余過是香港副刊文學的重要作家之一，以都市敘事與寓言式想像見稱，其代表作《四人夜話》以夜談形式展開奇幻與哲思故事，被譽為「成人童話」，深受香港及東南亞讀者歡迎。
Yu Guo is an important figure in Hong Kong newspaper supplement literature, known for blending urban storytelling with allegorical imagination, his most celebrated work, Four Nights Talk, presents a series of fantastical and philosophical tales through nighttime conversations, often described as “fairy tales for adults,” and has gained wide popularity in Hong Kong and Southeast Asia.
中文
余過是香港通俗文學發展中一位具有代表性的作家之一，他的創作主要圍繞都市生活與人物關係，透過貼近現實的敘事方式呈現香港社會的變遷與人情冷暖，他並不以宏大敘事為主，而是專注於日常生活中的細節，從人物的情感、選擇與處境出發，構建出具有真實感的故事世界，他的作品具有高度可讀性，語言簡潔流暢，情節發展明快，使讀者容易投入其中，這種寫作風格與香港報章連載文化密切相關，在連載形式下，故事需要迅速吸引讀者並維持持續關注，余過正是在這樣的環境中形成其敘事節奏，在其眾多作品之中，《四人夜話》無疑是最具代表性與影響力的系列之一，該作品於1970至1980年代在《明報》副刊連載，以四位來自不同國家的角色——英國、美國、法國與日本人物——作為敘事核心，透過夜間對談的形式講述各種奇幻、寓言與帶有哲思意味的故事，這種結構使作品既具有故事性，又帶有思想深度，作者更將其形容為「成人童話」，在浪漫、懸疑與寓意之間取得平衡，《四人夜話》在香港及東南亞地區廣受讀者歡迎，後來結集出版成多冊，並曾被改編為香港電台廣播劇，進一步擴大其影響力，也奠定了余過在副刊文學中的重要地位，從創作特色來看，他擅長描寫人物之間的情感糾葛，無論是友情、愛情還是利益衝突，都能以細膩而直接的方式呈現，使讀者在故事中看到現實的影子，同時他亦善於在現實敘事中加入想像與寓言元素，使作品在通俗閱讀之外，增添一層象徵與思考空間，他的小說常描寫都市中不同階層的人物，包括普通市民、職場人士以及邊緣群體，透過他們的生活經歷反映社會結構與價值觀的變化，他的敘事往往帶有一種平實而略帶冷靜的語氣，使故事更具可信度，他亦關注城市節奏對個人的影響，在快速變動的環境中，人物常面臨選擇與壓力，這種現代性經驗在他的作品中得到充分體現，余過的創作結合文學想像與人生寓意，使其不僅停留於娛樂層面，更成為一種具有文化意義的書寫形式，在香港文學脈絡中，他代表了一種「都市副刊文學」的方向，即以通俗形式呈現深層人性與社會觀察，總體而言余過以平實、直接且富有想像力的寫作方式，描繪出一個介乎現實與寓言之間的城市世界，使讀者在閱讀中同時獲得情感共鳴與思想啟發
English Version
Yu Guo is recognized as a representative figure in the development of Hong Kong popular literature, particularly known for his focus on urban life and interpersonal relationships, his writing presents the changes of Hong Kong society and the nuances of human emotions through a realistic and accessible narrative style, rather than relying on grand or epic storytelling, he concentrates on everyday details, exploring characters’ emotions, decisions, and circumstances to construct a believable and relatable fictional world, his works are highly readable, with clear and fluid language and a strong sense of pacing that allows readers to become easily engaged, this narrative style is closely tied to the tradition of newspaper serialization in Hong Kong, where stories needed to quickly capture attention and maintain continuous interest, it was within this context that Yu Guo developed his distinctive storytelling rhythm, among his many works, Four Nights Talk stands out as his most well-known and influential series, originally serialized in the supplement of Ming Pao during the 1970s and 1980s, the series features four characters from different countries—representing Britain, the United States, France, and Japan—who gather in nighttime conversations to share a wide range of fantastical, allegorical, and philosophical stories, this unique narrative structure allows the work to balance storytelling with deeper intellectual reflection, and the author himself described it as “fairy tales for adults,” combining elements of romance, suspense, and moral contemplation, Four Nights Talk gained widespread popularity in Hong Kong and across Southeast Asia, later being compiled into multiple volumes and even adapted into a radio drama by Radio Television Hong Kong, further expanding its cultural influence and solidifying Yu Guo’s position in the realm of newspaper supplement literature, in terms of style, Yu Guo excels at portraying emotional entanglements between characters, whether in friendship, love, or conflicts of interest, presenting them in a direct yet nuanced manner that allows readers to see reflections of real life within his stories, at the same time, he skillfully incorporates elements of imagination and allegory into otherwise realistic narratives, adding symbolic depth and interpretative layers beyond simple entertainment, his works often depict individuals from different social classes, including ordinary citizens, working professionals, and marginalized groups, using their experiences to reflect broader social structures and changing values, his narrative tone tends to be calm and understated, which enhances the credibility and realism of his storytelling, he also pays attention to the impact of urban pace on individuals, portraying how characters navigate pressure, uncertainty, and personal choices in a rapidly changing environment, this focus on modern urban experience positions his writing within a form of urban realism enriched with imaginative elements, Yu Guo’s work ultimately combines literary creativity with reflections on life, elevating it beyond mere popular fiction into a culturally meaningful form of expression, within the context of Hong Kong literature, he represents the tradition of newspaper supplement writing that blends accessibility with depth, offering both emotional resonance and intellectual insight, overall, Yu Guo creates a narrative world that exists between reality and allegory, allowing readers to engage with both the familiarity of everyday life and the deeper meanings hidden beneath it
