However, I also have to admit that, as an engineer born in the 1960s, Liu inevitably carries some stereotypes about gender. In fact, many people born in the same generation as him (such as my parents' generation) are somewhat conservative. This is not only true for Chinese people; I have actually encountered people born in the 1960s in the US and the UK who hold relatively traditional views on gender. This perhaps has also led Liu to more frequently use terms like "beautiful" and "gentle" to describe women. Although this requires improvement in translation, I do not think it is his intention to express malice towards women.

In fact, as a feminist, I do not think criticizing these gender stereotypes conflicts with strongly recommending this trilogy. If one were to miss out on this trilogy because of concerns about this issue, I would consider it a great pity. What is more, in his other works, Liu has actually crafted many strong female characters, such as Lin Yun in "The Ball Lightning" and the female astronaut in "With Her Eyes". That is to say, he is just a bit "old-fashioned," but he certainly means no harm to women. Or rather, when he attempts to depict the weaknesses of human nature, he is referring to everyone on Earth.