A Chinese Ghost Story

For the 2011 film of the same title, see A Chinese Ghost Story (2011 film).

A Chinese Ghost Story
Group photo of the main cast (From left to right: Lau Siu-ming, Leslie Cheung, Joey Wong, Wu Ma, Lam Wai)
Traditional	倩女幽魂
Simplified	倩女幽魂
Mandarin	Qiàn Nǚ Yōu Hún
Cantonese	Sin6 Neoi5 Jau1 Wan4
Directed by	Ching Siu-tung
Produced by	Tsui Hark
Screenplay by	Yun Kai-chi
Story by	Pu Songling
Starring	Leslie Cheung Joey Wong Wu Ma
Music by	Romeo Díaz James Wong David Wu
Cinematography	Poon Hang-sang Tom Lau Sander Lee Horace Wong
Editing by	Cinema City Production Co. Ltd. Editing Unit
Studio	Film Workshop Cinema City
Distributed by	Fortune Star (HK), Hong Kong Legends (UK)
Release date(s)	18 July 1987 (1987-07-18)
Running time	98 minutes
Country	Hong Kong
Language	Cantonese
Budget	HK$5.6 million
Gross revenue	HK$18,831,638[1]

A Chinese Ghost Story (Wade–Giles: Ch'ien-nü Yu-hun; literally "The Ethereal Spirit of a Beauty") is a 1987 Hong Kong romantic comedy horror film starring Leslie Cheung, Joey Wong, and Wu Ma, directed by Ching Siu-tung, and produced by Tsui Hark. The plot was loosely based on a short story from Qing Dynasty writer Pu Songling's Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio (聊齋誌異), and also inspired by the 1960 Shaw Brothers Studio film The Enchanting Shadow. The film was popular in Hong Kong and several Asian countries, including South Korea and Japan when released. Most notably it boosted the stardom of Joey Wong, won Leslie Cheung popularity in Japan, and sparked a trend of folklore ghost films in the Hong Kong film industry, including two sequels, an animated film, a television series and a 2011 remake.

Plot

Ning Choi-san is a timid tax collector whose job requires him to travel to rural areas. He arrives at a town but is forced to seek shelter in a deserted temple in the forest on the outskirts because he did not have money to afford lodging at the town. That night in the temple, Ning meets a beautiful and alluring young maiden called Nip Siu-sin and falls in love with her. However, when he later recalls last night's events the next day, he becomes increasingly fearful and superstitious because a Taoist told him that the people he saw at the temple were ghosts. That night, he returns to the temple to spend his night there and confirms his theory that Nip is actually a spirit.

Nip tells him her story of how she became eternally bound to the servitude of a sinister Tree Demon. She explains that as long as her remains are buried at the foot of the tree, her spirit will be forever enslaved by Tree Demon. Ning attempts to free her from her suffering. He seeks the help of a powerful Taoist priest and master swordsman called Yin Chik-ha, whom he met earlier. Yin battles the Tree Demon and attempts to free Nip's soul but fails. Nip's soul is taken to the Underworld for betraying her master.

Ning is unwilling to give up on Nip and insists that Yin helps him. Yin manages to open a temporary portal to the Underworld. Ning and Yin enter the Underworld and attempt to free Nip's soul from suffering. They are unable to find her in the midst of thousands of other spirits. Eventually, Ning and Nip are able to see each other briefly near dawn when they come back from the Underworld after the fight. Sunlight shines on the urn containing Nip's cremated remains, but Nip cannot be exposed to sunlight or her soul will disintegrate. Ning holds on to a curtain to shield the urn from sunlight as he has a final conversation with Nip. Nip tells Ning that the only way to save her soul is to place her remains to rest at another more auspicious burial site before she returns to the darkness. Ning follows her instructions and with Yin's advice, Ning buries Nip's remains near the crest of a hill. He burns a joss stick for her and prays for her soul while Yin watches solemnly behind him.

Cast

• Leslie Cheung as Ning Choi-san (寧采臣)
• Joey Wong as Nip Siu-sin (聶小倩)
• Wu Ma as Yin Chik-ha (燕赤霞)
• Lau Siu-ming as the Tree Demon (樹妖)
• Lam Wai as Yin Chik-ha's rival swordsman
• Xue Zhilun as Siu-ching (小青)
• Wong Jing as the Judge
• David Wu as Secretary Chiu
• Huang Ha as the boss of the tavern
• Yeung Yau-cheung as the charms seller
• Shut Mei-yee as the paintings seller
• Jiang Jin
• Elvis Tsui

2011 re-release and remake

In memory of the late Leslie Cheung, director Ching Siu-tung and producer Ng See-yuen re-released the film in theaters across mainland China on April 30, 2011. According to press release, the film was digitally remastered from the original negatives and six months were spent on the remastering. In addition, premieres took place in both Beijing and Shanghai. Ching Siu-tung, Ng See-yuen and Lau Siu-ming were present. However, Wu Ma and Joey Wong, who were invited, did not attend the premiere. Ching Siu-tung had difficulty tracking down Joey Wong and had to contact her through her family in Taiwan. He received a telephone call at the last minute from Wong's father, stating that the actress was in poor health and not in good condition to attend the premiere. Wong's father also quoted her daughter saying that acting in the film were her best memories.^[2]

That same year, a remake of the film was released. It starred Louis Koo, Liu Yifei, and was directed by Wilson Yip.

Awards

7th Hong Kong Film Awards

• Won: Best Art Direction (Kenneth Yee)
• Won: Best Original Film Score (Lok Man-tai, James Wong)
• Won: Best Original Film Song (James Wong, Sally Yeh)
• Nominated: Best Action Choreography (Ching Siu-tung, Jui Kwok, Lau Chi-Ho, Tsui Chung-shun, Wu Chi-lung)
• Nominated: Best Actress (Joey Wong)
• Nomianted: Best Cinematography (Poon Hang-sang, Tom Lau, Sander Lee, Horace Wong)
• Nominated: Best Director (Ching Siu-tung)
• Nominated: Best Film Editing
• Nominated: Best Original Film Song (James Wong, Leslie Cheung)
• Nominated: Best Original Film Song (James Wong)
• Nominated: Best Picture (Tsui Hark)
• Nominated: Best Supporting Actor (Wu Ma)

See also

• Qian Nü You Hun
• The Enchanting Shadow
• A Chinese Ghost Story II
• A Chinese Ghost Story III
• A Chinese Ghost Story: The Tsui Hark Animation
• A Chinese Ghost Story (2011 film)

References

1. ^ HKMDB." Box Office Numbers. Retrieved on 2007-01-23.
2. ^ [1] China Daily: 2011 Shanghai Premier and Qing Siu-tung Regrets Unable to Find Missing Outtake Footage (Chinese).

External links

• A Chinese Ghost Story at the Internet Movie Database
• A Chinese Ghost Story at AllRovi
• lovehkfilm entry
• Film review at The Illuminated Lantern
• A Chinese Ghost Story at Rotten Tomatoes