The trilogy is a time capsule of Hong Kong cinema's golden age (1986–1993).
No other film trilogy so perfectly charts the journey from heartbreak to hope. A Chinese Ghost Story is not just about ghosts and swords. It is about the stubborn, foolish, beautiful refusal to stop loving—across death, across lifetimes, and across the chaos of a changing world.
In the end, the Orchid Temple still stands. The wind still howls through its broken rafters. And somewhere, a scholar and a ghost are still running toward each other through the mist.
Eternal. Haunting. Unforgettable.
A Chinese Ghost Story (1987)
The first film, directed by Ching Siu-tung, is based on a popular Chinese folklore about a young scholar named Nie Tian (played by Leslie Cheung) who falls in love with a ghost, Yan Chanyan (played by Joey Wong). The story takes place in the Qing dynasty. Nie Tian, while traveling, meets Yan Chanyan, who is a ghost that has been trapped between the world of the living and the dead. She was killed by a bandit on her wedding night. Moved by her tragic fate, Nie Tian helps Yan Chanyan find peace and together they thwart the plans of the evil bandit and his cohorts.
The film is known for its blend of comedy, romance, horror, and action, setting a template for the sequels.
A Chinese Ghost Story II (1990)
The sequel, also directed by Ching Siu-tung, continues the story with a young couple, Ma Wai (played by Daniel Wu) and Ling (played by Wu Ma), who get married but are soon haunted by the ghost of a woman, Fong (played by Joey Wong), who was seeking revenge. Nie Tian and Yan Chanyan appear in this film, providing guidance and assistance. As the story unfolds, the protagonists face various supernatural challenges.
A Chinese Ghost Story III (1991)
Directed by Wong Jing, this installment shifts focus to a young man named Sung (played by Richard Ng) who gets involved with a ghost, leading to a series of comedic misadventures. The film stars a different cast from the first two movies but tries to capture the same blend of genres.
The series is celebrated for its unique blend of genres, incorporating elements of horror, comedy, romance, and fantasy. The films have become cult classics in Hong Kong and have enjoyed a lasting popularity.
The "A Chinese Ghost Story" films are landmarks in Hong Kong genre cinema, especially the 1987 original for its successful fusion of romance, horror, and wuxia. While sequels vary in quality, the trilogy collectively left a lasting cultural footprint—popularizing Liaozhai-inspired storytelling and influencing subsequent supernatural romances in Chinese-language media.
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The A Chinese Ghost Story trilogy, produced by Tsui Hark and directed by Ching Siu-tung, is a landmark of Hong Kong cinema. It redefined the "fantasy-horror-romance" genre with its signature blue-tinted lighting, wire-fu action, and heartbreaking romance. 👻 A Chinese Ghost Story (1987) The original classic that started the craze. A chinese ghost story I II III -1987-1990-1991-...
The Story: Timid tax collector Ning Caichen (Leslie Cheung) takes shelter in the haunted Lanruo Temple. He falls for a beautiful girl, Nie Xiaoqian (Joey Wong), only to find out she is a ghost enslaved by a monstrous Tree Demon. Key Characters: Ning Caichen: The bumbling, pure-hearted hero. Xiaoqian: The ghost seeking redemption.
Yan Chixia: The "ghostbusting" Taoist monk with a flying sword.
Why it’s iconic: It perfectly balances slapstick comedy with high-stakes supernatural horror. 🗡️ A Chinese Ghost Story II (1990)
A direct sequel with higher production values and more political subtext.
The Story: Ning Caichen returns and is falsely imprisoned. After escaping, he meets a young rebel (Joey Wong) who looks exactly like his lost ghost-love, leading to a new adventure involving a demon posing as a giant golden Buddha.
Notable Addition: Jacky Cheung joins as a mischievous young Taoist priest, adding more comedy and action.
The Vibe: Leaner on romance, heavier on massive special effects and ensemble-driven action. A Chinese Ghost Story III (1991) A soft reboot/prequel set 100 years after the original. A Chinese Ghost Story 1-3 The trilogy is a time capsule of Hong
The A Chinese Ghost Story trilogy (1987, 1990, 1991) is a cornerstone of Hong Kong cinema, blending supernatural horror, martial arts action, and gothic romance into a genre-defining "xianxia" experience. Produced by Tsui Hark and directed by Ching Siu-tung, the series revitalized traditional folklore with gravity-defying wirework and innovative special effects. A Chinese Ghost Story (1987)
The first film follows Ning Caichen (Leslie Cheung), a timid debt collector who seeks shelter in the haunted Lanruo Temple. There, he falls in love with Nie Xiaoqian (Joey Wong), a beautiful ghost enslaved by a sinister Tree Demoness (Lau Siu-ming) who uses her to lure travelers and drain their life essence. To free her soul, Ning teams up with the eccentric Taoist priest Yan Chixia (Wu Ma), leading to a climactic battle in the underworld.
Key Highlights: The iconic bathtub scene, Wu Ma’s memorable Taoist rap, and the ethereal, award-winning score by James Wong. Availability: A 4K restored version was released in 2025. A Chinese Ghost Story II (1990)
Few film trilogies capture the whiplash of tone, the breathtaking visual poetry, and the raw emotional catharsis of A Chinese Ghost Story (Sinnui yauman, also known as A Chinese Ghost Story). Produced by the legendary Tsui Hark and directed by Ching Siu-tung (the action choreographer behind The Bride with White Hair and Hero), the three films—released in 1987, 1990, and 1991—form a loose, interconnected saga. They are not a single continuous narrative but variations on a theme: a hapless, gentle scholar, a beautiful and tormented ghost, and a thunderous Taoist swordsman battling the forces of a demonic underworld.
What begins as a tragic romance deepens into a political allegory about chaos and order, and finally softens into a comedic, bittersweet fable about second chances. Together, they represent the pinnacle of Hong Kong’s “flying swordsman” (wuxia) and supernatural horror-romance genres.
Part II is not a direct continuation but a “spiritual sequel” set several years later, in a world even more corrupted. Ning Tsai-shen (again Leslie Cheung) is now an imprisoned scholar, framed for sedition by a corrupt government in league with a centipede demon. He is rescued by a band of rebel monks and a mysterious, hot-headed woman, Cheuk Yuet-yin (Michelle Reis), who bears a striking resemblance to Xiaoqian.
The film introduces a new ghost—the gentle Windy (also Joey Wong, playing a different character), a singing girl trapped in a brothel-run-by-demons. The plot becomes a swirling mess of political rebellion, demonic conspiracies, and action set-pieces. Yin Chek-ha (Wu Ma) returns, now accompanied by his apprentice, a bumbling but brave young Taoist. The "A Chinese Ghost Story" films are landmarks