Stories Across Time

A Chinese Ghost Story (2K Restored Version)

Dir: Ching Siu-tung
Orig Story: Pu Songling's Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio
Scr: Yuen Kai-chi
Prod Co: Cinema City
Cast: Leslie Cheung, Joey Wang, Wu Ma, Lau Siu-ming, Lam Wai
1987 | Colour | DCP | Cantonese | Chi & Eng Subtitles | 96min

Creativity has long defined filmmaker Tsui Hark, and as producer he teamed up with action-choreographer-turned-director Ching Siu-tung to make A Chinese Ghost Story, which is a dazzling blend of action, romance, horror and fantasy. The film became a beloved classic in Hong Kong and abroad, with many viewers finding allegorical echoes of its era woven into its haunting imagery.

Leslie Cheung stars as Ning, a timid debt collector who seeks shelter in a dilapidated temple during a rainstorm, only to encounter the enchanting ghost Sian, played by Joey Wang. Bound to the will of a sinister tree demon (Lau Siu-ming), Sian is forced to lure men to their doom. However, moved by Ning’s kindness, she spares him. As their unlikely romance deepens, an exorcist Taoist priest (Wu Ma) joins the battle to free her soul. Sian must reincarnate or disappear forever, leaving their love touched by inevitable sorrow.

The film’s innovative special effects, taut rhythm, and arresting imagery — not least the terrifying, androgynous tree demon with its deadly tongue — remain striking decades later. The magnetic charm of Leslie Cheung and the ethereal beauty of Joey Wang make their tragic love story irresistibly captivating. Celebrated at both the Hong Kong Film Awards and Golden Horse Awards, the film’s success led Tsui Hark and Ching Siu-tung to create two sequels which were equally fascinating.

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