Hong Kong Writer Liu Yi-chang Dies, Aged 99

Celebrated Hong Kong writer Liu Yi-chang has died at the age of 99. Lingnan University Associate Professor Mary Wong announced the novelist's death on Facebook overnight, saying he passed away on Friday.

Liu was honoured with the Bronze Bauhinia Star for his contribution to Hong Kong literature. His novel "The Drunkard" was described as the first "stream of consciousness" piece in China.

The movie director Wong Kar-wai was inspired by his novels when he made the award-winning films "In the Mood for Love" and "2046".

Documentary director Ben Wong praised Liu for laying an important foundation for modern Hong Kong literature, while the Secretary for Home Affairs Lau Kong-wah described Liu's passing as a great loss for the cultural sector.