In both cases, married men express their affection towards women. In Qingfeng, the passionate scholar Geng Quibing is portrayed as romantic and sentimental, winning the favor of the fox spirit Qingfeng. However, in Painted Skin, Wang is condemned by the author for inappropriate behavior and is punished. Why are they treated so differently? The reason is simple: Qingfeng is an unmarried woman, and in a patriarchal society that allowed polygamy, Geng Quibing’s actions were not considered unlawful. In contrast, the woman who was actually a ghost in Painted Skin claimed to be married, meaning she belonged to someone. Wang, driven by her beauty, lusted after a married woman, which was a grave taboo in feudal society. Thus, Wang’s punishment is deemed appropriate—this aligns with the emphasis of the story, where those deceived always have a fatal flaw, whether it’s greed for money or lust for beauty, and their misfortune is always rooted in cause.
While it is understandable that Wang is punished for his lust, the humiliation his wife endures—where “a man who lusts after another will cause his wife to eat the phlegm of others”—is somewhat unsettling. This could partly be attributed to the need for plot development, but it also reflects Pu Songling’s belief in karmic retribution and the idea that sins could implicate entire families.
Painted Skin is rich in moral lessons, such as the demon’s deception by transforming into a beautiful woman, the scholar falling prey to his lust, and the eventual consequences falling upon his wife. The message that evil must be eradicated without mercy is also emphasized. Furthermore, the novel is an artistic masterpiece with its intricate plot and vivid language, particularly the depiction of the demon “spreading human skin on the bed and using a brush to paint it,” which is highly imaginative, eerie, and allegorical. This has made “painted skin” a fixed phrase in the Chinese language, symbolizing deceptive, alluring tricks, and Painted Skin has become one of the most frequently adapted and reimagined stories from Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio.
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