終南山進士鐘馗與好友杜平入京赴試，兩人俱中進士。皇帝召見時，見鐘馗面貌醜陋，乃將其除名。鍾受此大辱，羞怒之下，觸死於後宰門。

Zhong Kui’s Earthly Mission is unique not only for its extreme dexterity in dance movements of the characters but also for the tale it tells of tender feelings between siblings and friends across the barrier between the human world and the netherworld.