Legend of the Butterfly Lovers (Liangzhu love story)
The story of the Butterfly Lovers is said to be the Chinese version of Romeo and Juliet, which tells of the eternal love of a pair of star-crossed lovers. This moving love legend portrays how the protagonists break the Chinese traditions for their committed love for each other through disguises, metaphors and violating the ‘unbreakable’ family arrangements. Westlake’s Liangzhu Bridge is said to be where the lovers said goodbye.
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Zhu Yingtai was the only daughter of a wealthy and influential man. She wished to study and therefore disguised as a man in order to pursue her studies. At the academy, she met Liang Shanbo and became sworn brothers under the willows. After living and studying together for three years, Zhu Yingtai fell in love with Liang Shanbo. Unfortunately, Zhu Yingtai’s father called her to return home. Despite dropping hints again and again about her true identity, Liang Shanbo did not manage to understand.
As they neared a stream, Yingtai noticed a pair of mandarin ducks together on the water, and threw a branch at them. Watching the startled birds fly off in different directions, Zhu broke the silence.
“My elder brother, when we part today, who knows when we shall meet again? We are just like these ducks, who separate in flight.”
“Esteemed little brother,” Shanbo said, “even if we are brothers about to part ways, how can you compare us to husband and wife?”
To the Chinese, a pair of mandarin ducks represents the love between man and woman, and even this final hint had failed to reach his senses.
After Liang Shanbo returned, he learnt about the real identity of Zhu Yingtai from his teacher’s wife, and immediately headed for the Zhu family to propose for Yingtai’s hand in marriage. However, he realised that she was betrothed to a man named Ma Wencai. Heartbroken, Liang Shanbo was so grieved that he eventually passed away of depression. Upon hearing the news, Zhu Yingtai was in deep sorrow and visited to Liang Shanbo’s tomb on her wedding day.
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.
Works Cited
Butterfly Lovers . n.d. Web . 16 November 2015. <http://traditions.cultural-china.com/en/13Traditions92.html>.
Butterfly Lovers : A Chinese Story. 2015. Web. 16 November 2015. <http://www.english-for-students.com/Butterfly-Lovers.html>.
Julius. The Butterfly Lovers(Liangzhu Love Story). 2015. Web. 16 November 2015. <http://www.mildchina.com/history-culture/butterfly-lovers.html>.
Timm, Leo. The Butterfly Lovers: A Look at China’s Romeo and Juliet. 4 November 2014. Web. 16 November 2015. <http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/1059681-the-butterfly-lovers-a-look-at-chinas-romeo-and-juliet/>.