The Butterfly Lovers

– The Legend of Liang and Zhu

1 In about 300 CE, there was a girl named Zhu Yingtai, who came from a wealthy family in Zhejiang Province. She was the ninth child in her family, but was the only daughter. Zhu loved poetry and literature, but unfortunately traditions discouraged women from attending schools. Zhu convinced her father to allow her to attend school disguised as a young man.

2 On her way to her boarding school, Zhu met a scholar from Kuaiji named Liang Shanbo, who was also on his way to study in Zhu’s school. The two of them immediately became close friends and even swore an oath of fraternity to each other. For the next three years, they studied together, traveled together, and even occasionally shared a bed. While they spent almost every waking moment together, being an innocent bookworm, Liang never suspected that Zhu was actually a woman. When they shared a bed, Liang was always puzzled why Zhu would insist on placing a bowl of water in the middle of the bed to separate the two of them. But in those three years, Zhu had fallen deeply in love with Liang and secretly vowed in her heart that she would spend the rest of her life with Liang.

3 One day, Zhu received a letter from her father requesting that she return home immediately. Zhu had no choice but to abruptly end her studies and travel home. Unwilling to part from Zhu, Liang accompanied his “sworn brother” for eighteen miles on her journey home. Throughout the journey, Zhu kept secretly hinting to Liang that she was actually a woman, but Liang’s bookish simplicity kept him from catching Zhu’s hint. Exasperated, Zhu said to Liang before parting, “I have a sister at home. She is very beautiful. At the end of ten days you should come to my parents’ house, and I will help arrange a marriage between you and my sister.” With these words, Zhu parted from Liang.

4 Unknown to both of them, the reason Zhu had to return home is because her father had already arranged a marriage between Zhu and the son of another wealthy family, Ma Wencai. When Liang showed up at Zhu’s house to propose, he was surprised to discover the beautiful “sister” that Zhu told him about was actually Zhu herself! They confessed their love for each other, but this knowledge only made their reunion more bittersweet. Zhu was already betrothed to another man; no one could change her parents’ decision. Liang went home heartbroken, and he soon fell critically ill. Within a month, Liang passed away in his sadness.

5 After learning of Liang’s death, Zhu agreed to marry Ma under one condition — she requested that her wedding procession pass by Liang’s grave. On the day of her wedding, while her carriage was passing by the grave, a strong wind prevented the group from proceeding. Zhu jumped out from her carriage and stripped off her traditional red wedding garments, revealing the white mourning cloth that she had been wearing underneath. She mourned at Liang’s graveside and refused to leave. Suddenly, the strong winds turned into a lightning storm and at a clap of thunder Liang’s grave split open. Without hesitation, Zhu threw herself into Liang’s grave. Before anyone around her could react, the earth quickly returned and buried the two of them together.

6 A little while later, when the sun was again shining over the land, some farmers noticed two small butterflies emerging from Liang and Zhu’s grave. They were flying happily together, and would never be separated again.

蝴蝶恋人

——梁祝传说

1公元300年左右，浙江省有位富家女子祝英台。她排行第九，是家中唯一的女孩。祝英台喜好诗文辞赋，但不幸的是，社会传统不赞成女子上学。祝英台说服父亲让她女扮男装去就读。

2英台辞家赴寄宿学校，途遇赶赴同一个学校的会稽学子梁山伯，两人相谈甚欢，遂成好友，并义结金兰。其后三年间，两人同读共游甚至时而同寝一床。梁山伯乃迂腐书生，两人虽朝夕相处，却从未疑心英台是个女儿身。他不明白两人同寝时，英台为什么一定要在床中间放置一碗水将两人分开。同窗三年，英台深深爱上了山伯，暗中发誓要与山伯厮守终身。

3一日英台收到父亲来信，要她即刻回家。英台别无选择，只好突然终止学业返乡。山伯依依不舍，陪伴结拜兄弟，相送十八里。一路上英台向山伯不断暗示自己本乃女儿身，无奈山伯书生气十足，呆愚不化，全然不察。情急之下，英台临别前嘱咐山伯：家有小妹貌美如仙，分手十日定当前来我家，我愿替山伯做媒。说罢，两人辞别。

4两人万万没有料到，英台应父命回家是因为其父做主，替英台与富家子马文才定了亲。当山伯应约前来祝家提亲时，吃惊地发现英台说的漂亮“小妹”就是英台本人。两人互吐衷情，真相大白令他们的相会越发悲喜交集。英台已许配他人，父命不可违。山伯黯然离去，忧郁成疾，不满一月便在悲伤中离世。

5得知山伯死讯，英台提出须应允一事，方可嫁入马家：她要求迎亲婚轿队要从山伯墓前经过。大婚之日，迎亲花轿到得墓前，大风忽起，人轿前行不得。英台纵身跳出花轿，脱下传统大红嫁衣，露出事先穿在里面的白丧服。她在山伯墓前哀恸祭奠，不肯离去。突然雷雨大作，霹雳一声，山伯坟墓应声裂开。英台毫不迟疑，纵身跃入坟中，众人尚未来得及反应，墓复合拢，将两人合葬。

6稍后太阳复出，满地光辉。农人发现梁祝墓里飞出一对小小蝴蝶。双蝶蹁跹飞舞，相随不离。