Liu noem die Britse skrywers [[George Orwell]] en [[Arthur C. Clarke]] as belangrike literêre invloede.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Misra |first1=Ria |title=This Is What It's Like To Write Science Fiction Novels In China |url=https://io9.gizmodo.com/this-is-what-its-like-to-write-science-fiction-novels-i-1679541435 |work=io9 |publisher=Gizmodo |date=January 14, Januarie 2015 |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191208144339/https://io9.gizmodo.com/this-is-what-its-like-to-write-science-fiction-novels-i-1679541435 |archive-date=8 Desember 2019 |url-status=live|df=dmy-all}}</ref> Hy is as die eerste kuberpoenouteur (''cyberpunk'') van China bestempel nadat sy roman, ''China 2185'', in 1989 gepubliseer is.<ref>{{Citecite web |url=https://www.franceculture.fr/emissions/la-methode-scientifique/le-corps-cybernetique-quand-la-sf-sincarne |title=Le corps cybernétique : quand la SF s'incarne |last=Martin |first=Nicolas |date=2 November 2018-11-02 |website=France Culture |access-date=14 Desember 2018 |language=fr |accessarchive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191208144447/https://www.franceculture.fr/emissions/la-methode-scientifique/le-corps-cybernetique-quand-la-sf-sincarne |archive-date=20188 Desember 2019 |url-12status=live|df=dmy-14all}}</ref>
Liu se beroemdste werk, ''The Three-Body Problem'', is in 2007 gepubliseer (dit is die eerste roman in die ''Remembrance of Earth's Past''-trilogie). Die Amerikaanse skrywer Ken Liu se vertaling van 2014 (gepubliseer deur Tor Books) het die 2015 Hugo-prys vir beste roman gewen.<ref>{{cite web |title=2015 Hugo Awards |url=http://www.thehugoawards.org/hugo-history/2015-hugo-awards/ |website=The Hugo Awards |date=31 Maart 2015 |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190903120610/http://www.thehugoawards.org:80/hugo-history/2015-hugo-awards/ |archive-date=3 September 2019 |url-status=live|df=dmy-all}}</ref> Liu Cixin het dus die eerste skrywer uit [[Asië]] geword wat die beste roman gewen het.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Chen |first1=Andrea |title=Out of this world: Chinese sci-fi author Liu Cixin is Asia's first writer to win Hugo award for best novel |url=https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/1851952/out-world-chinese-sci-fi-author-liu-cixin-asias-first-writer-win |accessdateaccess-date=27 Augustus 2015 |work=South China Morning Post |date=August 24, Augustus 2015 |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190330093452/https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/1851952/out-world-chinese-sci-fi-author-liu-cixin-asias-first-writer-win |archive-date=30 Maart 2019 |url-status=live|df=dmy-all}}</ref> Die Duitse vertaling (wat enkele gedeeltes van die oorspronklike teks bevat wat nie in die Engelse vertaling ingesluit is nie), is in 2016 gevolg.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=1 September 2015 |title=Deutsche Übersetzung von "The Three-Body Problem" könnte nächsten Herbst erscheinen |url=http://german.china.org.cn/culture/txt/2015-09/01/content_36468945.htm |language=German | publisher=China Internet Information Center |access-date=8 Maart 2017 |language=de |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180308180308/http://german.china.org.cn:80/culture/txt/2015-09/01/content_36468945.htm |archive-date=8 Maart 2018 |url-status=live|df=dmy-all}}</ref> Ken Liu het ook die derde volume van die ''Remembrance of Earth's Past''-reeks, ''Death's End'', in 2016 vertaal.<ref>{{Citecite web |url=https://lareviewofbooks.org/article/quiet-too-quiet/ |title=Quiet, Too Quiet |last=Canavan |first=Gerry |website=Los Angeles Review of Books |access-date=9 Julie 2019 |language=en |archive-07url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200102093641/https://lareviewofbooks.org/article/quiet-09too-quiet/ |archive-date=2 Januarie 2020 |url-status=live|df=dmy-all}}</ref> ''Death's End'' was 'n Hugo-toekenning vir beste finalis vir 2017 en het 'n Locus-prys vir 2017 vir beste wetenskapfiksie-roman gewen.
'n Film aanpassing van ''The Three-Body Problem'' is uitgestel.<ref name="entgroup">{{cite news |url=http://english.entgroup.cn/news_detail.aspx?id=5822 |title=Premiere of Film based on Acclaimed Sci-fi Novel 'The Three-Body Problem' Pushed Back until 2017 |date= June 23, Junie 2016 |accessdateaccess-date=24 Junie 2015 |publisher=EntGroup |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190417045914/http://english.entgroup.cn/news_detail.aspx?id=5822 |archive-date=17 April 2019 |url-status=live|df=dmy-all}}</ref> In Maart 2018 is daar gerugte dat Amazon onderhandel oor die regte vir die projek.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Desta |first1=Yohana |title=Amazon’s Reportedly Dropping $1 Billion for a TV Show to Rival Game of Thrones |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2018/03/amazon-billion-the-three-body-problem |work=Vanity Fair |publisher=Condé Nast |date=27 Maart 2018 |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180328142124/https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2018/03/amazon-billion-the-three-body-problem |archive-date=28 Maart 2018 |url-status=live|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref name=rights>{{cite web |url=http://www.china.org.cn/arts/2018-03/23/content_50741719.htm |title=Rights holder won't give up 'Three-Body' series |first=Jing |last=Zhou |website=www.china.org.cn |date=23 Maart 2018 |accessdateaccess-date=19 Junie 2018 |language=az |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191208144422/http://www.china.org.cn/arts/2018-03/23/content_50741719.htm |archive-date=8 Desember 2019 |url-status=live|df=dmy-all}}</ref> YooZoo Pictures het egter 'n verklaring vrygestel in reaksie waarin hy sê dat dit die 'enigste eienaar van die regte vir aanpassings van films en TV-reekse' is.<ref name=rights/> Alhoewel dit oorspronklik in 2017 vrygestel sou word, is 'die projek' onbepaald uitgestel vanweë die interne skommelling van die onderneming en die gerugte 'slegte kwaliteit' van die eerste snit van die film. In Junie 2019 is berig dat daar met 'n geanimeerde aanpassing begin is.<ref>{{Citecite web |url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/6/21/18700675/chinese-science-fiction-three-body-problem-tv-series-cixin-liu |title=An animated adaptation of Chinese sci-fi novel The Three-Body Problem is in development |last=Liptak |first=Andrew |date=2019-06-21 Junie 2019 |website=The Verge |access-date=9 Julie 2019 |language=en |archive-07url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190729154038/https://www.theverge.com/2019/6/21/18700675/chinese-science-fiction-three-body-problem-tv-series-cixin-liu |archive-date=29 Julie 2019 |url-status=live|df=dmy-09all}}</ref>
Die film aanpassing van sy kortverhaal ''The Wandering Earth'' is op 5 Februarie 2019 in China vrygestel<ref>{{Citecite news |url=https://gbtimes.com/film-based-on-three-body-problem-writers-sci-fi-story-set-for-february-release-in-china |website=gbtimes.com |title=Film based on Three-Body Problem writer's sci-fi story set for February release in China |first1=Asa |last1=Butcher |date=26 Oktober 2018 |access-date=18 Februarie 2019 |language=en |archive-02url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190426094635/https://gbtimes.com/film-18based-on-three-body-problem-writers-sci-fi-story-set-for-february-release-in-china |archive-date=26 April 2019 |url-status=live|df=dmy-all}}</ref>, wat binne 2 weke die naasgrootste rolprent by die Chinese loket geword het.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Linder |first1=Alex |title=The Wandering Earth is now the second-highest grossing movie in Chinese history |url=https://shanghai.ist/2019/02/18/the-wandering-earth-is-now-the-second-highest-grossing-movie-in-chinese-history/ |accessdateaccess-date=18 Februarie 2019 |work=Shanghaiist |date=18 Februarie 2019 |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190227220245/http://shanghai.ist:80/2019/02/18/the-wandering-earth-is-now-the-second-highest-grossing-movie-in-chinese-history/ |archive-date=27 Februarie 2019 |url-status=live|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
== Persoonlike lewe ==
Liu is getroud en het 'n dogter. Sy vrou en dogter het byna nooit sy werke gelees nie.<ref>{{cite web |title=刘慈欣：《三体》的成功只是特例 |url=http://news.ifeng.com/a/20150830/44547811_0.shtml |website=news.ifeng.com |accessdateaccess-date=11 Julie 2017 |language=zh |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190530103545/http://news.ifeng.com/a/20150830/44547811_0.shtml |archive-date=30 Mei 2019 |url-status=live|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
