Butterfly Lovers

"The Butterfly Lovers" or "Liang Zhu" is a Chinese legend about the tragic romance between two lovers, Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai, from whom the name of the legend is known in Chinese (梁山伯與祝英台, pinyin: Liáng Shānbó yǔ Zhù Yīngtái, often abbreviated as "梁祝", Liáng-Zhù). The legend is sometimes regarded as the Chinese equivalent to "Romeo and Juliet". [ [http://www.amazon.com/dp/0966542142 Amazon.com] ] [ [http://www.newsgd.com/culture/art/200703070041.htm Guandog News] ]

Six cities within the People's Republic of China (PRC) have collaborated since 2004 on a formal application for the Proclamation of Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity ( [http://portal.unesco.org/culture/en/ev.php-URL_ID=2226&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html] ) on the legend at UNESCO [ [http://www.wchol.com/html/fwzwh.html UNESCO Item 7] ] , submitted in 2006 through the Chinese Ministry of Culture.

Overview

The legend of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai is a beautiful, doleful, and moving love story .The story is set in the Eastern Jin Dynasty.

It begins with a beautiful, intelligent young woman named Zhu Yingtai from Shangyu, Zhejiang, who is the ninth child and the only daughter of the wealthy noble Zhu family. After much effort, she convinced her father to let her disguise herself as a young man traveling to Hangzhou to study. During her journey, she encountered Liang Shanbo, a scholar from Kuaiji (會稽, Kuàijī, now known as Shaoxing), in the same province. They felt like old friends at the first meeting. Therefore, they gathered some soil as incense and took vows of brotherhood in the pavilion of a thatched bridge.

For the three years in school, they shared the same room where there was only one bed and two quilts. Yingtai slowly fell in love with Shanbo. Although being every bit Yingtai's equal in studies, Shanbo was a bookworm and did not see any traces of female characteristics in Yingtai.

Time flew by quickly. Three years passed, and one day Yingtai received a letter from her father asking her to return home as quickly as possible. Yingtai had no alternative but to pack her belongings immediately and bid farewell. In Yingtai’s heart, she had decided that even if heaven and earth passed away, her love for Liang Shanbo would never change, and she wanted to be with him for all eternity. Hence, before her departure, Yingtai revealed her true identity to her headmaster's wife and requested the headmaster’s wife to hand her jade pendant as a betrothal gift to Shanbo.

Liang Shanbo, being Yingtai’s sworn brother, accompanied Yingtai for 18 miles to send her off. During the journey, Yingtai hinted to Shanbo that she was a girl. For example, she compared themselves to a pair of mandarin ducks, but Shanbo did not catch onto her hidden meaning and did not even have the slightest suspicion that she was a girl. Finally Yingtai thought of an idea: she told Shanbo that she would be a matchmaker and match make Shanbo with her sister. Before the two parted, Yingtai reminded Shanbo to pay a visit to her house so that he can propose a marriage to her "sister" (who was really herself). Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai reluctantly took leave of each other at the pavilion where they had first met.

When Shanbo arrived at Yingtai’s home, he discovered her true gender. They were devoted to and passionate about each other, and the lovers vowed that if they cannot live together, they will die together. The joy of the reunion of the two came to an end when Yingtai told Shanbo that her parents had forced her to marry Ma Wencai (馬文才, Mǎ Wéncái), a rich and spoiled gentleman.

Liang Shanbo was heartbroken. His health slowly deteriorated until he became seriously ill and later died in his office as a county magistrate.

On the day Yingtai was to be married to Ma Wencai, whirlwinds prevented the wedding procession from escorting Yingtai beyond Shanbo’s tomb. Yingtai left the procession to pay her respects for Shanbo. Yingtai descended in bitter despair and begged the grave to open up. Suddenly there was a clap of thunder, and the tomb opened as Yingtai had wished. Without hesitation, Yingtai leapt into the grave to join her beloved Shanbo. Yingtai and Shanbo's spirits had turned into a pair of beautiful butterflies and emerged from the tomb, flying together among the flowers forever, never to be apart again.

Historical accounts

The earliest record of the legend can be traced back to late Tang Dynasty. In "Records of the Xuan Hall" (宣室志, Xuānshì Zhì), the author Zhang Du (張讀, Zhāng Dú, flourished ca. 850-880) wrote:

Yingtai, the daughter of the Zhu family in Shangyu, dressed as a man in disguise, studied with Liang Shanbo from Kuaiji. Shanbo's courtesy name was Churen (處仁, Chùrén). Zhu Yingtai returned home first. Two years later, Liang Shanbo visited her, only to find that she was a woman, thus suffered from feelings of loss. [Liang Shanbo] asked [Zhu's] parents if he could marry her, but her family had already vowed to marry her to the Ma family. Shanbo took the post of magistrate at Yin (鄞, Yín, Western part of today's Ningbo), Shanbo later died in his office because of broken heart, and was buried somewhere west of the city of Mao (鄮, Mào, Eastern part of today's Ningbo).

When Zhu Yingtai was escorted to the Ma family by a boat, the boat stopped at a tomb, could not move further due to the winds and waves. After learning that it belonged to Liang Shanbo, Zhu Yingtai landed and cried, the ground opened by itself; Zhu Yingtai was thus buried within. Xie An, then the Chancellor of China, proclaimed the tomb as the "Tomb of the Righteous Woman".

The legend was also recorded in various official records such as "The Chronicles of the Yin County" (鄞縣志, Yín Xiàn Zhì), "The Chronicles of Ningbo Prefecture" (寧波府志, Níngbō Fǔzhì) and "The New Chronicles of the Jing Brook in Yixing" (宜興荊溪新志, Yíxīng Jīngxī Xīnzhì).

It is said that in ancient times the river frequently flooded. It is recorded in the history book that at that time, Liang Shanbo served as magistrate of the county, and exerted great efforts towards harnessing the river, thus winning the love and esteem of the people. The Liang Shanbo Temple built in 347, has a history of more than 1600 years. To commemorate Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai, the local people built the The Liang-Zhu Cultural Park ( [http://www.chinahighlights.com/ningbo/attraction/liangzhu-park.htm] ) in Ningbo with the love story as its main theme. Liang-Zhu Tomb, Liang Shanbo Temple and Husband and Wife Bridge, Qing Gong (Bedroom) are authorized as the real birthplace of the story of Liang-Zhu by China Liang-Zhu Culture Association.

In 1997, at the Zhejiang Ningbo Gaoqiao Town construction site, a construction worker dug out a 1,700 year old tomb which believed is belonged to Liang Shan Bo and Zhu Ying Tai as the tablet was inscribed with the names of the two lovers at the "joint burial tombs". The cultural relic archaeologist rushed to the scene and began the excavation. All those present at the site were most jubilan and astonished, as the evidence helped to prove where the story took place and that the "butterfly lovers" legend is truly a cultural legacy for the Chinese people.

The Chinese government have collaborated since 2004 on a formal application for the legend to be listed as UNESCO Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Cultural Heritage. In 2006, this report was transferred to UNESCO, which sanctioned this tale as an official cultural legacy of China.

Artistic interpretations

2008

Currently, a wuxia version of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai is being filmed in Shanghai. The story features Taiwanese popstar Wu Chun as Liang Shanbo and Hong Kong Twins popstar Charlene Choi as Zhu Yingtai. Chinese actor Hu Ge will also be part of this project, taking the role of Zhu's future husband. [http://asianfanatics.net/forum/-talk461376.html Asian Fanatics - Butterfly Lovers Movie, starring Charlene Choi, Wu Chun and Hu Ge] [http://www.butterflyloversmovie.com/bl_main.html Official Website of Butterfly Lovers]

2007

Inspired by the excavation in 1997, Hunan Television has 3 years in preparation for the new TV series "Liang Shanbo & Zhu Yingtai" ( [http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Butterfly_Lovers] ) and spent more than RMB$24 million for this big TV series production. A fine cast has been assembled for this TV series, which was first broadcasted in 2007. The Taiwanese “heart-throb” "Peter Ho" 何潤東 (He Run Dong) ( [http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Peter_Ho] ) has been chosen to play the role of the male protagonist in the story – Liang Shanbo. "Dong Jie" 董潔 ( [http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Dong_Jie] )one the best female actors in China has been selected for the role of the heroine Zhu Yingtai. The teaming of He Run Dong and Dong Jie as the butterfly lovers is one of the main attractions in this series. The audiences are sitting at the edge of their seats anticipating their performances.

A team of 7/8 scriptwriters and authors worked through multiple drafts and numerous revisions before completing the script of this classic Chinese love story of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai. The scripts itself took 3 years to complete.

Glorious imagery, sublime music and a romance set against one of the greatest tragedies of the Eastern Jin Dynasty are all blended perfectly by the producer Chao Ye, director Chen Jun Liang and music in consultation with the "Liangzhu" original composer - He Zhan Hao.

"Dong Jie as Zhu Ying Tai & Peter Ho as Liang Shan Bo"

The 2007 version of "Liang Shanbo & Zhu Yingtai" ( [http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Butterfly_Lovers] ) TV series first broadcasted in Gui Zhou China has since then earned the reputation of the highest reception of TV result. Fans reviewed that the exquisite performance of Peter Ho and Dong Jie are one of the main success factors as their performance bring the butterfly lovers to life. Few fictitious characters were introduced to this series to help lighten the overall tone of the legend with their informal and highly personal sentiments. Besides the strong casts, other factors that contributes to the success of this 2007 Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yintai includes best music, best costumes, best scripts, attention to details, genuine historical research on the legend, best scenery and last but not least, the story is engaging and memorable.

To date, this production is considered to be the most comprehensive, finest and largest scale television series which presents truest adaptation of the original legend.

2004

A Chinese animated feature film was released in 2004, directed by Min-chin Tsai. [http://imdb.com/title/tt0446958/]

2001

In May 2001, a group of students from the University of Oxford formed the Liang Zhu Drama Production Company, rewrote the whole story into a contemporary drama, and performed it in English.

1994

"The Lovers" directed by Tsui Hark, featuring Charlie Yeung Choi-Nei and Nicky Wu in Hong Kong. This movie has won the following Hong-Kong Awards in 1994 :Nomination best director -TSUI Hark, Nomination best supporting actress- Carrie NG Ka-Lai, Nomination best art direction, Nomination best costums, Best music James WONG Jim.

1980s

In 1981 Jann Paxton, working in the theater arts program at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, was introduced to the Butterfly Lovers' Violin Concerto by a Chinese exchange student. Paxton was so inspired by the concerto and its originating legend that he conceived a full length ballet based on the original story and set about obtaining the limited performance rights to the score from its owners in China. Choreographed by Randy Strawderman and Jann Paxton (who also designed the sets and costumes), The Butterfly Lovers Ballet made its official United States premier in the spring of 1982 at the Agnes de Mille Theatre by The North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem, NC as part of that schools Spring Dance Gala. The principal roles of the two lovers, Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai, were performed by NCSA students Sean Hayes and Alicia Fowler. Paxton’s story line remained true to the classic Chinese version with the addition of several supporting characters. The ballet was performed in "black box theater" style and utilized various fabric props and costume changes, (similar in style to the interpretation of Uncle Tom's Cabin, called, "Small House of Uncle Thomas", in the second musical film version of The King and I) (1951) to suggest changes in scenery and time.

1962

Based on the romance, the Shaw Brothers also produced "Love Eterne" ( [http://www.cinemasie.com/fiche/oeuvre/loveeterne/] , [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0057248/] ), a film in Huangmei Opera directed by Li Han Hsiang in 1962, starring Ivy Ling Po as Liang and Betty Loh Ti as Zhu.

1950s

The legend had been adapted into traditional Chinese opera in several local varieties, as "Liang Zhu" in Yue opera (also called Shaoxing opera, not to be confused with Cantonese opera) and "In the Shade of the Willow" (柳蔭記, Liǔyìn Jì) in Sichuan opera. The Shaoxing opera version was made into a colour motion picture in the 1950s ( [http://www.liangzhu.org/html/lzsg05.asp] ) in the PRC. The filming by the Ministry of Culture and the East China Military and Political Commission took place in Zhu's legendary home town of Shangyu.

The Music:

The story also inspired the production of "Butterfly Lovers' Violin Concerto", or "Liang Zhu Violin Concerto" as known in Chinese, a work for violin and orchestra. It was composed by Chinese composers He Zhanhao and Chen Gang in 1958. The piece has been the most musically symbolic retelling of the legend; at almost 30 minutes long, it is one of the classics of modern Chinese music. During the 1970s, Hong Kong's TVB television station adapted the legend as a musical miniseries, with Roman Tam and Susanna Kwan supplying the vocals for the soundtrack composed by Joseph Koo. At least two motion pictures have used it for their theme music: "The Lovers" ( [http://www.cinemasie.com/fiche/oeuvre/lovers/] , [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110340/] ) directed by Tsui Hark and featuring Charlie Yeung Choi-Nei and Nicky Wu in Hong Kong; and "The Butterfly Lovers" ( [http://www.cinemasie.com/animes/fiche/oeuvre/butterflylovers/] , [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0446958/] ), an animated film directed by Tsai Min-chin and featuring talents of Elva Hsiao (蕭亞軒), René Liu (劉若英) and Jacky Wu (吳宗憲) in Taiwan.

In 2004, Taiwanese girl-group S.H.E released a song based in part off the story on their Magical Journey album, listed as the 9th track.

A Cantonese stage musical is produced in 2005, featuring pop singer-actress Denise Ho as the title role.

References

Bibliography

*" [http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2004-06/15/content_1526831.htm 'Butterfly Lovers' to bid for Intangible World Heritage] " (June 15, 2004) Xinhuanet.
*" [http://www.newsgd.com/culture/life/200406140042.htm China to seek world heritage listing of 'butterfly lovers' story] " (June 14, 2004) Newsgd.com (member of Nanfang Daily Group).

External links

* [http://www.guoxue.com/tangyanjiu/stwd/074.htm Short biography of Zhang Du, author of "Records of the Xuan Hall"] (in Chinese)
* [http://www.xzqh.org/quhua/33zj/0212yz.htm Information of the present locations of Yin and Mao] (in Chinese)
* [http://www.butterflylovers.org The Butterfly Lovers - A Chinese play in English performed by Oxford University students]

Listening

* [http://music.ibiblio.org/pub/multimedia/chinese-music/Traditional_Music/E06.Liang_Zhu_Violin_Concerto.au Liang Zhu Violin Concerto]