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This Halloween learn our retelling of the classic Chinese ghost story ‘Huàpí’ (‘画皮’) – ‘The Painted Skin’ by famed Chinese Qing Dynasty writer Pu Songling from his 1740 book ‘Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio’. Spooky, spooky, can you feel the chill in the air, are you scared? Get ready for the fright of your life, you won’t be able to sleep and the lights will be on all night. A beautiful girl, a ghost, and a Taoist ghost hunter, what more could you want to celebrate the spookiest day of the year. Let’s start this thriller.

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Huàpí

画皮

The Painted Skin

Gǔdài yǒu yí gè shūshēng zài shùlín zhōng, yù dào le yí gè měilì nǚzǐ, zhè ge nǚzǐ shuō zìjǐ shì qiāoqiāo táo chūlái de.
古代有一个书生在树林中，遇到了一个美丽女子，这个女子说自己是悄悄逃出来的。
In ancient times, a scholar in the woods encountered a beautiful woman who said she had escaped quietly.

Gǔdài (古代) – Ancient times
Shūshēng (书生) – scholar
Shùlín (树林) – forest
yù dào (遇到) – to meet/encounter
qiāoqiāo (悄悄) – quietly
táo (逃) – to escape, flee, run away


Zhège shūshēng kàn tā zhǎng de tèbié piàoliang jiù xiǎng bǎ tā dài huí qù, biérén dōu quàn tā shuō: Zhè ge piàoliang nǚrén láilù bùmíng, yídìng yǒu shénme wènti.
这个书生看她长得特别漂亮就想把她带回去，别人都劝他说：这个漂亮女人来路不明，一定有什么问题。
The scholar wanted to take her back home when she saw that she was very beautiful. Others persuaded him “this beautiful woman is unknown, there must be something wrong”.

Quànshuō (劝说) – to persuade/persuasion
lái lù bùmíng (来路不明) – Come from nowhere/uknown


Dànshì shūshēng bù tīng biérén de quànshuō, háishì bǎ tā dài huí le jiā.
但是书生不听别人的劝说，还是把她带回了家。
However, the scholar did not listen to others' persuasion and took her home.


Shūshēng yìkāishǐ bèi zhège nǚzǐ míhuò le, dàn hòulái zhè ge shūshēng yù dàole yíwèi zhuō guǐ de dàoshi,
书生一开始被这个女子迷惑了，但后来这个书生遇到了一位捉鬼的道士，
The scholar was confused by this woman at first, but then the scholar met a Taoist priest ghost hunter,

Míhuò (迷惑) – Confused
zhuō guǐ de dàoshi (捉鬼的道士) – toaist ghost hunter


Dàoshi yí kàn tā yìntáng fā hēi, jiù zhīdào tā shì bèi guǐ chánshēn le.
道士一看他印堂发黑，就知道他是被鬼缠身了。
the Taoist priest saw that the area between the scholar’s brows had darkened, and he knew that the scholar was haunted by a ghost.

Yìntáng (印堂) – glabella *area between two brows just above the nose
fā hēi (发黑) – to black out, become dark
Yìntáng fā hēi (印堂发黑) – so this sentence means the area between the brows has gone dark, an ominous and superstious sign in Chinese culture that you’re in danger and death is round the corner
guǐ (鬼) – ghost
chánshēn (缠身) – haunted


Shūshēng tīngle dàoshi de huà, bànxìn bànyí, wǎnshàng tā tōutou de pā zài nǚzǐ de chuāngwài kàn, shūshēng fāxiàn fángjiān li yǒu yí gè chǒulòu xiōng'è de guǐ,
书生听了道士的话，半信半疑，晚上他偷偷地趴在女子的窗外看，书生发现房间里有一个丑陋凶恶的鬼，
The scholar listened to the Taoist priest’s words, doubtful, he secretly leaned out of the beautiful woman’s window at night, and the scholar found an ugly and vicious ghost in the room,

Bànxìnbànyí (半信半疑) – doubtful, half-believing, disbelieving
Tōutōu (偷偷) – secretly
Chǒulòu (丑陋) – Ugly
Xiōng'è (凶恶) – Viscious and evil


zhèngzài huà yì zhāng rénpí, ér rénpí shàng huà de nǚzǐ jiùshì tā dài huí jiā de měilì de nǚzǐ.
正在画一张人皮，而人皮上画的女子就是他带回家的美丽的女子。
(the ghost) was painting a human skin, and the woman painted on the skin was the beautiful woman he bought home.

rén pí (人皮) – human skin


Shūshēng gǎnkuài qù zhǎo dàoshi qiújiù, dàoshi gěi le tā yígè fúchén, ràng tā guà zài wòshì de mén shàng,
书生赶快去找道士求救，道士给了他一个拂尘，让他挂在卧室的门上，
The scholar quickly went to the Taoist priest for help. The Taoist priest gave him a Fuchen and told him to hang it on the bedroom door,

Gǎnkuài (赶快) – to rush, hurry
Qiújiù (求救) – to ask/cry/plead for help
Fúchén (拂尘) – a whisk/brush that binds hair from a horse’s tail to a wooden handle, traditionally used by Taoists and Buddhist monks as an instrument, a symbolism of cleansing stress, evil thoughts and energy


dànshì shūshēng háishì bèi zhè ge èguǐ hài sǐ le, shūshēng de xīn bèi èguǐ wā le chūlái.
但是书生还是被这个恶鬼害死了，书生的心被恶鬼挖了出来。
but the scholar was still killed, and the scholar's heart was dug out by the evil spirit.

hài sǐ le (害死了) – to be harmed and killed
wāle (挖了) – to dig, excavate


Shūshēng de qīzi qǐng dàoshi bāngmáng xiáng guǐ, dàoshi yòng táomù jiàn bǎ èguǐ shā sǐ le, dànshì dàoshi méiyǒu bànfǎ jiù shūshēng de mìng.
书生的妻子请道士帮忙降鬼，道士用桃木剑把恶鬼杀死了，但是道士没有办法救书生的命。
The scholar's wife asked the Taoist priest to help vanquish the ghost. The Taoist priest killed the evil spirit with a peach wood sword, but could not save the scholar's life.

xiáng (降) – subdue, vanquish
táomù jiàn (桃木剑) – Peach wood sword
shā sǐ (杀死) – to kill, slaughter


Dàoshi gàosù shūshēng de qīzi qù jiē shàng qiú yígè lǎo héshang, jiù néng ràng shūshēng bèi wā chū de xīn huí dào tā de shēntǐ.
道士告诉书生的妻子去街上求一个老和尚，就能让书生被挖出的心回到他的身体。
The Taoist priest told the scholar's wife to go to the street to beg an old monk, so that the scholar's heart would return to his body.

Qiú (求) – to beg, plead
Héshang (和尚) – monk


Shūshēng de qīzi zhǎodào le lǎo héshang, zhēnchéng de guì qiú lǎo héshang jiù rén,
书生的妻子找到了老和尚，真诚地跪求老和尚救人，
The scholar's wife found the old monk and sincerely prayed to the old monk to save her husband.

zhēnchéng de guì qiú (真诚地跪求) – to sincerely pray, plead, beg


Lǎo héshàng ràng qīzi hán xià tā tǔ chū de tán, qīzi zhàozuò le, huí dào jiālǐ qīzi bǎ tán tǔ dào le shūshēng zuǐ lǐ,
老和尚让妻子含下他吐出的痰，妻子照做了，回到家里妻子把痰吐到了书生嘴里，
The old monk asked the scholar’s wife to keep the sputum he spit out in her mouth, and the wife did so, after returning home, the wife spit the sputum into the scholar’s mouth.

hán xià (含下) – to keep, contain
tǔchū (吐出) – to spit out
tán (痰) – Pleghm, sputum


Shūshēng yòu zhǎng chūle yì kē xīnzàng. Qīzi chénggōng jiù le Shūshēng de xìngmìng.
书生又长出了一颗心脏。妻子成功救了书生的性命。
The scholar grew a heart again. The wife successfully saved his life.

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And here is the full retelling without interruption, in pinyin, Chinese characters and then the English translation.

Pinyin:

Gǔdài yǒu yí gè shūshēng zài shùlín zhōng, yù dào le yí gè měilì nǚzǐ, zhè ge nǚzǐ shuō zìjǐ shì qiāoqiāo táo chūlái de. Zhège shūshēng kàn tā zhǎng de tèbié piàoliang jiù xiǎng bǎ tā dài huí qù, biérén dōu quàn tā shuō: Zhè ge piàoliang nǚrén láilù bùmíng, yídìng yǒu shénme wènti. Dànshì shūshēng bù tīng biérén de quànshuō, háishì bǎ tā dài huí le jiā. Shūshēng yìkāishǐ bèi zhège nǚzǐ míhuò le, dàn hòulái zhè ge shūshēng yù dàole yíwèi zhuō guǐ de dàoshi, dàoshi yí kàn tā yìntáng fā hēi, jiù zhīdào tā shì bèi guǐ chánshēn le. Shūshēng tīngle dàoshi de huà, bànxìn bànyí, wǎnshàng tā tōutou de pā zài nǚzǐ de chuāngwài kàn, shūshēng fāxiàn fángjiān li yǒu yí gè chǒulòu xiōng'è de guǐ, zhèngzài huà yì zhāng rénpí, ér rénpí shàng huà de nǚzǐ jiùshì tā dài huí jiā de měilì de nǚzǐ. Shūshēng gǎnkuài qù zhǎo dàoshi qiújiù, dàoshi gěi le tā yígè fúchén, ràng tā guà zài wòshì de mén shàng, dànshì shūshēng háishì bèi zhè ge èguǐ hài sǐ le, shūshēng de xīn bèi èguǐ wā le chūlái. Shūshēng de qīzi qǐng dàoshi bāngmáng xiáng guǐ, dàoshi yòng táomù jiàn bǎ èguǐ shā sǐ le, dànshì dàoshi méiyǒu bànfǎ jiù shūshēng de mìng. Dàoshi gàosù shūshēng de qīzi qù jiē shàng qiú yígè lǎo héshang, jiù néng ràng shūshēng bèi wā chū de xīn huí dào tā de shēntǐ. Shūshēng de qīzi zhǎodào le lǎo héshang, zhēnchéng de guì qiú lǎo héshang jiù rén, lǎo héshàng ràng qīzi hán xià tā tǔ chū de tán, qīzi zhàozuò le, huí dào jiālǐ qīzi bǎ tán tǔ dào le shūshēng zuǐ lǐ, shūshēng yòu zhǎng chūle yì kē xīnzàng. Qīzi chénggōng jiù le Shūshēng de xìngmìng.

Chinese Characters:

古代有一个书生在树林中，遇到了一个美丽女子，这个女子说自己是悄悄逃出来的。这个书生看她长得特别漂亮就想把她带回去，别人都劝他说：这个漂亮女人来路不明，一定有什么问题。但是书生不听别人的劝说，还是把她带回了家。书生一开始被这个女子迷惑了，但后来这个书生遇到了一位捉鬼的道士，道士一看他印堂发黑，就知道他是被鬼缠身了。书生听了道士的话，半信半疑，晚上他偷偷地趴在女子的窗外看，书生发现房间里有一个丑陋凶恶的鬼，正在画一张人皮，而人皮上画的女子就是他带回家的美丽的女子。书生赶快去找道士求救，道士给了他一个拂尘，让他挂在卧室的门上，但是书生还是被这个恶鬼害死了，书生的心被恶鬼挖了出来。书生的妻子请道士帮忙降鬼，道士用桃木剑把恶鬼杀死了，但是道士没有办法救书生的命。道士告诉书生的妻子去街上求一个老和尚，就能让书生被挖出的心回到他的身体。书生的妻子找到了老和尚，真诚地跪求老和尚救人，老和尚让妻子含下他吐出的痰，妻子照做了，回到家里妻子把痰吐到了书生嘴里, 书生又长出了一颗心脏。妻子成功救了书生的性命。

English Translation:

In ancient times, a scholar in the woods encountered a beautiful woman who sad she had escaped quietly. The scholar wanted to take her back home when she saw that she was very beautiful. Others persuaded him “this beautiful woman is unknown, there must be something wrong”. However, the scholar did not listen to others' persuasion and took her home. The scholar was confused by this woman at first, but then the scholar met a Taoist priest ghost hunter, the Taoist priest saw that the area between the scholar’s brows had darkened, and he knew that the scholar was haunted by a ghost. The scholar listened to the Taoist priest’s words, doubtful, he secretly leaned out of the beautiful woman’s window at night, and the scholar found an ugly and vicious ghost in the room, painting a human skin, and the woman painted on the skin was the beautiful woman he bought home. The scholar quickly went to the Taoist priest for help. The Taoist priest gave him a Fuchen and told him to hang it on the bedroom door, but the scholar was still killed, and the scholar's heart was dug out by the evil spirit. The scholar's wife asked the Taoist priest to help vanquish the ghost. The Taoist priest killed the evil spirit with a peach wood sword, but the Taoist priest could not save the scholar's life. The Taoist priest told the scholar's wife to go to the street to beg an old monk, so that the scholar's heart would return to his body. The scholar's wife found the old monk and sincerely prayed to the old monk to save the scholar.

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To listen to our narration of the retelling of this ghost story, please search our videos section on our site or watch it on YouTube via the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAJ7Ppd6xzc&t=32s

To test your understanding of the story, try and answer the questions below :)

书生遇到了谁？
书生听不听别人的劝说？
道士怎么知道书生被鬼缠身了？
书生发现这个美丽的女子是什么?
道士给了书生什么东西让他挂在卧室门上？
书生被鬼怎么了？
道士让书生的妻子找谁帮忙？
和尚是怎么救书生的？
最后书生得救了吗？

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If you’re interested in finding out more about ‘The Painted Skin’ we’d recommend searching out Pu Songling’s book ‘Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio’ (‘聊斋志异 - Liaozhai zhiyi). There is an eduring appeal to this haunting story that has seen many film and TV adaptations, the most notable versions being King Hu’s ‘The Painted Skin’ (1992), ‘Painted Skin’ (2008) and the sequel ‘Painted Skin: The Resurrection’ (2012), and also the TV series ‘The Painted Skin’ from 2011.

For more Chinese learning or 1-to-1 online Chinese lessons with certified Chinese tutors, visit www.instantmandarin.com and sign up for your free trial lesson.

Happy Halloween!