Leslie Cheung - A Chinese Ghost Story (Cantonese version) 倩女幽魂 - 张国荣 1987

It is interesting to compare Leslie’s Mandarin singing of the song to his Cantonese singing of it. Here is his Mandarin version and here is a TV performance of it in 1987, part of which you can see at Leslie really has an electrifying presence. You can watch the film itself at “Dawn, Please Don’t Come“ sung by Sally Yeh is also featured in the film. It is sung when the hero and the ghost make love for the first time. It begs the dawn not to come, because as soon as it does, the ghost must leave him and return to the Tree Demon. The film was released on 18 July 1987 in Hong Kong. It was based on The Magic Sword, a short story written 500 years ago by Pu Song Ling. It was directed by Ching Siu-tung. Leslie Cheung is Ning Choi-san, Joey Wong is Nip Siu-sin , Wu Ma is Yin Chik-ha, Lau Siu-ming is the Tree Demon, and Lam Wai is Hah Hau, a rival swordsman. The film plot is as follows: Ning Choi-san (Leslie Cheung) is a timid debt collector who takes shelter in a deserted temple in the forest where he meets a beautiful lady called Nip Siu-sin. He falls in love with her but then discovers that Nip is actually a ghost, forced to lure young men to their death for the Tree Demoness who feeds off their yang energy. Nip tells him how she is eternally bound to serve the Tree Demoness, as long as her remains are buried at the foot of the tree. Ning tries to free her from her suffering, and seeks the help of a Taoist priest, master swordsman, and ghost-hunter called Yin Chik-ha. Yin fights the Tree Demoness but fails to free Nip’s soul which is taken to the underworld. Ning and Yin enter the underworld, and eventually find her. Ning and Nip see each other briefly when they are able to return. She tells Ning that the only way to save her soul is to place her remains in a new place before she returns to the darkness. Ning follows her instructions and with Yin’s help, Ning buries Nip’s remains near the top of a hill. Leslie Cheung (Zhang Guorong) was born Cheung Fat-chung (張發宗) in Hong Kong on Sept 12, 1956 to Cheung Wut-hoi, a tailor,and Poon Yuk-yiu. The youngest of ten children in a middle-class Hakka family with ancestry from Meizhou, Guangdong. His parents divorced when he was quite young. At the age of 12, he was sent to Norwich School in England. He later worked as a bartender at his relatives’ restaurant in Southend-on-Sea, and sang during the weekends. He chose his name, Leslie, because “I love the film Gone with the Wind. And I like Leslie Howard.“ He attended Leeds University where he studied textile management but his time there was cut short as he returned to HK to help his father who was ill. As well as being a much-loved singer, he was ranked as the favourite actor in the 100 years of Chinese cinema. In 2010, he was voted the third “Most Iconic Musicians of All Time“ (after Michael Jackson and The Beatles). Leslie committed suicide on April 1, 2003 by jumping off the 24th floor of the Mandarin Oriental hotel in Hong Kong. His suicide note in translation: “Depression! Many thanks to all my friends. Many thanks to Professor Felice Lieh-Mak (Leslie’s last psychiatrist). This year has been so tough. I can’t stand it anymore. Many thanks to Mr. Tong. Many thanks to my family. Many thanks to Sister Fei. In my life I have done nothing bad. Why does it have to be like this?“ Bless you Leslie, and thank you for the treasures you gave us. More complete bio details can be found at A Chinese Ghost Story Lyrics and Music by Huang Zhan English Translation Life is a dream like a long road Wind and frost on the road In the red dust How many dreams do you have? Find a Dream full of Love The road is boundless Life is a dream and a longing A faint tear in my dream Where did you go? To find My way The wind seems to sigh in the dream The road is boundless Happy young man on the road The road is rugged but sunny. How many directions are there in the dust A glimmer of wind and rain The road is boundless A glimmer of wind and rain The road is boundless Chinese Lyrics 人生路 美梦似路长 路里风霜 风霜扑面干 红尘里 美梦有几多方向 找痴痴梦幻中心爱 路随人茫茫 人生是 美梦与热望 梦里依稀 依稀有泪光 何从何去 去觅我心中方向 风仿佛在梦中轻叹 路和人茫茫 人间路 快乐少年郎 路里崎岖 崎岖不见阳光 泥尘里 快乐有几多方向 一丝丝梦幻般风雨 路随人茫茫 一丝丝梦幻般风雨 路随人茫茫