Sun Xinghua (USA)
Excellence Award
Author Biography:
Sun Xinghua is a writer of fantasy and science fiction and one of the founders of the Jiuzhou Fantasy World. He is known for constructing grand worldviews and for his intricate character portrayals. His notable works include Jiuzhou Heavy Cavalry, Jiuzhou Qingxing Chronicles, Jiuzhou Feather Festival, Jiuzhou Wasteland Festival, and Jiuzhou Charm Festival. His works have been widely published in magazines, newspapers, and online video platforms, earning widespread reader acclaim. Sun excels at blending traditional culture with modern storytelling, exploring the interplay of humanity and destiny through rich imagination. The Jiuzhou series has been adapted into films, TV shows, and games, setting a benchmark for cross-media storytelling. He is currently dedicated to exploring the integration of AI and literary creation, further expanding the possibilities of fantasy narratives.
Award-Winning Work: Jiuzhou Magic University (80 episodes)
Story Synopsis:
In the fantastical world of "Jiuzhou," where magic and technology coexist, a historic but accident-prone magic university is holding its annual entrance exam. Six teenagers from different races and backgrounds enter the academy. Initially strangers, they gradually develop genuine friendships—and even first love—amid a series of magical mishaps and out-of-control experiments.
Main Characters:
Dylan, a boy from a traditional dwarf blacksmith family, devoted to forging skills but curious about magic.
Casey, a shrewd, money-driven, and highly creative human girl, hoping to get rich with magical inventions but learning about true value through repeated failures.
Eliza, a noble mermaid princess who comes to the human world to escape a political marriage, striving for “commoner” love but hampered by her identity.
Brianna, an environmentally conscious giant girl, eager to solve ecological crises with magic but often doubting her own abilities.
Alex, a winged youth from the floating tribe, seeking glory and unity for his people, yet hiding insecurity and vanity.
Finn, a timid, socially anxious smoke spirit, forced to attend the academy but gradually discovering his own worth.
The six become acquainted due to accidents caused by Casey’s invention, the “Twelve-Colored Bubble Metal Sphere.” From “bubble bombs” going haywire, laboratory chaos, arena explosions, to hidden library tunnels being exposed, they face crises together, their contrasting personalities causing both conflict and growth.
Through intense coursework and endless disasters, their relationships evolve—friendship, misunderstandings, crushes, anger, forgiveness, encouragement, compromise. Casey and Dylan move from mutual annoyance to cooperative synergy; Alex learns respect and trust through repeated failures; Eliza sheds arrogance and begins caring for others; Finn, though timid, steps up at critical moments; Brianna regains faith and inspires her companions anew.
The climax occurs when they accidentally discover an ancient hidden chamber deep within the university, sealing the “Twelve Primary Magic Colors” and the lost “Twenty-Eight Constellation Magic,” hinting at the century-old disaster that destabilized the world’s environment. As the bubble spheres resonate, magical books glow, and symbols turn, they are swept into a swirling, colorful dragon of light, falling into an unknown abyss.
In the final episode, the six cooperate to unlock the seal using the bubble device and an ice-snow potion, attempting to activate the ancient magic purification system. But at the last moment, the bubble sphere’s energy spirals out of control, and everyone is pulled into a mysterious chasm—everything falls silent, leaving the library buried under collapsed lecture platforms.
Jiuzhou Magic University blends campus comedy, fantasy adventure, and multicultural themes. Its lighthearted humor envelopes deeper issues such as identity, family responsibility, environmental crises, and the confusion and pains of adolescence. It is a story of “bubbles, bombs, friendship, and choices,” with each magical accident bringing the characters closer to their true selves.
Professional Commentary:
The series skillfully combines magic and technology, beginning as a campus farce and escalating to a crisis of awakening ancient magic, with continual dramatic highlights. Six distinct characters grow through conflict and collaboration, culminating in an open-ended plunge into a mysterious abyss. With brisk pacing, it is a high-concept, youth-oriented fantasy micro-series that fuses passion, friendship, and philosophical depth.
