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Down on his luck and heartbroken after an unceremonious romantic breakup, gentle tax and debt collector Ning Choi-san wanders through ancient China alongside his loyal canine companion Solid Gold. Arriving in Guo Bei town, Ning inadvertently stumbles across the boundary into the mystical spirit realm. There, he encounters Xiao Qian, a captivating young ghost bound in service to the tyrannical Madame Tree Demon. Intending to drain Ning's life essence, Xiao Qian is instead deeply moved by his genuine innocence and kindness. Risking destruction from vengeful demon lords and zealous Taoist ghostbusters, the lovers brave underworld perils to secure reincarnation.
⚠ Background — may contain spoilers
Produced by legendary Hong Kong filmmaker Tsui Hark and directed by Andrew Chen, *A Chinese Ghost Story* premiered in July 1997 with animation production handled by Japanese studio Triangle Staff. Adapting Pu Songling's classical Qing dynasty tale from *Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio*, the feature was a groundbreaking hybrid of hand-drawn cel character animation and computer-generated backgrounds. The film won the Golden Horse Award for Best Animated Feature and received international acclaim for its lush folkloric atmosphere, whimsical supernatural comedy, and innovative fusion of Hong Kong and Japanese animation craftsmanship.
