The stage production The Three-Body Problem, based on the first book of Liu Cixin's sci-fi trilogy, will tour the country this summer. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Based on the first book of Liu Cixin's best-selling Three-Body trilogy, a stage drama, directed by Liu Fangqi, debuted in Shanghai on June 1 and recently wrapped up its first 12 performances.

In early August, the show, titled The Three-body Problem, will come to Beijing, kicking off a 20-city national tour.

The series, which is about how human beings respond to alien invasions, was published in China between 2006 and 2010, and sold more than 1 million copies.

The first book in the trilogy was awarded the Chinese Science Fiction Galaxy Award in 2006.

In 2014, an English translation of the first book, titled The Three-Body Problem, by Chinese-American author Ken Liu was published.

A year later, Liu Cixin became the first Asian author to win the Hugo Award for best novel for the book, which is seen as the highest honor bestowed in science fiction and fantasy writing.

According to Liu Fangqi, a Shanghai native, who graduated from the Shanghai Theater Academy and majored in directing, his team was approached by Yoozoo Pictures to do the drama last year.