All The Fears About Strange Tales of Liaozhai: Lanruo Temple Are Revealed With The Final Trailer

Light Chaser Animation

As the date nears for Strange Tales of Liaozhai: Lanruo Temple to hit theatres, fans of this studio’s works will finally get to know more about the book Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (Amazon link). This work contains many short stories, and we finally have confirmation of which tales are being adapted. They are:

• The Taoist Priest of Laoshan Mountain: A classic zhiguai story about a wandering Taoist encountering supernatural threats.
• Princess Lotus: A spirit romance centered on a flower fairy—echoing themes of love across realms.
• Nie Xiaoqian: A melancholic ghost tale where a female specter falls in love with a scholar—the inspiration behind many film/TV adaptations.
• The Painted Skin: A chilling demon tale where a beautiful woman is revealed to be a monstrous spirit.
• The Daughter of Magistrate Lu: A supernatural courtroom fable where a magistrate in the afterlife judges the dead.

The main narrative, set at Lanruo Temple, will incorporate each of these works. This historical building sits on the Yangtze River, and locals call it a “little-known travel destination.” With the final trailer out, with subtitles, fans from around the world have a better idea about what’s going on. Although it primarily focuses on one tale, it’s easy to tell there’re multiple stories involved.

As for the past promotional videos, what’s offered is a fan translation of past releases, so a better sense of what to expect can be figured out.

So far, I’m loving the style. Although Nie Xiaoqian is really unnecessary, I suspect this tale is important to the greater arc going on. Credit goes to AsianFilmFans YouTube channel for hosting all three teasers since I can’t find them all on the studio’s website:

Trailer One

[00:01] Heaven and Earth, what is their virtue? The sun and moon, what are their names? They move me….
[00:30] What I saw in this water curtain is so strange.
– I am not human. I am a ghost.
[00:44] Who can tell me if this hair volume suits me? Life is full of difficulties, why not wait for an opportunity here? Maybe it can save a life.
[01:01] Who dares to trespass into Lan Ruo Temple at night?
[01:01:20] What are you drawing?
[01:01:25] I am not talented.

Author: Ed Sum

I'm a freelance videographer and entertainment journalist (Absolute Underground Magazine, Two Hungry Blokes, and Otaku no Culture) with a wide range of interests. From archaeology to popular culture to paranormal studies, there's no stone unturned. Digging for the past and embracing "The Future" is my mantra. View all posts by Ed Sum