Fang Xiang

This is both a work of science fiction and an exploration of the meaning of life, love, literature and art. Brainpower is no longer the main ingredient for being human in this far distant future world.  Spirituality, physical balance, and diligence all come together as integrity for Chen Mu, the Card Apprentice.  The cards which Chen Mu masters in his own scrappy way, distill all the powers of the cosmos –  human and nonhuman –  into something that is not a book, not technology, and neither art nor magic, but is these and more.  Learn about these strange cards, which can embody everything you might imagine for the future of technology, but also a future beyond technology which promotes the best, and sometimes the worst, from mankind’s past.

The Card Apprentice

<p>Chen Mu shook his head, "I won't enter." Perceptual sensitivity training really consumed his spirit, leaving him so utterly exhausted after each practice that he needed to rest. He also knew that if he were too eager with this kind of training, it could influence his progress. His having been able to go from thirty-five to forty-five in such a short time was directly related to his mental state. He put all his energy and concentration into each training, and never just rashly entered into it.</p>

<p>Seeing that his perceptual index hadn't risen by more than ten points, Chen Mu still felt that there had been a basic change in the nature of his perception. Whether it was in making cards or practicing flight, the change was perfectly clear.</p>

Bo Wen