Nie Xiaoqian Explained

Nie Xiaoqian
Author:	Pu Songling
Translator:	Sidney L. Sondergard
Country:	China
Language:	Chinese
Genre:	Zhiguai
Published In:	Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio
Publication Type:	Anthology
Pub Date:	1740
English Pub Date:	2008
Preceded By:	Yingning (Chinese: 嬰寧)
Followed By:	The Sea Prince (Chinese: 海公子)

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" . 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.

Plot

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

Year	Title	Chinese Title	Actress	References
1960	The Enchanting Shadow	Chinese: 《倩女幽魂》
1975	Chinese Folklore: Nie Xiaoqian	Chinese: 《民間傳奇之聶小倩》	Wen Lau-mei
1975	Blue Lamp in a Winter Night	Chinese: 《寒夜青燈》	Qin Meng
1981	Nie Xiaoqian	Chinese: 《聂小倩》	Geng Xiaolu
1982	Nie Xiaoqian	Chinese: 《聂小倩》
1984	The Nocturnal Legends	Chinese: 《聊齋夜話之聶小倩》	Zhuang Jing'er
1987	A Chinese Ghost Story	Chinese: 《倩女幽魂》		^[3] ^[4]
1991		Chinese: 《古墓荒斋》	Hu Tian'ge
1994	Spirit in an Old Temple	Chinese: 《古庙倩魂》	Hui Juanyan
1995	Ghost Catcher - Legend of Beauty	Chinese: 《天師鍾馗之倩女情仇》	Yu Xiaofan
1997		Chinese: 《小倩》
1999	People Love Ghost	Chinese: 《人鬼情缘》	Liu Mintao
2003		Chinese: 《倩女幽魂》
2004	The Qian Nü lost souls: Catch tianshi	Chinese: 《倩女失魂》	Wang Qian
2005	Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio	Chinese: 《新聊斋志异》
2008	Love Stories in Ancient China	Chinese: 《中国古代爱情故事新编之小倩》	Jiang Yan
2010	Ghost Catcher - Legend of Beauty	Chinese: 《天师钟馗之血色鸳鸯》		^[5]
2011	A Chinese Ghost Story	Chinese: 《倩女幽魂》		^[6]
2012	Hu Xian	Chinese: 《狐仙》		^[7] ^[8] ^[9]
2019		Chinese: 《神探蒲松龄之兰若仙踪》
2020	The Enchanting Phantom a.k.a. A Chinese Ghost Story - Human Love	Chinese: 《倩女幽魂：人间情》

Notes and References

Web site: Nie Xiaoqian . Cultural China . 2014-03-11 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150425020429/http://history.cultural-china.com/en/60H163H14965.html . 2015-04-25 . dead .
Book: Pu, Songling. Strange Tales of the Leisure Chamber. Hong Kong. Commercial Press. 1982. 91–99.
Web site: http://news.hainan.net/ent/bagua/2014/03/10/1789297.shtml . zh:最接近原著的角色王祖贤版聂小倩后无来者 . 2014 . Hainan News . zh . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20170702033033/http://news.hainan.net/ent/bagua/2014/03/10/1789297.shtml . 2017-07-02 .
Web site: http://www.gywb.cn/content/2014-03/09/content_455734.htm . zh:盘点那些最接近原著的角色王祖贤小倩成经典 . 2014 . Guiyang Evening News . zh .
Web site: 《天师钟馗》主演：张嘉倪饰聂小倩/林小蝶 . 2009 . Sohu .
Web site: http://www.chinanews.com/yl/2011/03-23/2926103.shtml . zh:刘亦菲演聂小倩不怕与王祖贤比称从未看过旧版 . 2011 . Chinanews . zh .
Web site: http://www.chinanews.com/yl/2011/09-16/3332401.shtml . zh:《狐仙》定妆照曝光秋瓷炫版"聂小倩"清纯(组图) . 2011 . Chinanews . zh .
Web site: http://ent.sina.com.cn/v/p/2011-09-16/09293417968.shtml . zh:图文：《狐仙》定妆照--秋瓷炫饰聂小倩 . 2011 . Sina . zh.
Web site: http://news.xinhuanet.com/ent/2011-10/24/c_122190120.htm . zh:《狐仙》横店热拍秋瓷炫演绎“韩版聂小倩”(图) . 2011 . Xinhua . zh . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20111225085308/http://news.xinhuanet.com/ent/2011-10/24/c_122190120.htm . 2011-12-25 .