本文以《聊齋志異》的女鬼聶小倩為例，旁及他鬼，探討《聊齋》中鬼魂的主要形象。聶小倩雖為妖鬼脅迫，以美色誘殺人；但一遇剛直的甯采臣，便勇敢脫離罪惡，為妹為妻，皆有節度，而又容顏美好，悅人心目，具備完好的鬼魂形象。他鬼也大多如此。因此，《聊齋》的鬼魂，於愛情、親情、友情，都能深切著明，熱心於為善勸善，也致力於懲惡。而《聊齋》又善於描繪，以美感淡化及改造人們對鬼魂的疏離恐懼，鬼魂的超能力即成為善勸善的無限力量。於是《聊齋》之鬼魂仍具備「勸善懲惡，幻化多端」的美化形象。

　　　　　This article, predicated on the story of the female ghost Nieh Hsiao-ch'ien coupled with those of other ghosts, dealt with the imagery of ghosts in Liachaichihi. Threatened by other ghost, the heroine Hsiao-ch'ien killed humans through the lure of her beauty. However, after encountering the righteous man Ning Ts'ai Ch'en, Hsiao-ch'ien, bravely divorced from the pit of wickedness, was able to strive for her well-being. In Nieh's family, Hsiao-ch'ien showed filial devotion to her mother-in-law and treated her relatives well. Besides her beauty, Hiao-ch'ien was an exemplary sister, wife, and mother. She was a paragon of beauty and virtue. Most of the ghosts in Liaochaichihi were also talented, beautiful, and able to tell the good from the evil; they were characterized by goodness and beauty.