Broken Stars: Contemporary Chinese Science Fiction in Translation

by Ken Liu

Turing had said that code-breaking required not only clever logical deduction, but also intuitive leaps, which were sometimes more important. In other words, all scientific investigations could be understood to be a combination of the exercise of the dual faculties of intuition and ingenuity.

Blaise Pascal said, “Man is only a reed, the weakest in nature, but he is a thinking reed.” However, if reeds could think, what a terrifying existence that would be. A strong wind would fell all the reeds. If they were to worry about such a fate, how would they be able to dance?

Having lived for so long, I can tell you a secret about life: once you realize how insignificant the individual is in the vastness of space-time, you can face anything.

Life’s deceit may Fortune’s fawning Turn to scorn, yet, as you grieve, Do not anger, but believe In tomorrow’s merry dawning. When your heart is rid at last Of regret, despair, and fear, In the future, what has passed Shall in kinder light appear.6