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"

––END––