梁山伯与祝英台的故事---the butterfly lovers

00:08

Adjusting her disguise, Zhu Yingtai prepared to bid her parents goodbye.
扮成男装后，祝英台准备和父母拜别。

She had always been a dutiful daughter— staying home and creating works of embroidery that brought her parents pride.
她一直都是个尽责的乖女儿， 总是待在家裡做女红， 让她的父母为此感到骄傲。

And yet, although only boys were allowed at the Confucius Academy in Hangzhou, what Yingtai truly wanted was to go to school.
虽然只有男性能到杭州的书院读书， 但祝英台最想要的就是去上学。

She begged her parents to let her attend dressed as a boy and, seeing her determination and clever disguises, they finally agreed.
她恳求父母让她女扮男装去上学， 而在看见女儿的决心 和完美的扮装后，他们终于答应了。

However, they only gave her permission when she promised to keep her true identity a secret and eventually return to the traditional path they’d set for her.
前提是祝英台答应这两件事： 她必须保守女儿身的秘密， 而且最后要回归他们为她规划好的传统女性道路。

00:44
Elated, Yingtai began her journey to Hangzhou.
祝英台兴高采烈地往杭州出发，

On the way, she found herself at a crossroads, unsure which route to take when a young man approached.
在旅途中 ，她来到一个十字路口， 正不知道该往哪个方向前进时， 出现了一个年轻男子。

As their eyes met, they shared an instant connection.
他们眼神一交会， 便立刻感受到强烈的吸引力。

Yingtai learned that his name was Liang Shanbo, and that he’d be her classmate at the academy, so they walked the rest of the way together, rapt in conversation.
英台得知这个年轻人叫梁山伯， 同样要去书院就读， 因此他们结伴同行，尽情畅谈。

Yingtai realized that, despite her meticulous disguise, she felt that she could finally be herself.
英台发现，虽然她的男装天衣无缝， 却能真正展露自己的模样。

The two decided to celebrate what they thought would be a long, close friendship, and became sworn brothers.
两人都坚信这段友情将又长久又亲密， 为讚颂这段情谊，两人成为结拜兄弟。

01:17
At the academy, Yingtai buried herself in books and studied with Shanbo late into the nights. 在学院中，英台全心投入学习， 总是和山伯一同挑灯夜战。

The two felt at home so long as they were at each other’s sides. 只要在彼此身边， 两人就感到自在又放鬆。

They shared a room, but even though Shanbo questioned her about it, Yingtai always used the bathroom alone and buttoned her thick robes up to her chin— no matter the weather. 他们同住一室， 山伯也曾经问过英台， 为何她总是独自使用浴室， 以及为何总是将厚重的袍子扣到下巴。

Now and again, Yingtai heard students muttering about her secretive behavior. 英台时不时就会听见 其他同学讨论她诡异的行为。

01:41
As months slipped into years, Yingtai continued to excel at her studies and felt like her past— and intended future—were lifetimes away. 从数月到数年，英台继续精进学业， 觉得以前在家的那段日子， 以及被规划好的未来都恍若隔世。

Yet the whispers grew louder. 但是同学的窃窃私语更加猖狂。

And after three years, she had no choice but to leave. 才入学第三年，她就只能离开学校。

Parting tearfully, Yingtai asked Shanbo to visit her. 英台含泪向山伯道别， 并要求山伯一定要来看她。

02:00
When Yingtai returned home, her parents announced that the Ma family from the neighboring village had sent a matchmaker to ask their permission for Yingtai to marry their son. 英台回家后， 父母告诉她， 邻村的马家派来一个媒婆求亲， 要求他们把她嫁给马家的儿子。

They’d found it a fitting match and accepted. 他们认为两家门当户对， 就接受了这桩亲事。

Trying to hide her disappointment, Yingtai honored their agreement. 英台试著藏起失望的情绪， 履行他们的决定。

But as she prepared for another new life, she thought of Shanbo. 但在她准备结婚时，她想起了山伯。

02:20
Meanwhile, he too was distracted— his studies dull without Yingtai near. 这时的山伯也无法集中注意力： 没有英台的陪伴，读书变得很无趣。

When Shanbo finally visited Yingtai’s house, he came upon a young woman. 在山伯终于拜访英台家时， 他遇见一个年轻女子。

He was about to ask for her brother, but as their eyes met, he recognized the young scholar he’d always loved. 他本来想问她，她的哥哥在哪裡， 但在他们视线交会时， 他认出了他一直深爱的同学。

Shanbo knew he couldn’t stand being separated from Yingtai again and asked her to marry him. 山伯知道自己无法忍受再次和她分别， 因此向她求婚。

But, heartbroken, Yingtai told him that she was already promised to another. 但是心碎的英台告诉他， 她已经被父母许配给另一个人了。

Shanbo was devastated, but he understood that Yingtai had to abide by her parents’ wishes, and they parted again. 山伯心碎了， 但他明白英台必须听从父母之命。他们就此分别。

02:54
Shanbo fell ill and grew weaker by the day. 山伯病倒了，每天都更加虚弱，

Worried, his family sent a matchmaker to the Zhu family. 他的家人很担心他， 就派了一个媒婆到英台家求亲，

But, because of Yingtai’s current engagement, her father refused the proposal. 但因为英台已经被许配给马家， 她的父亲拒绝了梁家的求亲。

Doing otherwise would bring their family public shame. 因为如果他同意这门婚事， 只会让自己家蒙羞。

Shanbo’s Illness took a turn for the worse and, sensing he wouldn’t live to see her married, Shanbo wrote Yingtai a final letter. 山伯的病明显加重， 知道自己无法活到英台成亲的那天， 山伯写了一封绝笔信给英台。

If Yingtai loved him, he asked that she burn incense in front of his tomb when she was on her way to the Ma family. 他说，如果英台爱他， 就请她在去马家成亲的路上， 到他墓前上香。

03:21
When Yingtai’s wedding day came, it also felt like a funeral. 英台出嫁那天，气氛像丧礼般阴沉。

As the procession wound through town under stormy skies, Yingtai broke off and knelt in front of Shanbo’s tomb, lighting incense and offering sacrifices through her tears. 出嫁队伍在狂风暴雨下穿越城镇。 英台突然下轿，跪在山伯的墓前， 哭著烧香祭祀山伯的灵魂。

03:36
Suddenly, a clap of thunder sounded above and a lightning bolt shot through the tomb, fracturing the stone. 突然，天上响起一阵雷鸣， 一道闪电劈开了坟墓， 使石头裂开。

Without hesitation, Yingtai threw herself in. 英台毫不犹豫地跳进坟墓。

03:46
As her parents rushed to rescue their daughter, two butterflies fluttered out of the crack. This time, Yingtai had transformed for good. 在她的父母赶过去救女儿时， 两隻蝴蝶从裂缝中飞出来， 这一次，英台永远变成另一个样子。

Finally free, she could float forever with Shanbo at her side. 终于获得自由的英台， 可以永远和山伯一起飞翔了。