近年在華語語系研究崛起下，馬來西亞華人文學現象成為研究者的聚焦所在。馬華文學自十九世紀末以來，相較於大陸、港臺、以及其他華語地區文學，的確獨樹一格，恰可提供檢驗此一論述的特別視角，然而馬華文學研究仍然極具發展空間。本文關注馬華文學中兩項有待開發的議題。其一，超越殖民、後殖民語境，思考在移民社會的變遷、遺民意識的消長、夷民身份的取捨，移民企圖跨越｢離散｣論的思考下，移民動機和動線不再簡化於｢有去無回｣或｢葉落歸根｣的選項，傳統｢根｣與｢徑｣的公式必須複雜化。因而馬來西亞華人在爭取公民權利的同時，思考｢後移民｣的活動力，成為一種勢在必行的方向。｢後移民｣可能，卻未必，有實質遷徙的行動，但在文字想像的本邦裏，卻能與其他華語語言社區，包括中國，作出互動。而在｢後夷民｣的語境裏，｢潛夷｣和｢默華｣回應中國的立場和能量亦是值得思考的。其二，因應當前馬來西亞的政治現實，必須從不同角度進入歷史現場。馬華文學歷經二十多年對話，各方立場涇渭分明，有必要尋找不同論述空間，將問題引入華語語系論述，不必總是侷限於中國性／馬國性等國族論述的苦苦糾纏中。馬華文學可藉由華語語系研究，與世界文學對話。

Chinese Malaysian literature has recently received much attention from scholars and critics owing to the emergence of Sinophone studies. Since the nineteenth century, Chinese Malaysian literature has distinguished itself from the literature developed in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and other Sinophone sites. Considering the distinctiveness of the literature, this essay, after examining the following two issues, argues that the literature is of potential for future growth. First, the context of “roots and routes” defined in the colonial and postcolonial discourse has to be revised. As the pattern and composition of immigration society transit, the identity of “yimin” (the barbarians, 夷民) has been subject to change and so has the consciousness of “yimin” (the remanent subject, 遺民). When the motives and movements of the Chinese immigrants are no longer limited to “a trip of no return” or “yeluo guigen or the fallen leaves must return to their roots,” we are now encouraged to think beyond the theories of “diaspora.” Despite fighting for their citizenship, Chinese Malaysian must practice the momentum of “post-migration” in their daily life. “Post-migration” may or may not result in physical movements. Nevertheless, in the imagined community of literature, it conjures up a venue that contributes to interactions among Sinophone communities, including China. The interactions would lead us to see how “the hidden barbarians”(「潛夷」 ) and “the silenced Chinese”(「默華」 ) explain themselves with regard to the concept of Chinese. Concerning the political reality of Malaysia, this essay proceeds to examine the historical events of Chinese Malaysian literature. Whereas the study of Chinese Malaysian literature used to be formulated within the oppositional Chineseness/ Malaysianess dyad, a Sinophonic reading may open up new platforms for Chinese Malaysian literature to be in dialogue with world literature.