Curious Tales of a Temple

Curious Tales of a Temple reimagines Pu Songling's classic supernatural sketches as an animated mosaic. Set around Lanruo Temple, an ancient ruin alive with whispers and memory, the film weaves six separate stories into one braided narrative. Humans, spirits and demons intersect across shifting eras as love, loss and moral questions quietly shape what happens next. Each tale carries its own mood and visual language, from shadowy corridors lit by candlelight to bright, dreamlike sequences. You meet a Lao Shan Taoist pilgrim, a radiant Princess Lotus, the tragic Nie Xiaoqian, a skin changing fable, and the Daughter of Magistrate Lu, among others. The result feels playful yet thoughtful, inviting viewers to infer meaning through compassion, courage and restraint rather than spectacle.

Directed by Xie Junwei, Zou Jing, Cui Yuemei, Liu Yuan, Huang Heyu and Liu Yilin, Curious Tales of a Temple is a collaborative animated fantasy drawn from Pu Songling's Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio. The project is steered by Shen Junle, Zhang Xuejie and Songling Pu, blending traditional textures with modern craft. Six distinct storytelling voices contribute to a single cinematic tapestry, each rendered in its own visual style and then harmonized to form the whole.

Box office gross is listed at 30,190,659 dollars worldwide, signaling solid interest for an ambitious anthology rather than a blockbuster. The figure reflects a steady audience draw across markets for a film that mixes fantasy, drama and humor.

Cultural impact emerges from its hybrid approach. By pairing six tales with six varied animation styles and linking them through a shared temple setting, the film pushes Chinese animation toward experimental storytelling that honors folklore while appealing to contemporary viewers.

Reception notes a 7.1 out of 10 from ten votes, signaling cautious enthusiasm. Critics highlight its balance of romance, mortality and moral choice across human and spirit realms, along with a playful tone that complements its thoughtful themes.