Guests pose for a group photo at the event.

Yilin Press, a subsidiary of Phoenix Publishing and Media Group (PPMG), held an event on Oct 8 at the 78th Frankfurt Book Fair in Germany highlighting the works of China's most beloved science fiction author, Liu Cixin — The Three-Body Problem and The Fire Keeper.

Among the myriad displays at Messe Frankfurt, PPMG's booth stood out, attracting visitors with the eye-catching German edition of the graphic science fiction novel The Three-Body Problem. Beside it, The Fire Keeper picture book, the first and only children's story written by Liu, also drew attention with its gentle cover. Both showcased the imaginative expanse of Liu's universe.

The event hosted by Yilin Press gathered international publishers, rights agents, media representatives, and fans of Liu's works to discuss the cross-cultural communication and diverse development of his creative outpourings.

The German edition of The Three-Body Problem in graphic form was officially launched at the event, with Kay-Steffen Schwarz, editorial director for Comics, Graphic Novels, and Webcomics at Carlsen Verlag, and Ge Lin, deputy director of Yilin Press's Mass Market Operations Center, unveiling the new book.

Guests share their insights into the publication and translation of Liu Cixin's works.

During the panel discussion session, Schwarz and Spanish sinologist and translator Agustin Alepuz Morales engaged in a deep dialogue about the publication and translation of Liu's works.

Schwarz, adopting a publisher's perspective, talked about Carlsen Verlag's strategic considerations in investing in The Three-Body Problem graphic novel and its role in their overall publishing plan.

"We have long introduced European and American comics, and we've published numerous well-known sci-fi comic works. Fantasy and sci-fi are particularly popular genres. Securing the rights to adapt Liu Cixin's outstanding works into a graphic novel is a tremendous honor for us," he said.

Morales, the translator of the Spanish edition of The Three-Body Problem, shared the challenges and considerations in transforming this sci-fi masterpiece into a visual narrative. "The biggest challenge is balancing the original text and the physical constraints of the graphic novel format," he noted.

The discussion session also highlighted Liu's another novel The Fire Keeper, which now has versions in Chinese, Japanese and Korean. Schwarz emphasized the importance of capturing the core spirit and creativity of the original works when adapting them.

Morales highlighted how Liu's stories appeal to international readers because the underlying ideas are thought-provoking, and the way these ideas are presented makes the stories engaging even for those who don't typically read science fiction.

The discussion concluded with their insights into the multimedia development of the IP of Liu's works and prospects for international copyright cooperation.

As the publisher of the Chinese editions of these two works by Liu, Yilin Press has long been committed to cultivating original Chinese literature and actively promoting the international communication of all Chinese literature.

Works by Liu Cixin are on display at the event.

The two works by Liu have achieved huge success in terms of multilingual copyright distribution. The graphic novel of The Three-Body Problem has been published in numerous foreign languages, including German, French, Turkish, Italian, Greek, and Russian. The Fire Keeper has been published in Russian and Hungarian, with negotiations for several other foreign language editions ongoing.