Butterfly Lovers 梁祝
This is a simple story from Chinese folklore. It is a Chinese legend of a tragic love story of a pair of lovers, Liang Shanbo (梁山伯) and Zhu Yingtai (祝英台). It is like the Chinese version of Romeo and Juliet, but it is different. Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai did not simply fall in love at first sight. They were not from quarrelling families.
这是一个来自中国民间传说的简单故事。中国传奇，讲述了梁山伯与祝英台的一对恋人的悲惨爱情故事。类似于西方的罗密欧与朱丽叶的爱情故事，只是梁山伯和祝英台并不是一见钟情。他们不是来自吵架的家庭。
During the olden days in China, families did not encourage their daughters to study. All girls were to stay at home to learn home crafts like embroidery, cooking, looking after children and keeping homes clean and tidy. Their sons, however were encouraged to study and to go to schools. The sons’ aspirations was pass the Imperial Examinations that occur in the capital city once every five years. Success in these Imperial Examinations meant a comfortable living for live as civil servants, serving the Emperor as magistrates, Provincial officials, and even Palace Ministers of the Emperor.
在过去的中国，家庭不鼓励女儿读书。所有的女孩都呆在家里学习刺绣、烹饪、照顾孩子和保持家庭清洁等家庭工艺。然而，他们的儿子被鼓励学习和上学。儿子们的愿望是通过每五年一次在京城举行的科举考试。在这些科举考试中取得成功，意味着可以过上舒适的生活，成为公务员，为皇帝服务，担任县令、省级官员，甚至是皇帝的宫廷大臣。
Zhu Yingtai, the daughter of a rich merchant family, was different. She had always wanted to read books together with her seven elder brothers. She often sat in at her brothers’ tutoring classes. She begged her parents to allow her to go to high school in the nearest city to their village, Hangzhou, some 150 km away. As explained, only boys were allowed at such a high schools where there were often boarding facilities. Zhu Yingtai however persuaded her parents to have herself disguised as a male to go there to study for three years.
富商世家的女儿祝英台就不同了。她一直想和七位哥哥一起读书。她经常坐在她兄弟的辅导班上。她恳求她的父母允许她去离他们村最近的城市杭州上高中，那里距离大约 150 公里。正如所解释的那样，这样一所经常有寄宿设施的高中只允许男孩上学。祝英台却说服父母把自己伪装成男性去那里念了三年书。
Let us read the story from the website https://www.activityvillage.co.uk/the-butterfly-lovers reproduced below:
Once upon a time in China, long ago, there lived a young girl who dreamed of learning. Unfortunately she lived at a time when girls were expected to stay at home, marry the man that their father chose for them, and be obedient and quiet.
This young girl was called Zhu Ying Tai, and she yearned to be different. She was so desperate to be educated that she dressed herself up as a young man, and travelled to the city of Hangzhou to go to school.
While she was there, she met a handsome young man named Liang Shan Bo. They became best friends and spent most of their time together, sharing a love of learning and enjoying each other’s company. Liang never guessed that Zhu was actually a girl.
从前，在中国，有一个梦想学习的少女。不幸的是，她生活在一个女孩被要求留在家里，嫁给父亲为她们选择的男人，听话和安静的时代。这个少女，名叫祝英台，渴望与众不同。她非常渴望受教育，所以她打扮成一个年轻人，来到杭州市上学。在那里，她遇到了一个叫梁山伯的英俊青年。他们成为了最好的朋友，大部分时间都在一起，分享着对学习的热爱并享受彼此的陪伴。梁山伯万万没想到，祝英台居然是个女孩。
Time passed, and soon the young people had finished their studies and were ready to go home. Zhu realised that she had grown to love her best friend, but of course she could not tell him that she was a girl. Instead, she came up with a clever plan. She told Liang that she had a pretty younger sister of sixteen years who was sure to please him and make him happy. She suggested that Liang visit the family to meet, and possibly marry, the younger sister. He agreed eagerly. Zhu travelled home, happy that soon she would be seeing her friend again.
A long year passed. Zhu almost gave up hope, but one happy day Liang arrived to meet the family. As soon as Liang saw Zhu he realised who she was, and he was overjoyed to find that she loved him. For a brief time, the couple were happy in each other’s love and looked forward to a future together.
Their happiness was short-lived. Zhu’s father announced that he had arranged for her to marry a rich man. Zhu pleaded with her father to change his mind, but he would not relent. Liang must leave immediately. Poor Liang left, heart-broken and alone. Soon, in his despair, he grew ill, and died.
时间一天天过去，很快年轻人就完成了学业，准备回家了。祝英台意识到自己已经爱上了自己最好的朋友，但她当然不能告诉他她是个女孩。相反，她想出了一个聪明的计划。她告诉梁山伯，她有一个十六岁的漂亮妹妹，一定能让他开心。她建议梁山伯回家见见妹妹，并可能与妹妹结婚。他欣然应允。祝英台回家了，很高兴很快就能再次见到她的朋友。漫长的一年过去了。祝英台几乎放弃了希望，但有一天梁高兴地赶到了与家人见面。梁山伯一见祝英台，就认出了她是谁，发现她爱他，他欣喜若狂。有一段时间，这对夫妻在彼此的爱中幸福快乐，共同期待着未来。他们的幸福是短暂的。祝英台的父亲宣布，他已经安排她嫁给了一个有钱人。祝英台恳求她父亲改变主意，但他并不心软。梁山伯必须立即离开。可怜的梁山伯离开了，心碎而孤独。不久，在绝望中，他病重而死。
Zhu heard of his death and she, too, was heart-broken. But she could do nothing to stop the arrangements for her marriage to the rich man. When the time for the wedding came, she travelled along the road on which Liang was buried. Soon, her wedding procession came to Liang’s grave.
The skies grew stormy and the winds howled around the wedding procession as Zhu sobbed, wishing that she could join her true love rather than marry the rich man. Suddenly, it seemed that her prayers had been answered. A huge bolt of lightning struck the grave and it split open. In a flash, Zhu threw herself into the grave, so that she could be with Liang forever.
As suddenly as the lightning had struck, the storm disappeared and the skies cleared. Two beautiful butterflies were seen rising out of the grave and dancing together in the sunshine. Liang and Zhu were together, and would never be separated again.
祝英台听闻他的死讯，她也心碎了。但她无能为力阻止她嫁给富翁的安排。到了婚礼的时候，她沿着埋葬梁山伯的路走。很快，她的婚礼队伍来到了梁山伯的墓前。天上暴风雨，风在婚礼队伍周围呼啸而过，祝英台女士抽泣着，希望她能加入自己的真爱，而不是嫁给富翁。突然，她的祈祷似乎得到了回应。一道巨大的闪电击中了坟墓，它裂开了。一瞬间，祝英台将自己投进了坟墓，这样她就可以和梁山伯永远在一起了。就在闪电来临时，风暴消失了，天空放晴了。两只美丽的蝴蝶从坟墓中升起，在阳光下一起翩翩起舞。梁山伯和祝英台在一起了，再也不会分开了。
This legendary story has encouraged many artists, actors, playwrights, and musicians to create moving and touching artistic works to remind people that Lovers have to be respected.
这个传奇的故事鼓励了许多艺术家、演员、剧作家和音乐家创作动人的艺术作品，提醒人们 "爱" 要被尊重。
Let us listen to some of such music, selected from YouTube. (1) Piano - 德國鋼琴家表演《梁祝》The Butterfly Lovers Concerto - Oskar Roman Jezior 羅曼耶卓. https://youtu.be/2w5fEoXu78E
(2) Violin - He/Chen - Butterfly Lovers Violin Concerto (Yale Symphony Orchestra feat. Sha). https://youtu.be/9H59w1hkBbs.
(3) Using the Chinese Erhu instrument - 《梁祝》 Butterfly Lovers ErHu Concerto 指揮/閻惠昌 二胡/孫凰. https://youtu.be/tu5XohUR3Pg
(4) With the Chinese Pipa Instrument - 梁祝 Butterfly Lovers ーChinese Pipa concerto. https://youtu.be/9DGrqn2g4l8
A comment from Martine van der Meijden on one of the above videos: I played this magnificent beautiful piece about 5 years ago in Shanghai (and cities nearby). I play the cello and I was in a youth orchestra from The Netherlands and Belgium, and we were invited to come to China and give some concerts there. Those 10 days I had there were seriously the best of my life , and every time I listen to this, it reminds me of that amazing trip, the music we got to play there and the amazing people I got to meet. I will cherish this piece for ever!
Martine van der Meijden 对上述视频之一的评论：大约 5 年前，我在上海（以及附近的城市）演奏了这首优美的曲子。我拉大提琴，我在一个来自荷兰和比利时的青年管弦乐队，我们被邀请来中国并在那里举办一些音乐会。我在那里度过的那 10 天真的是我一生中最美好的时光，每次我听这首歌时，都会让我想起那次奇妙的旅行、我们在那里演奏的音乐以及我遇到的了不起的人。我会永远珍惜这件作品！
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