“Science Fiction Yearns for Gender” : Death Ray on a Coral Island and Its Adaptations in the New Era

Abstract: Death Ray on a Coral Island is a science fiction novella initially conceived by Tong Enzheng in 1964 and first published in 1978.While the work attracted a broad readership,it also gained recognition within the mainstream literary evaluation system through its portrayal of overseas Chinese scientists and its theme of " Saving China through Science".From the moment of its publication,the novella was adapted into multiple media forms enabled by contemporary media technologies.The addition of female scientist characters,female narrative voices,modern women riding motorcycles,savior figures,and emotional elements in radio dramas and films highlights the integration of modern technology,imperial hegemony,and masculinity within the science-gender system—a system embodied in Tong Enzheng's original story,which features solely male characters and narrators in its tale of high-tech invention and struggles against imperial power.On one hand,adaptations by female directors and screenwriters reflect the gendered aspirations of mass media technologies such as radio dramas and films.On the other hand,the embedding of female characters and voices into the sci-fi world aligns with the New Era's call for the repressed aspects of humanity and emotional life.This subtly transforms the novel's class-ideological understanding of science,revealing the genderideological connotations within this "all-male drama" and its adaptations.From the perspective of feminist science and technology studies,we are prompted to reconsider the nature of science and science fiction.