, the inter-permeation of grassroots and institutional media, and the continuous interactions between media producers and consumers, giving rise to a decentralized dissemination model featured by “global participation”. Thus, the century-long “going global of Chinese imagination” has experienced a paradigm shift from reaching the elite to engaging the masses, and from disseminating (Chinese) content to exporting models, exerting an increasingly profound influence on Western culture. This trajectory suggests that leveraging new media to encourage active participation by overseas fans in disseminating Chinese culture and promoting international (re)creations based on Chinese IPs can endow “Chinese imagination” with continued global vitality.