More than 300 years ago, writer Pu Songling penned nearly 500 fantastical short stories — many centered on romances between human beings and spirits, ghosts, or otherworldly beings.
Now, long after his death in 1715, the celebrated Qing Dynasty (1644–1911) novelist is reimagined in a way he likely never anticipated: as an animated character reviewing the very stories he once wrote — the central plot of the new summer blockbuster Curious Tales of a Temple.
The movie, the latest outing from Beijing-based Light Chaser Animation Studios — known for creating feature-length films inspired by traditional culture, history, and literary masterpieces — hit domestic theaters on July 12.
In the film, Pu unexpectedly falls into an abandoned well in an ancient temple where he meets two celestial beings — a frog and a turtle — each possessing supernatural powers and a passion for literature. Trapped, Pu is forced to serve as the arbiter of their creative rivalry, tasked with judging whose tales reign supreme.
As the two rivals each tell two stories, Pu rediscovers his passion and narrates the fifth himself. Interestingly, all five short stories were originally written by Pu in his classic Liaozhai Zhiyi (Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio) in the real world beyond the screen.
Through this clever narrative structure, the 152-minute film pays tribute to one of ancient China's literary greats.
