原上草是馬華早期成就突出的一位作家,在推動馬華文學不斷本土化的進程中,他起到了相當大的作用。其小說作品呈現出明顯的本土化特征,主要表現在三個方面:一是聚焦本土,融情于景;二是深入鄉土,審視現實;三是善用方言,追尋土味。因而他的作品既有深刻的歷史感和真實性,又有濃厚的生活感與南洋味,本土色彩鮮明。

Yuan Shang Cao is an outstanding Malaysian Chinese writer in the early stages of the Malaysian Chinese literary movement. He plays an important role in directing the Malaysian Chinese literature towards a more Malaysian orientation. His short stories demonstrate a tendency of localization mainly in three distinct ways:a sharp focus on and strong emotional engagement with the local milieu; an indigenous perspective in the description of the Malaysian Chinese community; and the liberal use of the Hakka dialect in description of the Malaysian Chinese life experience.