On Oct. 18, China's latest science fiction city index was released, with Beijing and Chengdu topping the list, providing a reference for Chinese cities to develop their sci-fi industries and learn from each other.

Professor Wu Yan speaks at the release of the 2024 China Science Fiction City Index Report in Chengdu, Sichuan province, Oct. 18, 2024. [Photo courtesy of China Science Fiction Research Center]

The 2024 China Science Fiction City Index Report, compiled by the China Science Fiction Research Center, Chengdu Institute for High-Quality Development, and Shenzhen Science and Fantasy Growth Foundation, considers various factors such as economic foundation, technological innovation, cultural consumption and policy environment. The report evaluated 26 cities in China, each with a GDP exceeding 1 trillion yuan in 2023.

"We hope to build a scientific evaluation index system to comprehensively and objectively reveal the differences and characteristics of different cities in terms of sci-fi development, providing a reference for cities to develop sci-fi and learn from each other," said Wu Yan, a Chinese sci-fi pioneer, scholar, writer and professor at the Southern University of Science and Technology's Center for the Humanities. Wu presented the report on behalf of the project team during the 2024 TianWen Chinese Science Fiction Literature Contest awards ceremony, which was held last weekend in Chengdu, Sichuan province.

In designing the indicators, the project team followed four major principles: "scientific and practical," "stable and dynamic," "measurable and comparable" and "comprehensive and representative." Based on the core concepts and strategic orientation of evaluation, they crafted three primary indicators: "industry development," "cultural dissemination" and "fusion capabilities."

Each primary indicator was composed of secondary indicators, such as the intensity of sci-fi film and TV consumption, and the number of sci-fi related policy documents, sci-fi writers, sci-fi books published and sci-fi events. The selection of secondary indicators focused on measurability and representativeness, aiming to systematically assess the level of sci-fi development in cities in a multi-dimensional manner.

The top 10 cities according to the selection criteria were: Beijing, Chengdu, Shanghai, Nanjing, Shenzhen, Hangzhou, Chongqing, Guangzhou, Wuhan and Changsha.

Beijing, the capital of China and the city with the most resources, scored 81.01. The city has developed a sci-fi industry that encompasses content creation, IP conversion, special effects production, hard technology and immersive experiences. In 2020, the China Association for Science and Technology and the Beijing municipal government agreed to establish a sci-fi industry cluster at Shougang Park. The following year, Shijingshan district, where the park is located, launched measures to support and fund the formation of the nation's sci-fi industry consortium.

Chengdu, known as the "capital of Chinese sci-fi" and host of the 81st World Science Fiction Convention in 2023, scored 78.44. The magazine Science Fiction World, a leading global sci-fi publication for over 40 years which is headquartered in the city, has launched the careers of numerous prominent writers, including Liu Cixin. The city also holds prestigious awards such as the Galaxy Awards and the Chinese Nebula Awards.

In 2023, Chengdu's sci-fi industry revenue hit 23.52 billion yuan, up by 17.49% from the previous year, showcasing robust growth. Chen Ling, secretary general of the China Science Writers Association and executive deputy director of the China Science Fiction Research Center, highlighted the crucial role Chengdu's sci-fi industry plays in national development, adding that the city excels in reading, gaming and merchandise.

Another city worth noting is Shenzhen, which ranked first in terms of sci-fi integration capability. Over the years, the city's substantial economic resources, robust innovation environment and talent attraction have laid a solid foundation for integrating various industries with sci-fi. Notably, in sci-fi infused technological innovation and urban construction, Shenzhen has demonstrated significant leadership.

San Feng, a sci-fi researcher and project leader of the report, explained to China.org.cn that after Beijing and Chengdu, the other eight cities in the top 10 features cities from the Yangtze River Delta and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, benefiting from unique geographical advantages and supportive policies that enhance their competitiveness and potential for sci-fi development. Cities like Shanghai, Nanjing and Hangzhou in the Yangtze River Delta are notable for their sci-fi content industry and leisure tourism, with significant advancements in sci-fi films and games. Meanwhile, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area has shown strong growth in sci-fi animation, games and merchandise manufacturing.

Other cities' sci-fi development has not yet achieved economies of scale. However, as national policies expand and regional economies develop synergistically, by leveraging local characteristics and resources, they can enhance sci-fi development, San said.