I

摘要

自出版以来，刘慈欣的《三体》三部曲就获得了国内外文学界的广泛关注。《三体》

三部曲风格迥异、内涵丰富，充满了解构主义色彩。因此，本研究以德里达的解构主义为

理论依据，探讨小说对单一文本意义、人类中心主义和传统叙事模式的解构。

作品中对文本固定意义的颠覆，主要从对传统概念的重新阐释和危机情境下的游移准

则两方面展开，对一直存在于人们认知里的概念进行了解构，爱和英雄不再是单纯的、美

好的象征，而那些在地球上普遍适用的道德准则，在宇宙中却根本无法施行。作品中的多

元意义使小说内涵更加丰富，包含无限可能性。对人类中心地位的消解方面，通过科技与

人类、宇宙与人类的两个对比打破人类的优越感，使人们积极思索自身在地球和宇宙中的

合理定位。最后，从叙述话语和叙事模式两个方面探讨小说对传统叙事模式的突破，不仅

借助艺术性的语言使科幻小说具备了美学色彩，给读者带来耳目一新的阅读感受，而且其

独特的时空叙事方式也为故事的解读开辟了更多的可能性。

本文以解构主义为切入点解读《三体》三部曲，以展现刘慈欣对传统逻各斯中心主义

的颠覆，启示读者以多元的视角解读小说，以辩证的心态看待事物，审视人生。

关键词：解构主义；《三体》三部曲；科幻小说II

Abstract

Liu Cixin’s Three-Body Trilogy has obtained widespread attention from domestic and

international scholars since its publication.The novel covers several styles,rich meanings,and is

full of deconstructionism.Therefore,this paper,based on Derrida’s deconstructionist theory,

explores the deconstruction from single textual meaning,anthropocentrism and the conventional

narrative model in the Three-Body Trilogy.

The subversion of the fixed meaning of the text in the trilogy is mainly carried out from two

aspects:the reinterpretation of traditional concepts and the wandering criterion under the crisis

situation.Concepts that have always existed in people’s perceptions are deconstructed and love

and heroes are no longer nice symbols.Besides,moral codes that are applicable on the earth are

simply not enforced in the universe.The multiple meanings in the works make the connotation of

the novel richer.As for the dismantling of traditional anthropocentric,it breaks the superiority of

human beings through comparing mankind with technology and universe,and promotes people

to actively think about their rational position.Finally,from narrative discourse and narrative

mode,this paper discusses the novel’s breakthrough to the traditional narrative mode.With

artistic language,it not only adds an aesthetic dimension to scientific fiction and brings readers a

novel reading experience,but also provides more possibilities for the interpretation of the story

on the basis of unique spatio-temporal narrative approach.

This paper uses deconstructionism to interpret the Three-Body Trilogy in order to show the

author’s subversion of traditional logocentrism.At the same time,it enlightens readers to

interpret the novels from a pluralistic perspective and treat everything with a dialectical mindset.

Key words:Deconstructionism；Three-Body Trilogy；Science FictionContents

Introduction ................................................................................................. 1

Deconstructionism ................................................................................... 1

Studies on the Three-Body Trilogy .......................................................... 2

Purpose and Significance of the Study .................................................... 6

Chapter One Undefined Text of Three-Body Trilogy ................................. 9

1.1 The Reinterpreting of Traditional Concepts ...................................... 9

1.1.1 The “Selfish” Love ..................................................................... 10

1.1.2 The “Ordinary” Hero .................................................................. 13

1.2 Guidelines for Pluralism in Times of Crisis .................................... 17

1.2.1 Diverse Characters ..................................................................... 17

1.2.2 Pluralistic Ethics ........................................................................ 21

Chapter Two Deconstruction of Anthropocentrism in Three-Body

Trilogy ..................................................................................................... 25

2.1 The Deconstruction of Anthropocentrism by Technology ............... 25

2.1.1 The Powerful Technology of the Trisolaran Civilization .......... 25

2.1.2 The Descending Blow from the Singer Civilization .................. 29

2.2 Human Civilization on the Cosmic Scale ........................................ 32

2.2.1 Reconstruction of Man’s Position on the Earth ......................... 32

2.2.2 The Cruel and Mysterious Vast Universe .................................. 34

Chapter Three The Dismantling of Traditional Narrative Models in Three-

BodyTrilogy ............................................................................................. 38

3.1 The Romantic Writing about Science .............................................. 38

3.1.1 Poetic Description of the Cosmic Scene .................................... 39

3.1.2 Enchanting Beauty of Science and Technology ......................... 42

3.2 The Unique Narrative Mode ............................................................ 46

3.2.1 Multiple Perspectives and Clues ................................................ 46

3.2.2 Non-linear Narrative of Time and Space ................................... 49

Conclusion ................................................................................................ 53

References ................................................................................................. 55 Inner Mongolia Minzu University Masters Dissertation 1

Introduction

Since Liu Cixin’s The Three-Body Problem won the Hugo Award in 2015,the popularity of

Chinese science fiction has continued to grow,drawing the attention of many scholars to this

field,and research results have also gradually increased.Although scholars have made great

efforts in exploring the ideological connotations of the Three-Body series,on the whole,it is far

from enough,as most of them have focused on the first novel and research perspective is also

limited.Using deconstructionism to read the trilogy of Three-Body and to explore the

anti-authoritarian,anti-centric and anti-rational connotations behind the fiction will help us

explore the significance behind the expression of deconstructive consciousness in science fiction,

and has certain research value.

Deconstructionism

Deconstructionism is a school of thought that emerged in France in the 1960s.The root of

the word deconstruction comes from the word toundo,deconstruct,and was developed from

Heidegger’s philosophical concept by the French philosopher Derrida,the leader of

deconstructionism.Derrida later introduced it into the fields of psychoanalysis,literary criticism,

and cultural studies,and as it developed,it gradually became an intellectual paradigm that

greatly influenced modern research in all areas of the humanities and social sciences.

Deconstructionism rejects the logocentric tradition of thought and seeks to break down the old

unitary order in favour of a new,more rational one.Today,deconstructionist theory has become

one of the most important branches of postmodernism,occupying a fundamental position.The

spiritual qualities embedded in deconstructionism itself have become a fundamental feature of

postmodernism and have a profound impact on people’s real lives.

In the 1960s and 1970s,Jacques Derrida published several books in which he systematically

elaborated his deconstructionist ideas and formed a relatively complete theoretical system.The

core idea of his deconstructionism is to overturn the traditional dichotomy,to deny the

hypothesis that there is a single,stable meaning,and to reject centrality and authority.In his view,

it is wrong to define deconstruction,which has different meanings in different contexts and is a

metaphysical and dynamic concept with a strong sense of discernment.Deconstruction is not

about proving the impossibility of a certain meaning,but about parsing out the power of meaning

in a work so that one interpretation does not overwhelm the others.

As a strategy,it critiques and reverses the original hierarchical order by discovering the

contradictions of the deconstructed object itself,with the aim of changing and re-establishing the2A Deconstructive Study of Three-Body Trilogy

original relationship.It starts from the internal contradictions of the deconstructed object to

destroy the original structure,eliminating the set central meaning and searching for other

neglected meanings that are excluded by the central meaning.In Derrida’s view,meaning should

not be set and exist in a unique center,but constantly change with time and space,and it should

not be fixed or hierarchical.

Deconstructionism breaks the logic of narrow dichotomies and becomes a new way of

thinking for people to reconnect with nature,understand the world,and explore problems,

dismantling and shaking the traditional“logocentrism”of metaphysics.It makes people realize

that the meaning of truth is always changing,thus denying the ultimate meaning and answering

the question of why things are unstable,ever-changing and evolving.At the same time,it leads

people to observe the existence and relationship of all things in the universe in a new

perspective.

What deconstructionists have in common is their individuality and avant-garde style.They

believe that traditional unquestionable“truths”have severely imprisoned people’s minds,so they

seek to dissolve them in pursuit of new sensations.Deconstructionism is the important part of

post-structuralist thinking,and in a sense represents the whole of post-structuralism.

Studies on the Three-Body Trilogy

The last decade or so has seen the rapid development of science fiction literature in China,

with the emergence of a large number of outstanding science fiction writers,such as Wang

Jinkang and Liu Cixin.They have published a large number of popular science fiction

masterpieces of great pioneering and exploratory value.Among them,Liu Cixin’s Three-Body

Trilogy are particularly notable.

1.Previous Studies Abroad

Overseas research literature on the Three-Body Trilogy concentrates on academic journals,

such as Science Fiction Studies,Modern Chinese Literature and Culture,and the Tamkang

Review.

Western academic research on the Three-Body Trilogy is mainly divided into three

categories:the first is the cosmopolitanisation of Chinese science fiction,as in Li Guangyi and

Isaacson’s paper China Goes Global:On the Literary Significance of Liu Cixin’s Science Fiction,

which states that“his work inherits the tradition of Chinese redemptive nationalism that has

prevailed since the late Qing Dynasty,and embodies a genuine universal humanism that

expresses a deep concern and hope for the challenges and destiny of humanity.”

The second category of foreign studies focuses on examining the utopianism of ChineseInner Mongolia Minzu University Masters Dissertation 3

science fiction,such as Song Mingwei’s paper Utopian Variations in Contemporary Chinese

Science Fiction,which focuses on the mutation of utopian narratives in contemporary Chinese

science fiction,where the author argues that today’s science fiction is deeply entwined with the

politics of an ever-changing China,both reinforcing and complicating the utopian vision of a

new and powerful China:it combines nationalism with utopianism/anti-utopianism,intensifies

social criticism,is acutely aware of China’s potential for further reform,and wraps political

consciousness in a scientific discourse about technological power and techniques of power.

The third category is the study of political issues reflected in The Three-Body Problem,such

as Stephen Benedict Dyson’s paper Images of International Politics in Chinese Science Fiction:

Liu Cixin’s The Three-Body Problem(2019)published in the journal New Political Science,in

which the author contends that Liu Cixin questions the status quo of today’s world order and that

they are created by powerful actors rather than given by science.The implications for our

political practice are clear.In addition to academic journals,the Three-Body Trilogy has also

entered foreign academic papers,with William John Peyton’s PhD thesis on Foreign Literary

Influence in Liu Cixin’s Remembrance of Earth’s Past published in 2019,in which the author

draws on Liu Cixin’s claim that his writing is mainly influenced by modern and contemporary

English writers such as George Orwell and Arthur C.Clarke.Followed by an examination of the

Three-Body Trilogy,the author analyses the aesthetic and thematic composition of The

Three-Body Problem:Remembrance of Earth’s Past,namely scientism,humanism,historicism

and utopianism.The author argues that writers of the Mao’s era were generally influenced by

Western fiction,suggesting that the originality of Remembrance of Earth’s Past lies in the

translators’conscious transposition rather than in Chinese science fiction literature itself.

From the current situation of foreign studies on the Three-Body Trilogy,there are three

problems that deserve our attention:firstly,ideological bias still exists;secondly,the textual

interpretation of the Three-Body Trilogy by foreign scholars is not deep enough compared to the

works of Yu Hua and Mo Yan;thirdly,fewer scholars have studied it from deconstructionist

perspective.

2.Previous Studies at Home

The current research on Liu Cixin’s science fiction novels is dominated by domestic

research,and the research results are mainly academic journals and dissertations,among which

the researches on the Three-Body Trilogy focus on the following aspects.

Textual Meaning Perspective

Current research by domestic scholars on the Three-Body Trilogy focuses on the excavation

and analysis of the meaning of the text,including narrative features,aesthetic value and spiritual4A Deconstructive Study of Three-Body Trilogy

connotation.In his article The Singularities of The Three-Body Problem or Chinese Logic in the

Era of Science Fiction Globalization,Zeng Jun,guided by the aesthetic theory of singularity,

provides a detailed interpretation of the text in terms of its concept of time,narrative structure,

spatial dimension,and ethics of science and technology.In the article A Study of the Crisis

Narrative in The Three-Body Problem,Tan Yongli,relying on possible narratology,provides a

deep analysis of the textual structure of The Three-Body Problem from the three dimensions of

human-technological crisis,earth crisis and technological crisis.In On the Imagination of

Human Community in The Three-Body Problem,Yu Feilong and Li Guangyi point out the

imagination of human community embedded behind the text based on national experience and

collective identity,while the philosophical value of the text is examined and considered.In

Philosophy in The Dark Forest:My Reading of The Three-Body Problem,Wu Fei deconstructs

and analyses the cosmic picture of the text based on Hobbes’political philosophy,and reveals the

most genuine social roots of the“Dark Forest Law”from a philosophical perspective.

Comparative Literature Perspective

At present,many domestic scholars compare and study the science fiction of Liu Cixin and

Arthur C.Clarke.The latter is one of the world’s top three science fiction writers of the last

century and has written more than 60 science fiction works,and is known for his hard science

fiction,covering a wide range of content.While imagining the technological landscape of the

future,he also ponders the fate of humanity on a philosophical level and examines the

relationship between humans and the universe,with a strong sense of pioneering and

romanticism.Liu Cixin has explicitly stated,“If Verne’s novels made me fall in love with science

fiction,then Clarke’s works were the initial impetus for me to devote myself to science fiction

creation”.In their article On Liu Cixin’s The Three-Body Problem and the Reception of Arthur C.

Clarke,Liu Ge and Li Yun point out what Liu Cixin has learned from Clarke by comparing the

textual content of the two science fiction works,starting from the Kantian sublime,magnificent

imagination,the construction of race and world images,and the multidimensional construction

of space and time.In The Influence of Arthur C.Clarke on the Creation of Liu Cixin’s

Three-Body Trilogy,Li Yun compares and pays attention to the science fiction novels of the two

from three dimensions:creative thought,expression technique and artistic style,pointing out the

similarities between them.It also focuses on the subversive thinking about human existence in

the Three-Body Trilogy,as well as the technological aesthetic conveyed by the text that achieves

a high degree of fit with Arthur C.Clarke’s science fiction.

Translation and Communication Perspective

In recent years,taking the study of the Three-Body Trilogy as an entry point,the study of

the translation and dissemination of Liu Cixin’s science fiction novels has also been a major hotInner Mongolia Minzu University Masters Dissertation 5

topic in academic circles.In the article Transcending the World with Imagination-Lessons from

Overseas Communication of The Three-Body Problem,Fu Xiaona points out that the translation

strategy faithful to the original,the internationalization of the textual content,and the

three-dimensionality of the dissemination matrix are the core factors for Liu Cixin’s successful

overseas dissemination,and also provide an important paradigm for the overseas dissemination

of contemporary Chinese literature.In Liu Ge and Li Yun’s article The Overseas Diffusion of

Chinese Science Fiction Works from the Perspective of Western Interpretation Preferences:The

Reception of Liu Cixin’s The Three-Body Problem in the United States as an Example,they

adopt a quantitative analysis to explore the reasons for the overseas reception of The Three-Body

Problem,and ultimately conclude that the textual connotation fits the Western cultural context,

which is the main reason.In the article A Study of the Translation of Liu Cixin’s The Three-Body

Problem Series in the English-speaking World,Liao Ziwei takes the English translation of the

text as the object of study,analyses the conditions for its translation and dissemination in the

English-speaking world from the perspective of interculturalism and the cultural shift in

translation,identifies the actual translation effect,and finally arrives at a set of translation

models for the successful translation and dissemination of the text.Liu Yiran,in the article A

Study of the English Translation of The Three-Body Problem from the Perspective of Translation

Ethics,uses the five translation ethics proposed by Chesterman as a theoretical guide to study

Ken Liu’s translation of The Three-Body Problem and concludes that the translator has made

appropriate mode selection and coordination,thus increasing the readability of the translation

and realizing the cultural exchange between Chinese and Western cultures.

Through literature review,we find that most of the current domestic studies on the

Three-Body Trilogy focus on translation and dissemination,textual narrative style,human

discernment,philosophical examination,etc.,and are basically interpretations of the content and

aesthetic dimensions.Although some scholars have begun to study the cultural communication

value of Liu Cixin’s science fiction novels from a global perspective,they are basically

theoretical discussions at a macro level,and fewer studies have been conducted on the

Three-Body Trilogy from a deconstructionist perspective.This is the fundamental starting point

of this study.

Summary

Although many scholars have used deconstructionism as a theoretical perspective to study

domestic and international literary works,there are fewer studies that have employed it as a

method for literary criticism of Liu Cixin’s science fiction works.The strategy of deconstruction

can be seen everywhere in Three-Body Trilogy and the application of this deconstructionist6A Deconstructive Study of Three-Body Trilogy

strategy in fiction also allows Liu Cixin to form a subversive innovation to traditional science

fiction,because he consciously places anti-logocentrism and opposes the idea of binary

opposition in his works,which makes his science fiction works present more possibilities.

As a way of analyzing problems,deconstructionism is featured by anti-authority,anti-centre

and anti-rationalism.This paper focuses on the reconstruction of traditional rationality,values

and moral standards,which is conductive to avoiding that the text is analyzed from a single

perspective and can help readers to understand the deeper meaning contained in the novel from a

pluralistic perspective.

To sum up,the academic community has been paying more attention to Liu Cixin year by

year,and the research results are also growing.But their studies are mostly focused on single

works and the research horizon is relatively narrow for the trilogy The Three-Body series.

Therefore,this paper takes deconstructionism as the entry point and explores the deconstructive

consciousness presented in trilogy from three perspectives:the subversion of the traditional

single textual meaning,the dismantling of anthropocentric status and the subversion of

traditional narrative models.It is aimed to grasp the value of his writing of deconstruction and

explores the significance of the times behind the expression of deconstruction consciousness in

science fiction novels.

Purpose and Significance of the Study

With the continuous development of science fiction literature,literary critics have begun to

pay more and more attention to science fiction writers and their works.However,from the above

review,it can be seen that most of the studies on science fiction literature still stand from the

perspective of a single work.An analysis of the Three-Body Trilogy from a deconstructionist

perspective will help us to discover the unique value of Liu Cixin’s works in greater depth,and is

also meaningful for understanding contemporary Chinese science fiction literature as a whole.

1.Purpose of the study

During the nascent period of Chinese science fiction,there are many new generation

science fiction writers,such as Liu Cixin,Han Song and Wang Jinkang.Chinese science fiction

literature had not received much attention despite its great achievements.In 2015,with The

Three-Body Problem:Remembrance of Earth’s Past won the Hugo Award for Best Novel at the

73rd World Science Fiction Conference,the research on Chinese science fiction literature

gradually entered a period of rapid development.As the first Asian writer to win the Nobel Prize

in science fiction,Liu Cixin has been hailed as the first Chinese science fiction writer,and the

research on him alone has seen a remarkable“explosion”phenomenon.Inner Mongolia Minzu University Masters Dissertation 7

For a long time,Liu Cixin has considers himself a staunch technologist who believes that

science and technology can solve all problems,but this does not mean that he has completely

discarded morality.In his works,science and morality are played out in extreme circumstances,

which is one of the attractions of his science fiction.He is very interested in this theme.He

integrates truth and fantasy,science and morality,sin and redemption into one,painting carefully

a splendid story life for the reader.

He uses deconstructionism to achieve the critiquing,satirizing and denying for the value

and meaning of tradition,history and reality.With the attitude of play deconstructionism as a

critical weapon,he advocates rebelliousness,plurality,non-centrality and non-dominance,

questions all hierarchies and power systems,breaks down all stereotypes,and dismantles the

centre and authority.

The worldwide recognition of the Three-Body Trilogy suggests that there are some spiritual

resonance that can eliminate interculturality,and deconstruction consciousness is one of them.

Deconstructive consciousness is nearly throughout every stage of his creation,which is a feature

of his novels and cannot be ignored.Therefore,it is important to study the deconstruction of his

novels and analyse how the traditional concepts are deconstructed in his works,which not only

explores the aesthetic value and the development of world science fiction literature,but also

enhances readers’understanding of world science fiction literature,promotes the development of

local creation and the exchanges of literature between different countries.

2.Significance of the study

In terms of theoretical implications:First,using deconstructionism as an entry point to dig

deeper into the value of the text is relatively limited in current academic research.The systematic

study of deconstructionist ideas and value in the Three-Body Trilogy should not be ignored for a

long time.Therefore,the study will undoubtedly further expands the relevant research

perspectives and enriches the academic results.At the same time,it can provide a basis for more

in-depth research in the future,which will be helpful to apply the research results to literary

creation and plays its role in theoretical guidance.Second,in terms of literature as a whole,the

Three-Body Trilogy is both Chinese and global.At this stage,research on Liu Cixin and his

works has already yielded remarkable results.And with the introduction of new theories and the

development of new perspectives,relevant research is also in rapid iteration.The continued

emergence of academic results will help further enrich the understanding of Liu Cixin and his

science fiction works.

In terms of practical significance:The first is that a new perspective on the trilogy of

Three-Body is conducive to readers’access to his science fiction spirit and values deeply,fully8A Deconstructive Study of Three-Body Trilogy

cultivating their interest in reading and creating science fiction literature,and deepening their

understanding of the relationship between science fiction,the times and humanity.Secondly,

from the perspective of cultural communication,the study of the Three-Body Trilogy should be

more in line with the individual reading expectations and cultural interests of Western readers in

the context of globalization.Based on Derrida’s deconstruction theory,this paper studies the

author’s subversion of traditional logocentrism,philosophy of science and technology ethics and

ultimate questioning of human future,which will further highlights the global responsibility of

Chinese science fiction literature.Third,through the textual excavation and analysis of the

meaning of deconstructive consciousness in the novel,it will not only provide important

ideological support for the continuous deepening globalization and the increasingly severe global

crisis,but also provide practical guidance for the creation and dissemination of science fiction

literature with Chinese characteristics.Inner Mongolia Minzu University Masters Dissertation 9

Chapter One Undefined Text of Three-Body Trilogy

Derrida,through his critique of Heidegger’s concept of Destruction and the ideas of other

philosophers,established a new philosophical ideas and that is deconstructionism.What did

Derrida want to subvert and critique through deconstructionism?The mission of

deconstructionism is to question traditional Western philosophical thought,the stable status of

logocentrism,and the assertion that there is one centre and one origin for everything(Du,2011).

Deconstruction is not only a kind of philosophical thought,but also a kind of literary

criticism,which has a unique application in literary research.In Derrida’s view,there are two

modes of reading.One is traditional reading and the other is deconstructed reading.Traditional

reading tends to seek truth or origin and the ultimate meaning,while deconstructed reading

places the focus of reading on the reading itself,rather than taking ultimate meaning and truth as


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