Xu Nianci 徐念慈 1875-1908

Also known as Donghaijuewo 東海覺我, a distinguished late Qing translator, Xu was a native of Jiangsu. He joined the Xingzhonghui 興中會 [Revive China Society] in 1903. As a founder of Xiaoshuolinshe 小說林社, he was one of the editors of the journal Xiaoshuolin 小說林 [The novel forest]. His work ‘Xin faluo xiansheng tan’ 新法螺先生譚 [New tales of Mr Braggadocio] was inspired by Bao Tianxiao’s translations, ‘Faluo xiansheng tan’ 法螺先生譚 and ‘Xu faluo xiansheng tan’ 續法螺先生譚, and is one of the earliest Chinese works of science fiction. Xu was subsequently regarded as the first Chinese science fiction writer.

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