The Butterfly Lovers
The daughter of Mr. Zhu, a rich and influential man in Shangyu, was Zhu Yingtai. She was a naughty but beautiful girl, and disguised as a man to go to Hangzhou for learning. On her way, he met with a learner named Liang Shanbo from Kuaiji, today’s Shaoxing. They felt like the old friend at the first meeting, and then they became the sworn brother under the willows. Since then, they learnt and lived together in Wangsong Academy of Hangzhou for three years. During their study and life, they helped each other and made a deep affection to each other. Liang Shanbo was too honest to recognize the real identity of Zhu Yingtai. In the meantime, Zhu Yingtai in heart deeply loved Liang Shanbo.
Three years later, Zhu Yingtai’s father urged her to come back Zhu Yingtai took the jade-made hanging butterfly object of water fan to her teacher’s wife as the keepsake of matchmaking. On her departure, Liang Shanbo’s eighteen send-offs were the most famous part of whole story and the best show of Liang Shanbo’s affection to Zhu Yingtai. And it is also the classical section of Liangzhu, a classic of Yue Opera in history of Chinese opera history. On the way to see off Zhu Yingtai, Liang Shanbo was also in confusion though Zhu Yingtai gave him many hints for many times. After he returned and taught by his teacher’s wife, he absolutely knew the real identity of Zhu Yingtai, and he was quite joyful to rush to family of Zhu Yingtai for proposal. Unfortunately, Zhu Yingtai’s father had married Zhu Yingtai to Ma Wencai, the son of Governor of Shangyu.
Liang Shanbo was desperately and sorrowfully had a meeting with Zhu Yingtai. His happiness got away, and from then on, he got depressed and gloomy and several days later he died of the depression and desperation. Hearing of this piece of news, Zhu Yingtai was in large grief. On her wedding day, she begged her father to go to the tomb of Liang Shanbo, otherwise, she never agreed to marry Ma Wencai. Her father had no other choice but agree her requirement. In the front of the tomb of Zhu Yingtai, she heartbreakingly cried for a long time. Suddenly, the murky sky over a dark earth, and the thunder rumbled and lightening flashed. Subsequently, the tomb opened and Zhu Yingtai jumped into it, the tomb restored to itself. After all ended, two butterflies flied around the tomb, the local people said this couple of butterflies turned from Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai.
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