BUTTERFLY LOVERS IBD

Sinopsis

'Butterfly Lovers: Storiesáof Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai'ástands as one of the four monumental love stories of ancient China, alongáwithá'The Legend of the White Snake', 'The Tale of Lady Meng Jiang', and 'The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl'. In 2006, it achieved recognition as a national-level Intangible Cultural Heritage of China.The storyáof Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai finds its roots in the Eastern Jin Dynasty (317-420) and has enchanted various parts of China for over 1700 years. The synopsisáof the storyáis as follows:In ancient China, societal norms forbade women from showingáthemselvesáin public. Zhu Yingtai, a teenage girl yearning for an education in Hangzhou, cleverly disguised herself as a man. During her journey, she encountered Liang Shanbo, and the two established a deep bond, becoming sworn 'brothers'. For three years, they studied side by side during the day and shared oneábed at night. As Yingtai prepared to leave school, she subtly revealed her feelings for Shanbo, who remained oblivious due to his ignorance of YingtaiâÇÖs true identity. Upon returning home, Yingtai was coerced into marrying another man. Learning of this, Shanbo was struck by despair, fell gravely ill, and soon passed away. On her wedding journey, Yingtai leaped into ShanboâÇÖs tomb, culminating in their transformation into butterflies that flew away together.Initially, the storyáof Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai circulated predominantly within the Han ethnic group. Thanks toámigration, military placements, and educational pursuits, the taleágradually permeated areas inhabited by various ethnic groups. Each ethnic groupáembraced the tale with affection, often adapting it in alignment with their cultural traditions and aesthetic sensibilities. For instance, in the version cherished by the Miao ethnic group, Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai metamorphose into dragons, not butterflies, upon their death. In the She ethnic groupâÇÖs rendition, Shanbo and Yingtai transform into trees after death, only to revert back to human form later. In the Zhuang ethnic groupâÇÖs telling, the narrative unfolds in Liuzhou, not Hangzhou, with Shanbo and YingtaiâÇÖs butterfly forms eventually transforming back into humans. In the Yao ethnic groupâÇÖs version, Zhu YingtaiâÇÖs hometown is set in Emeishan, rather than Zhujia Village.áIn the version favored by the Mulao ethnic group, Zhu YingtaiâÇÖs hometown remains Emeishan, but her place of study shifts to Lushan instead of Hangzhou, culminating in the transformation of Shanbo and Yingtai into mandarin ducks. The Tujia ethnic groupâÇÖs rendition, however, is a more somber one, where Shanbo and Yingtai meet a tragic end without any transformation. The Bai ethnic group presents a tale of multiple transformations: Shanbo and Yingtai first morph into stone lions, then into willow trees, later into mandarin ducks after the willow trees are felled, and finally into butterflies. In the various adaptations popular among different ethnic groups, the