The Chinese legend of the butterfly lovers - Lijun Zhang

翻译人员: Zhongyi Kim 校对人员: Yuwei Wu

Adjusting her disguise, Zhu Yingtai prepared to bid her parents goodbye.

祝英台换好了装束，准备辞别父母。

She had always been a dutiful daughter— staying home

在家时，她一直是一个乖顺的女儿，

and creating works of embroidery that brought her parents pride.

刺绣手艺令父母骄傲。

And yet, although only boys were allowed at the Confucius Academy in Hangzhou,

即便如此，尽管杭州的 孔子学堂只收男子，

what Yingtai truly wanted was to go to school.

英台真正想做的却是上学读书。

She begged her parents to let her attend dressed as a boy

她乞求父母让她乔装成男子上学，

and, seeing her determination and clever disguises, they finally agreed.

父母见她意志坚决，

男装也看不出破绽，便答应了。

However, they only gave her permission when she promised

不过，父母的答允是有条件的。

to keep her true identity a secret

英台必须保证隐藏身份，

and eventually return to the traditional path they’d set for her.

并在学成后回家， 回归传统的女子生活。

Elated, Yingtai began her journey to Hangzhou.

英台就此满心欢喜地 开启了她的杭州之行。

On the way, she found herself at a crossroads,

途中，她在一个十字路口迷了路。

unsure which route to take when a young man approached.

正当她不知该往哪个方向走时， 一位年轻的男子向他走来。

As their eyes met, they shared an instant connection.

四目相接之际，他们忽觉似曾相识。

Yingtai learned that his name was Liang Shanbo,

英台知道了男子名叫梁山伯，

and that he’d be her classmate at the academy,

将会成为她在孔子学堂的同窗。

so they walked the rest of the way together, rapt in conversation.

于是，他们二人便一路同行，无话不谈。

Yingtai realized that, despite her meticulous disguise,

英台发现，尽管她乔装成了 另外一个人，

she felt that she could finally be herself.

但在山伯面前，却能放心地做自己。

The two decided to celebrate what they thought would be

为了庆祝这段长久而真挚的友情，

a long, close friendship, and became sworn brothers.

两人决定结拜为兄弟。

At the academy, Yingtai buried herself in books

在学堂，英台埋头书本，

and studied with Shanbo late into the nights.

与山伯一起苦读至深夜。

The two felt at home so long as they were at each other’s sides.

当他们二人在一起时， 彼此都觉得安心，如同在家里一般。

They shared a room, but even though Shanbo questioned her about it,

他们同住一室，尽管山伯有所怀疑，

Yingtai always used the bathroom alone

但英台还是坚持独自使用浴室，

and buttoned her thick robes up to her chin— no matter the weather.

无论天气多热， 都将上衣纽扣系到脖子。

Now and again, Yingtai heard students muttering about her secretive behavior.

有时，英台也会听到同学 私下议论她古怪的行为。

As months slipped into years, Yingtai continued to excel at her studies

岁月如梭，英台刻苦学习， 在班中一直名列前茅。

and felt like her past— and intended future—were lifetimes away.

她感到过去的日子和预期的未来， 相差了好像一辈子那么久。

Yet the whispers grew louder.

然而，流言依旧纷纷， 甚至更加严重。

And after three years, she had no choice but to leave.

三年之后，英台不得不离开孔子学堂。

Parting tearfully, Yingtai asked Shanbo to visit her.

她与山伯含泪告别， 希望他有机会去拜访她。

When Yingtai returned home,

当英台回到家中，

her parents announced that the Ma family from the neighboring village

父母告诉她，邻村的马家

had sent a matchmaker to ask their permission

派了媒人上门提亲，希望祝家

for Yingtai to marry their son.

把女儿许配给他们的儿子。

They’d found it a fitting match and accepted.

父母觉得两家门当户对，就应允了。

Trying to hide her disappointment, Yingtai honored their agreement.

英台努力掩饰内心的失望， 尊重并顺从了父母的安排。

But as she prepared for another new life, she thought of Shanbo.

她一边为新生活做准备， 一边思念着远方的山伯。

Meanwhile, he too was distracted— his studies dull without Yingtai near.

同一时间，英台的离开 也让山伯无心学业。

When Shanbo finally visited Yingtai’s house,

终于，山伯来到了英台家，

he came upon a young woman.

开门的是一位年轻的女子。

He was about to ask for her brother,

山伯正想要问她的兄长是否在家时，

but as their eyes met, he recognized the young scholar he’d always loved.

四目相接，他认出了英台， 那位他挚爱的同窗。

Shanbo knew he couldn’t stand being separated from Yingtai again

山伯知道，他无法忍受 再一次与英台分离，

and asked her to marry him.

便向她求婚。

But, heartbroken, Yingtai told him that she was already promised to another.

但令人心碎的是，英台告诉他， 她已经许配了人家。

Shanbo was devastated, but he understood that Yingtai had to abide

山伯在震惊之余， 却也明白英台不能违背父母的意愿，

by her parents’ wishes, and they parted again.

他们必须再一次分离。

Shanbo fell ill and grew weaker by the day.

山伯为此而病倒， 并且日复一日地虚弱下去。

Worried, his family sent a matchmaker to the Zhu family.

他的家人忧心如焚， 于是也派了媒人上祝家提亲。

But, because of Yingtai’s current engagement,

但是，因为英台已有婚约在身，

her father refused the proposal.

她的父亲拒绝了这门亲事。

Doing otherwise would bring their family public shame.

因为如果悔婚，会让整个家族蒙羞。

Shanbo’s Illness took a turn for the worse

山伯的病因此急转直下。

and, sensing he wouldn’t live to see her married,

自知活不到英台出嫁，

Shanbo wrote Yingtai a final letter.

山伯给英台写了最后一封信。

If Yingtai loved him, he asked that she burn incense

如果英台爱他， 他希望她在出嫁的路上，

in front of his tomb when she was on her way to the Ma family.

燃一炷香在他的坟前。

When Yingtai’s wedding day came, it also felt like a funeral.

出嫁的那一天， 英台感到婚礼好似葬礼。

As the procession wound through town under stormy skies,

风雨交加之下， 车马一路蜿蜒穿过城镇。

Yingtai broke off and knelt in front of Shanbo’s tomb,

英台挣脱娶亲的队伍， 在山伯的坟前跪下，

lighting incense and offering sacrifices through her tears.

点燃了一炷香，并含泪祭祀。

Suddenly, a clap of thunder sounded above

突然，一道惊雷在空中炸响，

and a lightning bolt shot through the tomb,

闪电击中了山伯的坟墓

fracturing the stone.

也击碎了坟头的墓碑。

Without hesitation, Yingtai threw herself in.

英台毫不犹豫地跳入了墓穴之中。

As her parents rushed to rescue their daughter,

当她的父母赶来搭救女儿的时候，

two butterflies fluttered out of the crack.

两只蝴蝶从石缝中翩然飞出。

This time, Yingtai had transformed for good.

这一次，英台为爱化身，

Finally free, she could float forever with Shanbo at her side.

终获自由。 从此，她便与山伯生生世世永不分离了。