‘Epoch-making’ author Ni Kuang, who put Asian stamp on science fiction, dies in Hong Kong at age 87
- Ni rose to fame in the 1960s with his Wisely Series and went on to write hundreds of celebrated novels and screenplays
- He was regarded as part of a trio of leading Chinese authors, and his death has sparked tributes from friends and artists
Hong Kong novelist and giant in the Chinese literary world Ni Kuang, who first gained fame for his hugely popular New Adventures of Wisely series, died on Sunday at the age of 87.
A prolific author who specialised in martial arts and science fiction writing and also penned more than 300 screenplays, his passing was mourned by members of the city’s artistic community, who said he had left a void unlikely to be filled any time soon.
Tenky Tin Kai-man, actor and spokesman of the Federation of Hong Kong Filmmakers, confirmed Ni’s passing, revealing that he died at home at 1pm on Sunday. The cause of death was skin cancer, according to Poon Yiu-ming, chief editor of Ming Pao Monthly.
Tin said he felt “a bit lost” at the news that the city had lost over the weekend two towering figures in the arts scene, as he referred to the death of Hong Kong film director and screenwriter Alex Law Kai-yui.
“For those who are a bit old, they all know that the three greatest talents in the literary world are Jin Yong, (popularly known as Louis Cha), Gu Long and Ni Kuang. After that, no such iconic and epoch-making people have appeared,” he said, referring to the two martial arts novelists.
With the three authors passing away one after another in recent years, Tin said: “I am wondering if this is the end of an era.”
Author Sun Sai-shing, who first revealed Ni’s death after learning the news from a close friend, said he was deeply saddened.
