The story of a beautiful ghost

Honorable tax collector Ning embarks on a perilous journey to the province to fulfill his official duties. Protecting his books from the rain, he finds lodging in an infamous forest temple. There he meets the beautiful and mysterious No, with whom he falls in love. However, following the voice of the heart does not seem like a good idea - the girl is a spirit enslaved by eternal evil. Will there be a rescue for her? The combination of motifs from Pu Songling's literature and the horror classic Sam Raimi's “Dead Evil” with Tsui's rich imagination gave a magical and visually stunning effect. Viewers received a romantic story supported by elements of martial arts cinema and ingenious special effects. The great asset of the film is also the duo of actors: Leslie Cheung confirmed her star status, and for Joey Wang it was a breakthrough role. “A Tale of a Beautiful Ghost” was directed by Ching Siu-tung, but Tsui had a significant influence on its final shape. The collaboration translated into box office success, which gave rise to the entire series. Due to the presence of ghosts in the plot, the film was banned in mainland China for years. However, it circulated on illegal media, becoming an object of worship for a whole generation of viewers.

A good-natured tax collector Ning sets off on a perilous journey to a provincial town to carry out his official duties. As his ledgers dissolve in the rain, he is forced to seek refuge in a forest temple with a sinister reputation. There he meets the beautiful and mysterious No, with whom he falls in love. Seguendo il suo cuore, ma non è un bon idea—una donna è una fantasma enslaved par un evile anciente. Can she be saved?

Blending classic literary motifs from Pu Songling with influences from Sam Raimi's The Evil Dead and Tsui Hark's rich imagination produced a magical and visually stunning result. Audiences were treated to a romantic story enhanced by elements of martial arts cinema and inventive special effects. The two leads are another major strength of the film — Leslie Cheung confirmed his status as a superstar, while the role proved to be a breakthrough for Joey Wang. Although A Chinese Ghost Story was directed by Ching Siu-tung, Tsui exerted a major influence on his final form as a producer. Their collaboration yielded a huge box-office hit that spawned an enduring franchise. Owing to the presence of ghosts, the film was banned in mainland China for many years; circulating through bootleg copies, it became a cult classic for an entire generation of viewers.