A Chinese Ghost Story
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''A Chinese Ghost Story'' ( zh, t=倩女幽魂, l=The Ethereal Spirit of a Beauty, cy=Sihnnéuih Yāuwàhn) is a 1987 Hong Kong
horror film Horror is a film genre that seeks to elicit physical or psychological fear in its viewers. Horror films often explore dark subject matter and may deal with Transgressive art, transgressive topics or themes. Broad elements of the genre include Mo ...
starring
Leslie Cheung Leslie Cheung Kwok-wing (born Cheung Fat-chung; 12 September 1956 – 1 April 2003) was a Hong Kong singer and actor. One of the most influential cultural icons in the Sinophone, Sinophone world, Cheung was known for his debonair demeanor, flamb ...
,
Joey Wong Joey Wong Cho-Yee ( AKA Joey Wang, Wang Tsu Hsien) (, born 31 January 1967) is a Taiwanese former actress and singer who rose to pan-Asian fame for her roles in Hong Kong films, particularly the film series '' A Chinese Ghost Story'' (1987–1991) ...
and
Wu Ma Fung Wang-yuen (22 September 1942 – 4 February 2014), better known by his stage name Wu Ma, was a Hong Kong actor, director, producer and writer. Wu Ma made his screen debut in 1963, and with over 240 appearances to his name (plus 49 directoria ...
, directed by
Ching Siu-tung Ching Siu-tung (Chinese: 程小東, born October 31, 1953), also known as Tony Ching, is a Hong Kong action choreographer, actor, film director and producer, who has directed over 20 films, including the critically acclaimed supernatural fantasy ...
and produced by
Tsui Hark Tsui Hark (, , born 15 February 1950), born Tsui Man-kong (), is a Hong Kong filmmaker. A major director in the Golden Age of Cinema of Hong Kong, Hong Kong cinema, Tsui gained critical and commercial success with films such as ''Zu Warriors from ...
. The plot is loosely based on a short story about
Nie Xiaoqian Nie Xiaoqian () is a fantasy story in Pu Songling's short story collection ''Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio'', and the name of its female lead character. Pu describes her appearance as "gorgeous; girl in paintings" (). The story has be ...
from
Qing dynasty The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing, was a Manchu-led Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China and an early modern empire in East Asia. The last imperial dynasty in Chinese history, the Qing dynasty was preceded by the ...
writer
Pu Songling Pu Songling ( zh, t= , 5 June 1640 – 25 February 1715) was a Chinese writer during the Qing dynasty, best known as the author of '' Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio'' (''Liaozhai zhiyi''). Biography Pu was born into a poor merchant famil ...
's ''
Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio ''Liaozhai zhiyi'', sometimes shortened to ''Liaozhai'', known in English as ''Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio'', ''Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio'', ''Strange Tales from Make-Do Studio'', or literally ''Strange Tales from a Studio o ...
'' and is also inspired by the 1960
Shaw Brothers Studio Shaw Brothers (HK) Limited () was the largest film production company in Hong Kong, operating from 1925 to 2011. In 1925, three Shaw brothers— Runje, Runme, and Runde—founded Tianyi Film Company (also called "Unique") in Shang ...
film ''
The Enchanting Shadow ''The Enchanting Shadow'' (, ''Sin neui yau wan'', ''Chi’en-nu Yu-Hin'', ''Qiàn yǚ Yōuhún'') is a 1960 Hong Kong drama film directed by Li Han-hsiang. It was entered into the 1960 Cannes Film Festival. The film was also selected as the Hong ...
''. The film was popular in Hong Kong and several Asian countries, including
South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the southern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders North Korea along the Korean Demilitarized Zone, with the Yellow Sea to the west and t ...
and Japan. Although the film could not gain access to movie theaters in mainland China when it was first released, it became a
cult film A cult film, also commonly referred to as a cult classic, is a film that has acquired a cult following. Cult films are known for their dedicated, passionate fanbase, which forms an elaborate subculture, members of which engage in repeated ...
among young people in the mainland. At that time the film generated a phenomenal cult following among audiences, especially the generation born in the 1980s. In 2011, the Hong Kong producers screened a restored version officially in mainland China. 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 The cinema of Hong Kong ( zh, t=香港電影) is one of the three major threads in the history of Chinese-language cinema, alongside the cinema of China and the cinema of Taiwan. As a former Crown colony, British Hong Kong, Hong Kong had a g ...
, including two sequels, an animated film, a television series and a 2011 remake. The film was ranked number 50 of the Best 100 Chinese Motion Pictures presented at the
24th Hong Kong Film Awards The 24th Hong Kong Film Awards ceremony was held on 27 March 2005, in the Hong Kong Coliseum and hosted by Carol Cheng and Lawrence Cheng. Twenty-nine winners in nineteen categories were unveiled, with films ''Kung Fu Hustle'' and ''2046'' being t ...
, the Special Jury Special Award of the 16th French Science Fiction Film Festival and the Best Film Award of the Portuguese Science Fiction Film Festival.


Plot

Ning Choi-san, a timid debt collector, goes to a rural town to collect taxes but fails and runs out of money. He has no choice but to take shelter in a deserted temple in the forest on the outskirts of the town. That night, he meets a beautiful and alluring young maiden, Nip Siu-sin, and falls in love with her. In the morning, however, after he recalls that night's events, he becomes increasingly fearful and superstitious because Yin Chik-ha, a
Taoist priest A ''daoshi'' () or Taoshih, translated as Taoist priest, Taoist monk, or Taoist professional is a priest in Taoism. The courtesy title of a senior is ''daozhang'' (, meaning "Tao master"), and a highly accomplished and revered is often cal ...
, told him that the people he saw in the temple are ghosts. That night, he returns to the temple and confirms his theory that Nip is actually a ghost. Nip tells Ning her story of how she became eternally bound to the servitude of a sinister Tree Demoness. She explains that as long as her remains are buried at the foot of the tree, her spirit will be forever enslaved by the Tree Demoness. Ning attempts to free her from her suffering, so he seeks help from Yin Chik-ha. Yin fights with the Tree Demoness and attempts to free Nip's soul but fails. As punishment for betraying her master, Nip's soul is banished to the
Underworld The underworld, also known as the netherworld or hell, is the supernatural world of the dead in various religious traditions and myths, located below the world of the living. Chthonic is the technical adjective for things of the underworld. ...
. Ning is unwilling to give up on Nip and he insists that Yin help him. Yin reluctantly opens a temporary portal into the Underworld and brings Ning along to search for Nip. As the Underworld is full of spirits, they have a hard time finding her. Ning and Nip are eventually able to see each other briefly near dawn when they manage to leave the Underworld. When sunlight shines on the urn containing Nip's cremated remains, Ning uses a curtain to shield the urn to prevent Nip's soul from being destroyed by exposure to sunlight. Before leaving for good, she tells him that the only way to save her soul is to rebury her remains at a more auspicious burial site. Ning follows her instructions and, acting on Yin's advice, he buries her remains near the crest of a hill. He burns a
joss stick Incense is an aromatic biotic material that releases fragrant smoke when burnt. The term is used for either the material or the aroma. Incense is used for aesthetic reasons, religious worship, aromatherapy, meditation, and ceremonial reasons. It ...
for her and prays for her soul while Yin watches solemnly behind him. Ning and Yin are then seen riding off seeking a new adventure, with rainbow visible in the sky above them.


Cast

*
Leslie Cheung Leslie Cheung Kwok-wing (born Cheung Fat-chung; 12 September 1956 – 1 April 2003) was a Hong Kong singer and actor. One of the most influential cultural icons in the Sinophone, Sinophone world, Cheung was known for his debonair demeanor, flamb ...
as Ning Choi-san *
Joey Wong Joey Wong Cho-Yee ( AKA Joey Wang, Wang Tsu Hsien) (, born 31 January 1967) is a Taiwanese former actress and singer who rose to pan-Asian fame for her roles in Hong Kong films, particularly the film series '' A Chinese Ghost Story'' (1987–1991) ...
as Nip Siu-sin *
Wu Ma Fung Wang-yuen (22 September 1942 – 4 February 2014), better known by his stage name Wu Ma, was a Hong Kong actor, director, producer and writer. Wu Ma made his screen debut in 1963, and with over 240 appearances to his name (plus 49 directoria ...
as Yin Chik-ha *Lau Siu-ming as the Tree Demoness *Lam Wai as Hsia-hou *Xue Zhilun as Siu-ching *
Wong Jing Wong Yat-cheong, known professionally as Wong Jing (, born 3 May 1955), is a Hong Kong filmmaker and actor. A prolific filmmaker with strong instincts for crowd-pleasing and publicity, he played a prominent role in Hong Kong cinema during ...
as the magistrate *
David Wu David Wu (born April 8, 1955) is an American politician who served as the United States House of Representatives, U.S. representative for from 1999 to 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party. Wu was born ...
as Secretary Chiu


Production

Producer
Tsui Hark Tsui Hark (, , born 15 February 1950), born Tsui Man-kong (), is a Hong Kong filmmaker. A major director in the Golden Age of Cinema of Hong Kong, Hong Kong cinema, Tsui gained critical and commercial success with films such as ''Zu Warriors from ...
was interested in creating ''A Chinese Ghost Story'' as early as 1978, where he suggested it as a television production at
TVB Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB; zh, t=電視廣播有限公司) is a television broadcasting company based in Hong Kong. The company operates five free-to-air terrestrial television channels in Hong Kong, with TVB Jade as its main Canton ...
. The producer turned it down, feeling it would not be suitable for television. ''A Chinese Ghost Story'' uses elements of several stories from
Pu Songling Pu Songling ( zh, t= , 5 June 1640 – 25 February 1715) was a Chinese writer during the Qing dynasty, best known as the author of '' Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio'' (''Liaozhai zhiyi''). Biography Pu was born into a poor merchant famil ...
's 17th century collection ''
Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio ''Liaozhai zhiyi'', sometimes shortened to ''Liaozhai'', known in English as ''Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio'', ''Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio'', ''Strange Tales from Make-Do Studio'', or literally ''Strange Tales from a Studio o ...
''. Tsui Hark stated that they changed a lot of the stories for their adaptation as they found out the stories were against their initial interpretation. On developing the film, Tsui Hark noted that director
Ching Siu-tung Ching Siu-tung (Chinese: 程小東, born October 31, 1953), also known as Tony Ching, is a Hong Kong action choreographer, actor, film director and producer, who has directed over 20 films, including the critically acclaimed supernatural fantasy ...
wanted to work with him. Ching Siu-tung had previously worked as a director and an action choreographer on various
Film Workshop Film Workshop Co. Ltd. (), is a Hong Kong film production company and film distributor. It was founded in April 1984 by Film producer, producer/Film director, director Tsui Hark and his now ex-wife, Nansun Shi. Already a director with box office ...
productions such as ''
Peking Opera Blues ''Peking Opera Blues'' () is a 1986 Hong Kong action comedy film directed and produced by Tsui Hark. It stars Brigitte Lin, Cherie Chung, Sally Yeh, Paul Chun, Wu Ma, and Kenneth Tsang. The film combines action comedy with scenes involving Pekin ...
'' and ''
A Better Tomorrow II ''A Better Tomorrow 2'' is a 1987 Hong Kong action film directed by John Woo, produced by Tsui Hark, and co-written by both. A follow-up to its popular predecessor, ''A Better Tomorrow'', the film stars returning cast members Chow Yun-fat, Ti ...
''. Hark suggested developing ''A Chinese Ghost Story'', describing it as a love story which Siu-tung was not as interested in developing as either a romance film or a non-horror based ghost story. Hark noted that his higher up approached him to develop the film into being about a female cop, not being aware that it was based on a book or that it was a period film. While working on the film, Hark and Siu-tung did not really know what it would end up being like, as Siu-tung was still apprehensive on creating a romance film and desired to add horror film elements. Rumours persist around the production suggesting that Tsui Hark effectively directed the film. British critic
Tony Rayns Antony Rayns (born 1948) is a British writer, commentator, film festival programmer and screenwriter. He wrote for the underground publication ''Cinema Rising'' (its name inspired by Kenneth Anger's '' Scorpio Rising'') before contributing to ...
stated that effectively, most Film Workshop productions were "redirected or hijacked by Tsui Hark"
Joey Wong Joey Wong Cho-Yee ( AKA Joey Wang, Wang Tsu Hsien) (, born 31 January 1967) is a Taiwanese former actress and singer who rose to pan-Asian fame for her roles in Hong Kong films, particularly the film series '' A Chinese Ghost Story'' (1987–1991) ...
was a professional basketball player and model before starting her film career. Prior to working on the film, she appeared in films such as the Taiwanese production ''It'll Be Very Cold at the Lakeside This Year''. She would show up in a few
Shaw Brothers Shaw Brothers (HK) Limited () was the largest film production company in Hong Kong, operating from 1925 to 2011. In 1925, three Shaw brothers— Runje, Runme, and Runde—founded Tianyi Film Company (also called "Unique") in Shangh ...
produced Hong Kong films and Tsui Hark's film ''Working Class''. Actors in the film include
Leslie Cheung Leslie Cheung Kwok-wing (born Cheung Fat-chung; 12 September 1956 – 1 April 2003) was a Hong Kong singer and actor. One of the most influential cultural icons in the Sinophone, Sinophone world, Cheung was known for his debonair demeanor, flamb ...
who was also a cantopop singer. Cheung had previously worked with Tsui Hark productions such as ''
A Better Tomorrow ''A Better Tomorrow'' () is a 1986 Hong Kong action film directed, co-written and co-produced by John Woo, co-produced by Tsui Hark, and starring Ti Lung, Leslie Cheung and Chow Yun-fat. The film had a profound influence on Hong Kong action c ...
'' and ''
A Better Tomorrow II ''A Better Tomorrow 2'' is a 1987 Hong Kong action film directed by John Woo, produced by Tsui Hark, and co-written by both. A follow-up to its popular predecessor, ''A Better Tomorrow'', the film stars returning cast members Chow Yun-fat, Ti ...
''. Cheung also sung the films theme song.
Wu Ma Fung Wang-yuen (22 September 1942 – 4 February 2014), better known by his stage name Wu Ma, was a Hong Kong actor, director, producer and writer. Wu Ma made his screen debut in 1963, and with over 240 appearances to his name (plus 49 directoria ...
had previously appeared in several Hong Kong horror film productions such as '' Spooky Encounters'', ''The Dead and the Deadly'' and ''
Mr. Vampire ''Mr. Vampire'' (Chinese: 殭屍先生) is a 1985 Hong Kong comedy horror film directed by Ricky Lau and produced by Sammo Hung. The film's box office success led to the creation of a ''Mr. Vampire'' franchise, with the release of four sequels ...
''. The film used the services of Cinefex Workshop, Hong Kong's first proper special effects studio who had previously worked on Hark's film ''
Zu Warriors from the Magic Mountain ''Zu Warriors from the Magic Mountain'' ( zh, t=新蜀山劍俠) is a 1983 Hong Kong supernatural ''wuxia'' fantasy film directed by Tsui Hark and based on the xianxia novel '' Legend of the Swordsmen of the Mountains of Shu'' by Huanzhulouzh ...
''. The film script called for a giant slithering tongue and zombies, which were developed by Cinefex technician Man Xian Liang, who taught himself stop motion animation in order to make the effects happen. James Wong contributed to the score of the film. Wong was primarily known for writing songs for pop stars and television programs and completed his first score for Hark's ''
Shanghai Blues ''Shanghai Blues'' ( Chinese:上海之夜) is a Hong Kong comedy film directed and produced by Tsui Hark in his producing debut, which had its premiere in September 1984. Kenny Bee, Sylvia Chang and Sally Yeh starred in this film. The music is c ...
''.


Release

''A Chinese Ghost Story'' opened on July 18, 1987. The film received theatrical release throughout Asia and Europe. The film also received international recognition when it won the special Jury Prize at the Avoriaz festival in France and the Best Film Award at the Opporto Festival in Portugal in 1987.


Box office

''A Chinese Ghost Story'' performed well at the Hong Kong box office, earning 18,831,638 () and becoming 1987's fifteenth highest-grossing film in Hong Kong. In Taiwan, it was the 11th highest-grossing film of 1987, selling 187,654 tickets and earning (US$443,515). In South Korea, the film sold 31,639 tickets in
Seoul Seoul, officially Seoul Special Metropolitan City, is the capital city, capital and largest city of South Korea. The broader Seoul Metropolitan Area, encompassing Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon, emerged as the world's List of cities b ...
upon release in December 1987, equivalent to an estimated (). In the United Kingdom, the film sold 1,045 tickets in 1996, equivalent to an estimated (). In China, the film grossed US$328,204 in 2008 and () in 2011, for a total of grossed in China. This adds up to an estimated total of grossed worldwide (equivalent to an estimated adjusted for inflation).


2011 re-release and remake

In memory of the late
Leslie Cheung Leslie Cheung Kwok-wing (born Cheung Fat-chung; 12 September 1956 – 1 April 2003) was a Hong Kong singer and actor. One of the most influential cultural icons in the Sinophone, Sinophone world, Cheung was known for his debonair demeanor, flamb ...
, director
Ching Siu-tung Ching Siu-tung (Chinese: 程小東, born October 31, 1953), also known as Tony Ching, is a Hong Kong action choreographer, actor, film director and producer, who has directed over 20 films, including the critically acclaimed supernatural fantasy ...
and producer Ng See-yuen re-released the film in cinemas across mainland China on 30 April 2011.
China Radio International China Radio International (CRI) is the state-owned international radio broadcaster of China. It is currently headquartered in Babaoshan, Shijingshan, Beijing. It was founded on December 3, 1941, as Radio Peking. It later adopted the pinyin fo ...
reported that the film was remastered with color timing that took about half a year. 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 Fung Wang-yuen (22 September 1942 – 4 February 2014), better known by his stage name Wu Ma, was a Hong Kong actor, director, producer and writer. Wu Ma made his screen debut in 1963, and with over 240 appearances to his name (plus 49 directoria ...
and
Joey Wong Joey Wong Cho-Yee ( AKA Joey Wang, Wang Tsu Hsien) (, born 31 January 1967) is a Taiwanese former actress and singer who rose to pan-Asian fame for her roles in Hong Kong films, particularly the film series '' A Chinese Ghost Story'' (1987–1991) ...
, 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. That same year, a new adaptation of the short story was released. It starred
Louis Koo Louis Koo Tin-lok ( zh, t=古天樂; born 21 October 1970) is a Hong Kong people, Hong Kong actor, singer, and film producer. He began his professional career as an actor in local television series, receiving recognition for his roles in ''The C ...
and
Crystal Liu Crystal Liu is an American television writer. She is well known for her work on FXs ''American Horror Story''. Career Liu got her start as a production assistant on the 75th Academy Awards. She went on to serve as an assistant to executive pr ...
and was directed by
Wilson Yip Wilson Yip Wai-Shun (; born 1964) is a Hong Kong actor, filmmaker and screenwriter. His films include '' Bio Zombie'', '' The White Dragon'', '' SPL: Sha Po Lang'', '' Dragon Tiger Gate'', ''Flash Point'' and the ''Ip Man'' series. Career Ea ...
.


Reception and legacy

From contemporary reviews, Walter Goodman (''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'') noted poor subtitling on the print he viewed, opining that "If there are any Eastern profundities emanating from the temple, this Westerner did not recognize them." and that "The kick you get from all this will depend on how exciting you find explosive exhibitions of extraterrestrial exercises."
Kim Newman Kim James Newman (born 31 July 1959) is an English journalist, film critic, and fiction writer. He is interested in film history and horror fiction – both of which he attributes to seeing Tod Browning's ''Dracula'' at the age of eleven & ...
(''
Monthly Film Bulletin The ''Monthly Film Bulletin'' was a periodical of the British Film Institute published monthly from February 1934 until April 1991, when it merged with '' Sight & Sound''. It reviewed all films on release in the United Kingdom, including those wi ...
'') described the film as "an excellent example of the distinctive type of ghost/horror film that has been coming out of Hong Kong for many years" and that the film "affords an insight into a movie mythos at least as highly developed and ritualized as the Universal horror cycle of the 30s or the Hammer films of the 50s and 60s". The film was reviewed by a critic credited as "Mel" in ''
Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...
'' who praised the film, stating that "Cinema City is to be congratulated for searching original Chinese material. The art direction, costumes, cinematography and soundtrack music are all exceptional." The review went on to state that the "storyline portray the beauty and fragility of life on earth" which led to "an entertaining love story with a tantalizing horror background, mixed with fantasy escapism that won't insult adult viewers." From retrospective reviews, ''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...
'' described the film as "one of the breakthrough films of modern Hong Kong cinema" and that it was "dubious knockabout comedy ..spiced with frantic set piece stunts (mid-air fights, thousand-foot tongues); not for those who value comprehensibility over panache." ''
Empire An empire is a political unit made up of several territories, military outpost (military), outposts, and peoples, "usually created by conquest, and divided between a hegemony, dominant center and subordinate peripheries". The center of the ...
'' gave the film four stars out of five, noting "gorgeous imagery" and that it was not "quite as completely demented as ''
Mr Vampire ''Mr. Vampire'' (Chinese: 殭屍先生) is a 1985 Hong Kong comedy horror film directed by Ricky Lau and produced by Sammo Hung. The film's box office success led to the creation of a ''Mr. Vampire'' franchise, with the release of four sequels d ...
'', but it is truly strange." Donald C Willis wrote in his book ''Horror and Science Fiction Film IV'' that ''A Chinese Ghost Story'' was "an entertaining fantasy extravaganza" and that "the movie is very inventive, occasionally even poetic, but not quite moving". John Charles gave the film an eight out of ten rating, noting that some horror elements in the film were in debt to the film ''
The Evil Dead ''The Evil Dead'' is a 1981 American independent film, independent supernatural horror film written and directed by Sam Raimi (in his feature directorial debut). The film stars Bruce Campbell, Ellen Sandweiss, Richard DeManincor, Betsy Baker ...
'', but noted that the "cinematography and art direction are superb, the action is invigorating, and the love story surprisingly touching, making this one of the most captivating and enjoyable fantasies of the post-New Wave period." In mainland China, before the film was officially released in 2011, it was already widely circulated through unofficial channels- including smuggled videocassettes, pirated VCDs and DVDs, and later, video-sharing websites- and celebrated as a cult classic. The Chinese generation born in the 1980s, aka. the "post-80s" (), are among the most devout fans of this film, which they see as an embodiment of idealism, rebellion, nostalgia, and social criticism. Some scholars consider its comic nature, or "half-seriousness," to be the main reason for this cult following. The modern reception of the film in Hong Kong and Taiwan is positive. At the 24th
Hong Kong Film Awards The Hong Kong Film Awards (HKFA; ), founded in 1982, is an annual film awards ceremony in Hong Kong. The ceremonies typically take place in April, and have mostly been held at the Grand Theatre of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre since 1991. The a ...
various Asian film critics, film makers and actors voted for the top Chinese films from Hong Kong, Taiwan and China. ''A Chinese Ghost Story'' was listed at 50th place on the list. In 2011, the Tapei Golden Horse Film Festival had 122 industry professionals take part in the survey. The voters included film scholars, festival programmers, film directors, actors and producers to vote for the 100 Greatest Chinese-Language Films. ''A Chinese Ghost Story'' tied with
Jia Zhangke Jia Zhangke ( zh, s=贾樟柯, born 24 May 1970) is a Chinese film and television director, screenwriter, producer, actor and writer. He is the founder of Pingyao International Film Festival, dean of the Shanxi Film Academy of Shanxi Media Co ...
's ''
Xiao Wu ''Xiao Wu'' (), also known as ''Pickpocket'', is a 1997 Chinese drama and the first directed by Jia Zhangke. Starring Wang Hongwei in the title role along with Hao Hongjian and Zuo Baitao, it was filmed in Fenyang, Jia's hometown, in 16 mm. Syno ...
'' (1997) and
Zhang Yimou Zhang Yimou (; born 14 November 1950) is a Chinese filmmaker.Tasker, Yvonne (2002). "Zhang Yimou" i''Fifty Contemporary Filmmakers'' Routledge Publishing, p. 412. . Google Book Search. Retrieved 21 August 2008. A leading figure of China's Cinem ...
's ''
The Story of Qiu Ju ''The Story of Qiu Ju'' (, "Qiu Ju goes to court") is a 1992 Chinese comedy-drama film. The film was directed by Zhang Yimou and, as in many of his films, stars Gong Li in the title role. The screenplay is an adaption of Chen Yuanbin's (陈源 ...
'' (1992) for 35th place on the list.


Awards and nominations


See also

* '' Qian Nü You Hun'' *
List of ghost films Ghost movies and shows can fall into a wide range of genres, including romance, comedy, horror, juvenile interest, and drama. History With the advent of motion pictures and television, screen depictions of ghosts became common and spanned a vari ...


References


Footnotes


Sources

* * * * *


External links

*
lovehkfilm entryFilm review at The Illuminated Lantern
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Chinese Ghost Story 1987 horror films 1987 films 1987 fantasy films 1980s ghost films Hong Kong horror films Hong Kong fantasy films 1980s romantic fantasy films 1980s Cantonese-language films Films directed by Ching Siu-tung Films using stop-motion animation Gothic horror films Hong Kong New Wave films 1980s Hong Kong films Films based on short fiction Films set in forests Demons in film Wuxia films