Dark Tales
| Dark Tales | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Period drama Supernatural drama Horror Romance  | 
| Written by | Ting Shan-hsi (I) Leung Wing-mui (II) Leung Kim-ho (II) Based on the works of Pu Songling  | 
| Theme music composer | William Wu (I) Mahmood Rumjahn (II)  | 
| Opening theme | I: Kak Sai Ching (隔世情) by Cass Phang II: Ji Dong Si Gor Mung (只當是個夢) by Cass Phang  | 
| Country of origin | Hong Kong | 
| Original language | Cantonese | 
| No. of episodes | 75 (I–II) | 
| Production | |
| Producers | Lau Sze-yu (I–II) Chou Ling-kang (I)  | 
| Production locations | Hong Kong Taiwan  | 
| Camera setup | Multi-camera | 
| Running time | 45 mins. (each) | 
| Production company | TVB | 
| Original release | |
| Network | Jade | 
| Release | 18 March 1996 – 1 May 1998  | 
| Dark Tales | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traditional Chinese | 聊齋 | ||||||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 聊斋 | ||||||||||||||
  | |||||||||||||||
Dark Tales is a series of Hong Kong television period supernatural dramas that originally aired on Jade from 18 March 1996 to 1 May 1998, consisting of two installments with 75 episodes.[1] Based on Qing Dynasty writer Pu Songling's series of supernatural tales called Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio, Dark Tales is produced by TVB and stars a cast of mainly Hong Kong and Taiwanese actors.
Dark Tales I
Dark Tales I (聊齋) originally aired on Jade every weekday evening from 18 March to 5 May 1996, and is produced by Lau Sze-yu and Chou Ling-kang, consisting of 35 episodes. It features six independent stories, adapted from the first ten books of Pu's novel.
Part I (Episodes 1–5)
Part I (流光情劫; lit. "Stealing Love Through Time") is adapted from the tale Mr. Lu's Daughter (魯公女).
- Jamie Weng as Chang Yu-dan (張於旦)
 - Cynthia Khan as Lu Chin-tsai / Lu Han-chu (魯金采/盧含珠)
 - Chao Chung as You Feng-wen (游鳳紋)
 - Gary Chan as Crown Prince (鹿王三太子)
 - Jessie Chan as Siao Chui (小翠)
 - Hsieh Han as Master Hui-tong (慧通大師)
 - Chen Hung-lieh as Uncle Shen (沈叔)
 - Suen Kwai-hing as Tien Tor Chi
 - Chan Chung-gin as Emperor Crown (鹿王)
 - Suen Dalong as Young Chang Yu-dan (十八歲張於旦)
 - Kwok Tak-shun as Governor (戶部)
 - Lily Liu as Governor's wife (戶部夫人)
 - Cho Chai as Lu An (盧安)
 - Wong Te-fen as Hong Er (紅兒)
 - Shi Yun as Magistrate (縣令)
 - Howie Huang as General (少將軍)
 - Yip Jan-wa as Ming (阿明)
 - Yip Yung as Cheng (阿政)
 
Part II (Episodes 6–10)
Part II (俠女田郎; lit. Heroine Tian) is adapted from the tale Tian Chi-lang (田七郎).
- Cheung Siu-fai as Wu Cheng-hsiu (武承休)
 - Chin Siu-ho as Tian Chi-lang (田七郎)
 - Cynthia Khan as Liu Mu-lian (劉木蓮)
 - Josephine Lam as Wu Cheng-hsiu's wife (武承休夫人)
 - Chao Chung as Su Yue (素月)
 - Michelle Fung as Cheng Chu (程菊)
 - Wilson Tsui as Li Ying (李應)
 - Joseph Lee as Lin Er (林二)
 - Wong Siu-lung as Siao Wu (小五)
 - Leung Yuk-gan as Su Su (蘇蘇)
 - Sally Chen as Tian's Mother (田母)
 - Chen Hung-lieh as Yan Tao-sheng (嚴道生)
 - Derek Kok as Yan Hou (嚴候)
 - Hui Man-chuen as Yan Yung (嚴用)
 - Chan Wing-chun as Wei Ming (魏明)
 - Jack Wong as the Emperor (皇帝)
 - Ho Bik-kin as Manager Wang (王掌櫃)
 - Sun Dalong as Chiang Chiu (蔣九)
 - Shiu Cheuk-hiu as Bali (巴利)
 - Yip Yung as Balu (巴魯)
 - Tie Meng-qiu as Eunuch Yu
 
Part III (Episodes 11–15)
Part III (古劍幽靈; lit. "Ancient Ghost Sword") is adapted from the tale Chin Sheng-se (金生色).
- Jamie Weng as Chin Sheng-se (金生色)
 - Chiang Shu-na as Siao Wen (小雯)
 - Elizabeth Lee as Mu Yue-chin (木月琴)
 - Derek Kok as Mu Ma-biao (木麻彪)
 - Alice Fung So-bor as Mrs. Mu (木夫人)
 - Tam Yat-ching as Mu Ying-hao (木英豪)
 - Kwong Wing-fai as Mu Hsing (木興)
 - Yip Yung as Mu Long (木隆)
 - Joseph Lee as Tung Kwai (董貴)
 - Cheng Zhuan as Tung Wu (董五)
 - Hsieh Han as Tung Bi-cheng (董必成)
 - Kwan Yi as Grandma Chin (金姥姥)
 - Wilson Tsui as Chin Sheng-kwang (金生光)
 - Lily Li as Mother Bo (鴇母)
 - Chan Pui-shan as Tao Hung (桃紅)
 - Ho Sam as Prostitute
 - Chan Heung-ying as Prostitute
 - Chan Wing-chun as Wang Hsiung (王雄)
 - Brian Wong as Liu Shi-hu (劉仕虎)
 - Tie Meng-chiu as Yu Chi-yung (俞繼榮)
 
Part IV (Episodes 16–20)
Part IV (狐仙報恩; lit. "Fox Spirit Repays Debt") is adapted from the tale Siao Chui (小翠).
- Gallen Lo as Wang Yuan-feng (王元豐)
 - Grace Yu as Siao Chui (小翠)
 - Howie Huang as Wang Kuo-ying (王國英)
 - Chen Hung-lieh as Wang Tai-cheng (王太常)
 - Sally Chen as Mrs. Wang (王夫人)
 - Chau Ching as Wang Yu-chi (王玉芝)
 - Lily Li as Yu (虞氏)
 - Kwan Yi as Liu (劉媒婆)
 - Kwong Ming-fai as Chi Er (喜兒)
 - Gary Chan as the Emperor (皇帝)
 - Lee Lung-kee as Mao Song-nian (毛松年)
 - Kwan Ching as Yu Hsu (玉虛道長)
 - Law Suet-ling as Pang Er (胖兒)
 - Hui Man-chuen as Wang Fei (王非)
 - Fung So-bor as Madam Wang Chao (王曹氏)
 - Josephine Lam as Fifth Aunt (五姨太)
 - Cheng Pak-lun as Yuan Chung (袁忠)
 - Chan Wing-chun as Chi He (祈和)
 - Wan Sheung-yin as Empress Dowager (太后)
 
Part V (Episodes 21–25)
Part V (翁婿鬥法; lit. "Fight of the In-Laws") is adapted from the tale Chang-ting (長亭).
- Howie Huang as Shi Da-bu / Fifth Brother (石大璞/五師兄)
 - Grace Yu as Weng Chang-ting (翁長亭)
 - Chen Hung-lieh as Old Weng (翁老兒)
 - Lily Li as Mrs. Weng (翁妻)
 - Lee Lung-kee as a Taoist abbot
 - Yip Jan-wa as Big Brother (大師兄)
 - Yip Yung as Second Brother (二師兄)
 - Suen Dalong as Third Brother (三師兄)
 - Brian Wong as Fourth Brother (四師兄)
 - Cheng Zhuan as Sixth Brother (六師兄)
 - Hsieh Han as Old Mr. Shi (石老爹)
 - Kwan Yi as Old Mrs. Shi (石老娘)
 - Wong Siu-lung as Shi Da-kwai (石大珪)
 - Amy Fan as Shi Siao-ying (石小英)
 - Wong Chun-kam as Kao Kwai-chi (高桂枝)
 - Ling Lai-man as Mr. Kao (高員外)
 - Lau Kwai-fong as Mrs. Kao (高夫人)
 - Wa Chung-nam as Kao's housekeeper (高管家)
 - Fung Hiu-man as Weng Hung-ting (翁紅亭)
 - Chan Pui-shan as Siao Yan (小燕)
 - Wilson Tsui as Hua Hua Tai Sui (花花太歲)
 
Part VI (Episodes 26–35)
Part VI (秋月還陽; lit. "Chiu-yue Returns from Death") is adapted from the tale Wu Chiu-yue (伍秋月).
- Gallen Lo as Wang Ting (王鼎)
 - Grace Yu as Wu Chiu-yue (伍秋月)
 - Chen Hung-lieh as Wang Nai (王鼐)
 - Josephine Lam as Wang Nai's wife, Liu (柳氏)
 - Dai Siu-man as Wang Cheng (王誠)
 - Hui Man-chuen as Wang An (王安)
 - Amy Fans as Yuan Yuan-yuan (袁圓圓)
 - Wilson Tsui as Octopus (八爪魚)
 - Joseph Lee as Magistrate Peng (彭縣令)
 - Cheng Fan-sang as King Yan
 - Lau Dan as Chiu-yue's father, Wu Yuan (伍員)
 - Derek Kok as Big Head Ghost (大頭鬼)
 - Brian Wong as Three-eyed Ghost (三眼鬼)
 - Lily Li as Ten Face Nun (十面尼)
 
Dark Tales II
Dark Tales II (聊齋貳) originally aired on Jade every weekday evening from 9 March to 1 May 1998, and is produced by Lau Sze-yu, consisting of 40 episodes. It features eight independent stories, adapted from the first fifteen books of Pu's novel.
Part I (Episodes 1–5)
Part I (陸判奇談; lit. "Interesting Tales of Judge Lu") is adapted from the tale Judge Lu (陸判).
- Evergreen Mak as Chu Er-dan (朱爾旦)
 - Celine Ma as Madam Chiao (嬌娘)
 - Angie Cheong as Chang Yun-luo (章雲蘿)
 - Felix Lok as Judge Lu (陸判)
 - Marco Lo as Li Chi-chiao (黎子喬)
 
Part II (Episodes 6–10)
Part II (綠野飛仙; lit. "Flying Immortal in the Wilderness") is adapted from the tale Ying (阿英).
- Jackie Lui as Kan Yu (甘鈺)
 - Noel Leung as Ah Ying (亞英)
 - May Kwong as Chin Chi-niao (秦吉鳥)
 - Derek Kok as Lang Wen-hsien (郎文軒)
 - Elvina Kong as Rouge (胭脂)
 - Chen Xiaoyun as Lotus Fairy (蓮花仙子)
 - Chan Chung-kin as Father Hao (郝老爹)
 - Samuel Yau as Chao Da-shan (趙大山)
 - Wilson Tsui as Prince Ying (鷹王)
 - Kwan Ching as Mountain Spirit (山妖)
 - Suen Kwai-hing as Senior (長老)
 - Lily Li as Aunt Yeung (楊大媽)
 
Part III (Episodes 11–15)
Part III (鬼母痴兒; lit. "Ghostly Mother, Devoted Son") is adapted from the tale Siang-chun (湘裙).
- Derek Kok as Shi Yun-ting (石雲庭)
 - Louisa So as Siang-chun (湘裙)
 - Benny Chan as Shi Tian-sheng (石天生)
 - Joyce Chan as Hsia Sue (夏雪)
 - Chan Dik-hak as Shi Yun-hsien (石雲軒)
 - So Yan-chi as Hsien's wife
 - Chan On-ying as Mute Chuan (啞娟)
 
Part IV (Episodes 16–20)
Part IV (陰差陽錯; lit. "Accidental Mistake") is adapted from the tale Wang Lu-lang (王六郎).
- Evergreen Mak as Wang Lu-lang (王六郎)
 - Rain Lau as Hsu Dan-feng (許丹鳳)
 - Chan Wing-chun as Underworld guardian (鬼差)
 - Felix Lok as Hsu Ban-hsian (許半仙)
 
Part V (Episodes 21–25)
Part V (花醉紅塵; lit. "World of Drunk Flowers") is adapted from the tale Madam Hsin Shi-si (辛十四娘).
- Patrick Tam as Feng Shao-you (馮少游)
 - Noel Leung as Madam Hsin Shi-si (辛十四娘)
 - Dickson Li as King Bee (蜂王)
 - Melissa Ng as Flower Spirit (花妖)
 - Chang Wing-Chun as Emperor's Bodyguard
 - Lily Li as Fox Spirit granny (狐狸婆婆)
 
Part VI (Episodes 26–30)
Part VI (隔世追情; lit. "Chasing Love Across Time") is adapted from the tale Chin-se (錦瑟).
- Joey Leung as Yang Da-yung (楊大勇)
 - Louisa So as Sue Chin-se (薛錦瑟)
 - Dickson Li as Yi Dao Sheng (一道生)
 - Gordon Liu as Kao Ni (高聻)
 - Akina Hong as Siao Siang (小香)
 - Wilson Tsui as Chuang Tie-niu (莊鐵牛)
 - Chan On-ying as Chiao Lan (嬌蘭)
 - Celine Ma as Toad Spirit (蛤蟆)
 - Ng Man-sang as Gecko Spirit (壁虎)
 - Andy Tai as Monk Huo-yun (火雲僧人)
 - Helen Ma as Ms. Hsu (徐氏)
 - Felix Lok as Sue Po-ling (薛柏齡)
 
Part VII (Episodes 31–35)
Part VII (魅影靈狐; lit. "Phantom Fox Spirit") is adapted from the tale Lian Siang (蓮香).
- Benny Chan as Sang Siao (桑曉)
 - Rain Lau as Lian Siang (蓮香)
 - Florence Kwok as Li Chiu-rong (李秋蓉)
 - Joyce Chan as Miao Ah-hsiu (苗阿秀)
 
Part VIII (Episodes 36–40)
Part VIII (斬妖神劍; lit. "Demon Sword") is adapted from the tale Lady Hua (花姑子).
- Jackie Lui as An Chun-yang (安君陽)
 - Angie Cheong as Lady Hua (花姑子)
 - Cheng Pak-lun as the Thunder God (雷神)
 - Lily Liu as Lady Hua's mother
 - Florence Kwok as Po Ching-ching (白晶晶)
 - Derek Kok as Chian Chi-liang (錢七兩)
 - Lily Li as Fox Demon's mother (花姑子母)
 
References
- ^ Dark Tales. Retrieved 2025-04-04 – via trakt.tv.