Note: This is tale #6 in Pu Songling's collection of Strange Tales from a Chatterbox's Studio (聊齋誌異, Liáozhāi zhìyì), usually known as Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio or Strange Tales from Liaozhai. The Chinese title of this story means literally "painted wall" or "mural"; it appears as 画壁 in simplified Chinese characters. It is composed of 畫, huà, "to paint; painting" and 壁 bì, "wall" (among other meanings).

• This classic story was adapted as Mural, a 2011 Chinese film directed by Gordon Chan.

Synopsis: This is the story of Zhu Xiaolian, a poor scholar who travels to the capital to take an examination, accompanied by his servant. Along the way they capture a thief who, trying to escape, enters a temple. While taking a break, Zhu becomes distracted by a mural and enters into the fantasy land of fairies.