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Story 61: The Story of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai

The Story of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai Folktales

Author: Anonymous

The story of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai, known as “China’s Romeo and Juliet”, is one of the four major folk tales in China.

During the Yonghe period of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, there was Zhujiazhuang in the south of the beautiful Shanjuan Mountain. There is a wealthy family in the village, known as Zhu Yuanwai. According to family rules, property is passed down from male to female. Because Zhu Yuanwai had no sons, in order to inherit the family property, Zhu Yuanwai dressed his daughter Yingtai as a boy since she was a child. He is both talented and beautiful, smart and eager to learn.

When she reached the age of study, Zhu Yuanwai sent Yingtai to the nearby Bixian Temple to study. When I was studying in Bixian Temple, there was a classmate named Liang Shanbo who lived in Liangjiazhuang, five miles northwest of Shanjuan Mountain. The two hit it off and became close friends. They formed a sworn brotherhood at the Caoqiao in the back cave of Shanjuan Mountain and encouraged each other as brothers. , supporting each other.

Yingtai and Shanbo were classmates at Bixian Nunnery for three years. During this period, they went to Qilu to pay homage to Confucius, and they also went to Soochow to study together. The two of them ate together during the day, slept together at night, sang poems and verses, and were inseparable.

Shanbo was not only talented and knowledgeable, but also honest and upright, and was deeply loved by Zhu Yingtai. However, during the three years, Yingtai was always undressed. Although Shanbo had doubts many times, Yingtai faltered. Shanbo never knew that Yingtai was a woman.

After living as classmates for three years, Liang Zhu had a deep love for each other, and Zhu Yingtai developed a love for Liang Shanbo. Three years later, Liang Shanbo wanted to continue his study tour in Yuhang, but Zhu’s father did not allow Yingtai to go because Yingtai was old enough. The two reluctantly gave each other tokens of affection.

Shanbo presented Yingtai with a guqin and a long sword, and Yingtai gave Shanbo a gold-plated folding fan in return, with the word “Bixian” written in his own hand. When Shanbo went to Hangzhou, Yingtai saw each other off for eighteen miles. On the way, Yingtai borrowed things many times to express his love.

But the honest and honest Shan Bo didn’t realize it and didn’t understand its meaning. When leaving, Yingtai pretended to be a matchmaker and promised Liang Shanbo her ninth sister, and agreed on a date to invite Shanbo to visit Zhu’s family and propose marriage.

After Yingtai returned home after completing his studies, his parents unexpectedly betrothed Yingtai to the Ma family in Jingtang, west of the city. Shanbo came back from his study tour in Yuhang and visited Zhu’s family. Yingtai came to see her with red makeup and green sleeves and a fan covering her face.

Shanbo knew she was a woman. When she learned that Yingtai had hired Ma, she was heartbroken and extremely sad. The two parted and made a vow: “If we can’t get married in life, we will get married in death.”

After Liang Zhu’s tearful farewell, Shan Bo became depressed and fell ill. He died soon after and was buried at Huqiao in the west of the village. Yingtai was heartbroken after hearing the news and decided to die for his love. On the day he left the cabinet, he insisted on passing the Hu Bridge to pay his respects.

When the sedan arrived at Huqiao Shanbo’s tomb, Yingtai stepped forward to offer sacrifices and banged the monument in mourning. Suddenly a strong wind blew, the sky became chaotic, sand flew and rocks flew, and the ground suddenly cracked for more than ten feet, and Yingtai fell into it. After the wind stopped and the rain passed, a rainbow hung high, and there were two huge butterflies dancing.

It is said that they were transformed by the spirits of Liang Zhu and Zhu Yingtai. The black one was Zhu Yingtai, and the yellow one was Liang Shanbo. The couple was attached to each other, inseparable, flying together. Between heaven and earth.