THE LIVING CORPSE
(Synopsis)
A most weird tale prevailed in China since ancient days that in the Shum Chow of Hunan Province, a miracle could be achieved by the application of sacred talisman to turn human corpses to living beings. It was said that when the poor people died in the strange lands, their dead bodies were driven by the professional magicians to walk to their homestead for final burial to save the transportation expenses. The process was known as "driving the corpses."
This story was based on such tales, with the background laid somewhere in the deserted lone boundries between the Hunan and Kweichow Provinces, in a lone village known as Apricot Blossom Village, surrounded by thick forest, green hills and shallow streams. Inhabitants in the village were leading a simple and primitive life. They made their living mostly by burning woods to make charcoals.
About 30 years ago, the village was predominated by the influence of the Great Toist Chang. His talisman curing the sick and blessing both the living and dead, which was written with crimson paint on a piece of yellow paper, was regarded by the villagers as most miraculous and sacred.
One day Toist Chang motified all the villagers that the dreadful caravan of walking corpses were about to pass through the village. Besides warning the villagers to close their doors and stav home to avoid any mishaps, Toist Chang meant this mostly for selling his talisman to gather some profit. This was taken by all the villagers as a most dreadful occasion, and the entire community was badly stirred.
Yang Yuen Kang, a village hunter, daring, mischievous, but acquires a clear thinking mind. He had been in love with Chu Shu Lang, sister of Chu Ta Hu, but her father s wish was to match her to the young heir of a village's piece goods store, though the youth being an opium addict and a consumptive.
Chu Ta Hu, dashing, robust and sincere, was in love with Shan Ta Shao, a young widow, but she was branded by Toist Chang as an unlucky star, for her husband was killed by the walking corpse a year ago. Chu's father thus forbade his son to be with her, though she also loved Ta Hu. When Ta Hu and widow Shan met, both were upset by complicated thoughts. Shu Lang and Ta Hu were very much in sympathy with the unlucky pair. The four planned together to solve the problem by trying to convince Chu's old father, but became of no avail.
Toist Chang had his untold secret. For he was also attracted by the beauty of Shan Ta Shao. He visited Shan one day under the pretense of bringing her some magic talismnn, but as he stared at her, the eyes of her dead husband's portrait suddenly started to winkle, which frightened Toist Chang, and he quickly dashed for exit.
Late in the night, the wind was blowing strong. Yang went to hide himself in the charcoal pit in the forest, trying to disclose the secret of those mysterious walking corpses about to pass by. Toward dawn, he saw a streak of light and heard noises of the gongs approaching from afar. He saw the corpses walking at a remote distance, lead by the Toist in a queer manner. As they were coming nearer, Shu Lang suddenly rushed to the scene and dragged him home. For she feared that Ta Hu might fall into the same fate as Shan's husband. On the next day, one of the walking corpse in the caravan was reported missing. The villagers figured that the corpse must be hiding somewhere in the village, and they were all tightened to their nerves.
The walking corpse first appeared in Shan Ta Shao's home. She was frightened and fainted. Yang happened to arrive in time to save her. Chu also arrived, and seeing widow Shan in Yang's arm in her pajamas, he became madly jealous beyong Yangs explaination.
When widow Shan woke up, she failed to find Chu. She tried to locate Ta Hu in his home, but was rebuked by his father, shutting the door against her. Feeling heartbroken, she went to pray in the Toist's altar. There she was trapped by Toist Chang, and was on the verge of being insulted by Chang. Meanwhile Ta Hu succeeded to locate the missing walking corpse, but suddenly it disappeared again together with Shu Lang. Yang and Ta Hu traced the missing corpse to the mortuary, where all the corpses stored, and there they discovered the startling secret. A desperate fight ensued through smokes and flames. For the explicit and detailed result, please find it in the picture “THE LIVING CORPSE"
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