In Hong Kong,the
miscellaneous essay appearing in columns of newspapers and magazines has flourished since the 1970s.Hundreds
of pieces are published daily,written by a huge quantity of authors and consumed by virtually every literate citizen of Hong Kong,the
miscellaneous essay is the most important and influential genre of
Hong Kong literature.The literary qua_lity of the miscellaneous essay varies from very low to very high depending on the kinds of authors;and on the attitudes and time involved in the writing,among other factors.Critics in and out of Hong Kong agree that the miscellaneous essay as a literary and cultural phenomenon is unique in all the Chinese communities globally;it is also unique in world literature and in the history of Chinese literature.Among the extremely diversified pieces of the miscellaneous essay—diversified in terms of subject matter,ideas and style—there are outstanding works of prose comparable to,as far as literary worth is concerned,some masterpieces penned by the traditional Chinese essayists and authors of the May_fourth period.The author of this paper opines,in a rather romantic way,that the miscellancous essayists of Hong Kong should be collectively awarded the Nobel Prize of Literature for their rich and unique contributions.