Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai (The Chinese Romeo and Juliet)
1700 years ago in China, education was a privilege to men.
Zhu Yingtai, a young girl from a wealthy family in Zhejiang Province, longed
for knowledge and convinced her family to allow her to pursue education
disguised as a man. She went to a private school in Hangzhou where she met
Liang Shanbo, a young man who later became her roommate and the very best
friend. For three years, they studied together and Zhu gradually fell in love
with Liang. However, as nerdy as he is, Liang never suspected for once that Zhu
was indeed a woman.
When
Zhu turned 18, her family abruptly called her back and arranged her marriage to
Ma Wencai, a man from another wealthy family in the nearby village. Despite their
unwillingness to separate, Liang saw Zhu off at the Duan Bridge
("Duan" means broken in Chinese) on the West Lake in Hangzhou. Zhu
hinted Liang that she was actually a woman but how could Liang get it given
that no woman at that time were allowed to attend school.
For the
entire month, Liang could not stop missing Zhu so he decided to visit her. When
he arrived at her house, Liang could not believe his eyes that Zhu was actually
a girl. Liang finally realized his feeling about Zhu, but it was only too late
that Zhu's family was already preparing her wedding. Liang became so sad that
soon after he passed away. Zhu was not aware of his death. On her wedding day,
Zhu was on her way to Ma’s home, she accidentally saw Liang’s tomb. It must be
fate! Without any hesitation, she jumped out of her carriage and started
mourning and weeping over Liang's tomb. All of a sudden, a huge peal of thunder
crashed overhead. The tomb was opened. Zhu knew this was the only and last
chance she could be with her beloved forever. A world without Liang, in her
mind, was even worse than a world of death. She jumped in the tomb. A moment
later, the sky cleared up and the sun came out. A pair of beautiful butterflies
fluttered out from the tomb. Wherever they went, they were always together,
inseparable.
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