Becoming Posthuman in Contemporary Chinese Science Fiction

Abstract

This dissertation offers a study on the theme of becoming posthuman in contemporary Chinese science fiction. Within the framework of Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari’s theory of “A Thousand Plateaus,” I argue that an assemblage- plateau of becoming posthuman has been forming within “the new wave” of Chinese science fiction. When contemporary Chinese science fiction writers unanimously establish posthuman as the threshold, using its tension with the human to either offer a critique of China’s social, political, and economic reality, or provide a reflection on the relationship between humans and non-human beings, they collectively contribute to shaping the assemblage- plateau of becoming posthuman. Rather than taking becoming posthuman as a teleological movement, this dissertation emphasizes the assemblage- plateau of becoming posthuman is constituted by its multiplicity within the context of China’s socio-political reality. Through a study of four contemporary Chinese science fiction writers, including Han Song, Hao Jingfang, Wang Jinkang, and Liu Cixin, this dissertation demonstrates that their posthumans encompass diverse shapes and characteristics. Additionally, the intensities that motivate them to depict posthumans are multiple, and the functions of their posthuman also vary significantly. The chapters of this dissertation discuss respectively becoming posthuman in the works of these four writers. I argue that for Han Song, by portraying posthuman as a group of people unable to demonstrate the attribute of individuality, he not only offers a criticism of the discourse of the nation-state, the advancement of scientism in China, but also gives a reflection on the role of the observer in promoting the trend of becoming. Meanwhile, I also demonstrate that by writing about posthumans into individuals who lose human dignity, Hao Jingfang identifies China’s adoption of neoliberalism, coupled with dualistic thinking, as the main reasons of becoming posthuman. For her, the communication between individuals and institutional agencies can serve as a means to salvage the trend of becoming. In addition, for Wang Jinkang, I contend that becoming posthuman is manifested as losing the human body— the autonomous, universal body that we use to define the human. Through writing science fiction, Wang Jinkang not only shows the way to overcome the anxiety about becoming posthuman, but also develops a narrative of what Donna Haraway refers to as “SF”— science fantasy, speculative fabulation, or string figures, emphasizing the becoming-with and thinking-with among diverse participants. Finally, I also argue that posthuman emerges in Liu Cixin’s science fiction as a group of people who choose to “leave family.” Liu Cixin’s understanding of the profound gap between the minuscule humanity and the vast universe, working jointly with human moral and ethical restraint, drives him to portray a hard yet steadfast journey to the dark but grand scene of becoming posthuman. Examining the assemblage- plateau of becoming posthuman through the lens of multiplicity, this dissertation illuminates novel perspectives on the study of posthumanism within contemporary Chinese science fiction. It elucidates the concept of posthuman by exploring its inherent tension with humanism, expands the scope of research on posthumanism, and advances the study of posthumanism in contemporary Chinese science fiction. Furthermore, it pioneers a research methodology that acknowledges the complexity and changing tendency inherent in the research object, presenting a fresh approach to the study of contemporary Chinese literature.