Hong Kong’s 6 most iconic horror movie characters for Hungry Ghost Festival: from Anita Mui’s supernatural turn in Rouge to Joey Wong in A Chinese Ghost Story and Mr. Vampire’s Lam Ching-ying

Aug 8 , 2022

Want to get into the vibe of the Ghost Month? Check out these iconic characters in Hong Kong horror films, from Taoist Priest, Happy Ghost to Supernatural Medium, including Anita Mui’s defining turn in classic Rouge. Photo: Handout

Rouge might not be your typical scary movie, but Anita Mui’s role as a ghost is unforgettable – as is Joey Wong’s portrayal of Qing dynasty ghoul Nip Siu-sin

Mr. Vampire defined the jiangshi ‘Chinese hopping vampire’ genre with Lam Ching-ying as Master Kau, while Law Lan has played a supernatural medium more than 30 times

With the Hungry Ghost Festival approaching on August 12, we’re feeling spooky here at STYLE HQ. According to Chinese culture, the gates of the underworld will open, allowing all manner of ghosts and spirits coming out into the world, and there are of course certain dos and don’ts for keeping out of trouble – all common tropes of Hong Kong’s distinctive realm of horror movies.

So to mark the coming date, we’re rounded up some of the most iconic characters from our city’s spookiest films.

1. Lam Ching-ying as Master Kau in the Mr. Vampire series

Lam Ching-ying as Master Kau in the Mr. Vampire series. Photo: SCMP

This 1992 film is credited with kick-starting the distinctive jiangshi (or Chinese hopping vampire) genre, and defined forevermore how the beasts behave and can be combated, or avoided – such as holding your breath to avoid detection.

Played by Lam Ching-ying, Master Kau is a uni-browed Taoist priest equipped with arcane tools such as blood from a black dog and a peach wood sword, and seems to be the last resort of fighting against jiangshi. The character was so successful that Lam mercenarily reprised the role of a Taoist exorcist in many other movies unrelated to the series.

2. Joey Wong as Nip Siu-sin in A Chinese Ghost Story

Joey Wong portrayed Nip Siu-sin in the movie A Chinese Ghost Story. Photo: Handout

Young, alluring and gorgeous, Nip Siu-sin is rather different from the scary looking ghosts in horror movies. While she might have tried to harm others, including Ning Choi-san played by icon Leslie Cheung, she does so because she is controlled by the Tree Demoness.

While the plot is based on a fantasy story from Qing dynasty writer Pu Songling that has been adapted many times, Wong’s portrayal is said to be the closest to the original character.

3. Anita Mui as Fleur in Rouge

Anita Mui in her career-defining role in Rouge. Photo: Handout