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| From Red Mansions to Ghost Tales: Zhang Miaoyi’s Big Comeback in New Liao Zhai Drama (Tencent Video) |
Looks like spooky season is coming early! Tencent’s fresh take on Liao Zhai (聊斋) has officially started filming, and they’ve just dropped their first posters starring Zhang Miaoyi and Chang Huasen.
If you’re a fan of all things eerie and magical, this one might be right up your alley.
For those who aren’t familiar, Liao Zhai — or Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio — is an absolute classic, packed with ghostly encounters, love stories with fox spirits, and plenty of supernatural mischief.
Written by Pu Songling during the Qing Dynasty, it's been adapted about a million times across Chinese media, and yet, it still never gets old.
This version is expected to stick to the traditional format with standalone stories, each one offering a different slice of the bizarre and the beautiful.
Zhang Miaoyi, 26, is one of the leads — and let’s just say she’s got something to prove.
You might remember her from her much-talked-about turn as Lin Daiyu in The Dream of Red Mansions... and not exactly for the best reasons.
Her performance got heavily roasted, earning her a Golden Broom Award (basically China’s version of a Razzie) for "Most Disappointing Actress."
Bit harsh, if you ask me — after all, she was pretty fresh-faced back then.
Now, it seems she’s rolling up her sleeves for a major redemption arc with Liao Zhai.
Joining her is Chang Huasen, 27, who’s been quietly building a name for himself through second lead roles in series like Moonlight Mystique.
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Fans have been waiting for him to land that big breakout role, and maybe Liao Zhai could be his ticket.
Interestingly, after the huge success of Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty — a drama that blended horror, mystery, and beautiful production into a smash hit — there’s been a bit of a trend brewing towards darker, more supernatural stories.
In that sense, Liao Zhai feels like the perfect move.
Expect a blend of haunting tales, bittersweet romances, and the kind of eerie moments that’ll stick with you long after the credits roll.
No word yet on an air date, but with filming now underway, we’ll probably start seeing more teasers soon.
Watch this space — and maybe keep a nightlight handy, just in case.