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.