As artificial intelligence increasingly shapes human experience, a leading Chinese author has offered a timeless perspective: literature rooted in love and wisdom remains the truest bridge between human hearts. Xuemo, an award-winning writer and cultural scholar, delivered this message in a keynote address at the 10th World Association for Chinese Studies Conference (WACS 10), held August 14 at the University of Hong Kong.
Xuemo's address, titled "Using Literature to Connect the World: Wisdom and Transcendence in the AI Era," was accompanied by a paper featured on the front page of the conference journal, drawing immediate attention from international scholars. Speaking to a packed hall, Xuemo described his creative process as entering a state of "holistic consciousness"—shedding ego and sensory limits to let the work emerge as a natural response to human suffering and aspiration. "Love and wisdom," he said, "are the soul of great literature."
The ideas resonated across disciplines. Professor Richard Van Ness Simmons, Director of Chinese Studies at the University of Hong Kong, highlighted Xuemo's masterful use of Liangzhou dialect—a linguistic treasure carrying five thousand years of agrarian heritage. He noted that Xuemo's painstaking collaboration with translator Howard Goldblatt, involving millions of characters of dialogue over every dialectal nuance, sets a new standard for cross-cultural fidelity.
European Academy of Sciences member Professor Martin Woesler drew parallels between Xuemo's narrative voice and Western phenomenological thought, praising his strategy of giving translators creative freedom—an approach Woesler called a "game-changer" for bringing Chinese literature to global readers. Scholars from Uzbekistan, Europe, and China's top universities joined the discussion, reflecting widening international interest in Xuemo's work.
Xuemo concluded, "The real barrier to cross-cultural understanding is never technique. It is the depth of our care for life itself." With more than 80 books and translations in 31 languages, he has become one of China's most translated and internationally recognized living authors. His landmark works—including the Desert Trilogy, Into the Desert, and the monumental eight-volume epic Suosalang—have earned recent honors such as the New York City Big Book Award, the International Book Awards, and the International Impact Book Awards (2024–2025).
The conference comes at a critical juncture where AI algorithms increasingly mediate human interaction, raising questions about authenticity and emotional connection. Xuemo's growing global readership and rising academic recognition suggest a counter-intuitive truth: the more technology advances, the more the world hungers for stories that speak directly to the shared human condition—across all borders, languages, and ages. For leaders in business and technology, this signals that while AI can optimize efficiency, the enduring value of human creativity and empathy remains irreplaceable in connecting with global audiences. As Xuemo's work demonstrates, investing in cultural and literary exchange can foster deeper understanding in an increasingly automated world.
His latest book, Eternal Love, is now available, offering readers a further exploration of his themes of love and wisdom in the modern age.
