Nie Xiaoqian

Summary

Nie Xiaoqian or Nieh Hsiao-chien is the lead female character in "The Magic Sword", a fantasy story in Pu Songling's short story collection Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio.[1] Pu describes her appearance as "gorgeous; girl in paintings" (traditional Chinese: 艷絕;畫中人; simplified Chinese: 艳绝;画中人). The story has been adapted into numerous films and television dramas. The name is commonly rendered as Nip Siu Sin in Hong Kong adaptations in accordance with its Cantonese pronunciation.

"Nie Xiaoqian"
Short story by Pu Songling
19th-century illustration from Xiangzhu liaozhai zhiyi tuyong (Liaozhai with commentary and illustrations; 1886)
TranslatorSidney L. Sondergard
CountryChina
LanguageChinese
Genre(s)Zhiguai
Publication
Published inStrange Stories from a Chinese Studio
Publication typeAnthology
Publication datec. 1740
Published in English2008
Chronology
 
Yingning (嬰寧)
 
The Sea Prince (海公子)
Nie Xiaoqian
Traditional Chinese聶小倩
Simplified Chinese聂小倩

Plot edit

Nie Xiaoqian is introduced as a beautiful female ghost. She died at the age of 18 and was interred in an old temple in Jinhua, Zhejiang. Nie is coerced to participate in ritual murders in the service of a demon. A pale-faced scholar, Ning Caichen, is going to Beijing to take a civil service examination. Though Nie attempts to prey upon Ning Caichen, he resists her and takes her from her haunt. As Ning's sickly wife slowly dies, Nie fulfills expectations of filial piety as she takes upon the household chores. Once Ning's wife dies, he is free to pursue Nie. Nie's good works earn her humanity back. She and Ning marry and conceive a child, representative of Nie's restoration.[2]

Film and television edit

Year Title Chinese Title Actress References
1960 The Enchanting Shadow 《倩女幽魂》 Betty Loh Ti
1975 Chinese Folklore: Nie Xiaoqian 《民間傳奇之聶小倩》 Wen Lau-mei
Blue Lamp in a Winter Night 《寒夜青燈》 Qin Meng
1981 Nie Xiaoqian 《聂小倩》 Geng Xiaolu
1982 Nie Xiaoqian 《聂小倩》 Chen Xiaoxu
1984 The Nocturnal Legends 《聊齋夜話之聶小倩》 Zhuang Jing'er
1987 A Chinese Ghost Story 《倩女幽魂》 Joey Wong [3][4]
1991 《古墓荒斋》 Hu Tian'ge
1994 Spirit in an Old Temple 《古庙倩魂》 Hui Juanyan
1995 Ghost Catcher - Legend of Beauty 《天師鍾馗之倩女情仇》 Yu Xiaofan
1997 A Chinese Ghost Story: The Tsui Hark Animation 《小倩》 Anita Yuen / Sylvia Chang
1999 People Love Ghost 《人鬼情缘》 Liu Mintao
2003 Eternity: A Chinese Ghost Story 《倩女幽魂》 Barbie Hsu
2004 The Qian Nü lost souls: Catch tianshi 《倩女失魂》 Wang Qian
2005 Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio 《新聊斋志异》 Yang Mi
2008 Love Stories in Ancient China 《中国古代爱情故事新编之小倩》 Jiang Yan
2010 Ghost Catcher - Legend of Beauty 《天师钟馗之血色鸳鸯》 Jenny Zhang [5]
2011 A Chinese Ghost Story 《倩女幽魂》 Liu Yifei [6]
2012 Hu Xian 《狐仙》 Choo Ja-hyun [7][8][9]
2019 The Knight of Shadows: Between Yin and Yang 《神探蒲松龄之兰若仙踪》 Zhong Chuxi

References edit

  1. ^ "Nie Xiaoqian". Cultural China. Archived from the original on 2015-04-25. Retrieved 2014-03-11.
  2. ^ Pu, Songling (1982). Strange Tales of the Leisure Chamber. Hong Kong: Commercial Press. pp. 91–99.
  3. ^ 最接近原著的角色 王祖贤版聂小倩后无来者 (in Chinese). Hainan News. 2014. Archived from the original on 2017-07-02.
  4. ^ 盘点那些最接近原著的角色 王祖贤小倩成经典 (in Chinese). Guiyang Evening News. 2014.
  5. ^ "《天师钟馗》主演:张嘉倪 饰 聂小倩/林小蝶". Sohu. 2009.
  6. ^ 刘亦菲演聂小倩不怕与王祖贤比 称从未看过旧版 (in Chinese). Chinanews. 2011.
  7. ^ 《狐仙》定妆照曝光 秋瓷炫版"聂小倩"清纯(组图) (in Chinese). Chinanews. 2011.
  8. ^ 图文:《狐仙》定妆照--秋瓷炫饰聂小倩 (in Chinese). Sina. 2011.
  9. ^ 《狐仙》横店热拍 秋瓷炫演绎“韩版聂小倩”(图) (in Chinese). Xinhua. 2011. Archived from the original on 2011-12-25.