Curious tale of Pu's return

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.

"Among the overall 491 tales in Liaozhai Zhiyi — whether they feature ghosts, fox spirits, or other supernatural beings — most are, at their core, profound explorations of human struggle. These stories reveal the suffering of the common people, echoing Pu's deep compassion for those yearning for love and dignity," says Yu Zhou, cofounder and president of Light Chaser Animation, during an interview with China Daily.

As one of the studio's most time-consuming projects, brainstorming for Curious Tales of a Temple began in 2021, assembling nearly 900 animators — including over 400 of Light Chaser's own employees — to bring to life the fantastical worlds of the five stories.

Spanning multiple dynasties, from Jin (265-420) and Tang (618-907) to Song (960-1279), and even reaching into modern times a century ago, the film uses a variety of animation techniques to reflect each era's mood and style.

"When we first started working on the project, we wanted to stay true to the original stories — keeping adaptations and extra plotlines to a minimum. That's why we chose an anthology format," Yu explains.