Liang Shan-bo yu Zhu Ying-tai (1963, China)

Synopsis

Zhu Ying-tai is the daughter of a well-to-do merchant; she is sixteen years old, and impatient to do something other than sit at home and be pampered. But her parents have old-fashioned ideas about the place of women, and won't allow it. She has set her heart on going to university, and she is pining.

A doctor comes to the house and says he knows what the problem is, but that the necessary medicines are very difficult to obtain. He says what they are, and many of them seem to be nonsensical, so he suggests an alternative mental approach: the daughter wants to go to university: let her! Of course her father protests, it's not proper for a young girl to mix with men. But the doctor suggests that she could go dressed as, and pretending to be, a boy. Impossible, says the father how could such a disguise be achieved. Well says the doctor, if she could deceive you into not recognising her, would you agree? Of course says father, but it's impossible!

At this the "doctor" whips off his hat and we can suddenly see that it was Ying-tai all along -- proving that she can fool even her own parents into thinking she is a man.

In the countryside, we see a young man accompanied by his servant; they are on a journey, and they are admiring the beauty of the countryside. The set design is exceptionally pleasing in these rural scenes.

After some time, they decide to take a rest, after remarking that it would be nice to have company. At the rest place, there is already someone there resting -- we see that it is Ying-tai dressed as a young man, and her maid, Yiu Xin, also dressed as a young man to complete the illusion. At first Ying-tai and Yiu Xin don't speak to the strangers.

However they eventually make contact and introduce one another in a friendly way. The stranger is Liang Shan-bo, a young man played by an actress. (The role is nearly always played by a female.)

It turns out that he is going to the university to study too, and they agree to go on the journey together. They become good friends on the way, and agree to be honorary brothers, and from now on they address one another as "brother".

They study together at the university. The class looks a bit regimented, but they are all singing happily, and the seasons come and go. Quite a few of the students look like girls to me, too.

University life seems to go quite well, although Ying-tai finds some of the teachers' outlooks rather sexist. A dangerous moment arises when she is a little feverish; Shan-bo insists on looking after her, and wants to sleep with her (still not knowing she is a girl); when she says that it wouldn't be proper, he is puzzled and asks if she thinks he is really a girl.

Three years pass and the pair are firm friends, but Ying-tai begins to realise that she has romantic feelings for Shan-bo.

But a letter arrives from home; Mother is seriously ill, and Ying-tai must go home at once. But what about Shan-bo? Yiu Xin suggests that Ying-tai should go to see the headmistress, Mrs Meng, and tell her everything and ask her to be the intermediary with Shan-bo. Ying-tai hesitates, and says it would be very embarrassing; just at that moment a group of rowdy men are passing and mock her words, saying that it is a sissy attitude (for a man); this has the effect of steeling Ying-tai's determination.

So she goes to see Mrs Meng, and tells her she must leave; and she eventually tells her she is a girl. But Mrs Meng, a kindly and motherly lady, says she has known that for some time.

She explains her love for Shan-bo to Mrs Meng, and the lady agrees to hold a piece of jade as a token of betrothal, and to give it to Shan-bo and explain Ying-tai's position.

Shan-bo says he will walk some of the way with Ying-tai (and he doesn't yet know she is a girl).

Ying-tai tries to delay the moment of parting, and tries to tell him she is a girl. She dare not do it outright, so she uses some metaphors -- for whom is that woodcutter toiling? (for his wife); do you see those two carp swimming side by side? And here is a gander and his goose follows him.

But Shan-bo does not understand all these references at all.

I notice that at this point Si-jua, Shan-bo's servant is carrying the luggage for Yiu-Xin -- has he realised that Yiu-Xin is a girl?

Despite all of Ying-tai's hints, Shan-bo still does not understand; eventually Ying-tai says that she has a twin sister at home, and that Shan-bo might become betrothed to her. Shan-bo says that as his parents are poor, that is not possible, but nonetheless Ying-tai says he must come to see her, one day.

And so reluctantly they take their leave; Si-jua and Yin Xin are also attached to one another, although we don't know for certain whether Si-jua knows the secret.

Back at the university, Shan-bo is pining for his friend. Mrs Meng explains that Ying-tai is a girl, and at first he is incredulous. In fact he explains that Ying-tai has a sister at home, thinking that Mrs Meng has got this confused, but of course Mrs Meng persists with the truth, showing Shan-bo a jade bracelet that Ying-tai left as a token of betrothal.

Shan-bo sets off at once to go to see Ying-tai.

But there is difficult news at Ying-tai's home; her father says he has arranged a marriage with Ma Wen-cai, a wealthy playboy son of an important family. Ying-tai says she will refuse to marry him, but her father insists, in accordance with tradition.

Shan-bo arrives and is delighted to see his old friend, now fully feminine. But Ying-tai is sad, knowing what her fate is to be.

So Ying-tai tells him, and they are both unhappy.

Shan-bo goes home and soon falls ill, and dies of a broken heart.

Si-jiu comes to Ying-tai and tells her the bad news.

But Ying-tai has to go to the wedding; a sumptuous sedan has been brought to take her there. She says she will not go, but her father remonstrates with her and eventually she agrees on condition that the procession can go via the palace where Shan-bo is buried.

She stops there and is stricken with grief for the man she loved.

In a moving and powerful scene, she expresses her devastating grief; and the sky darkens and a whirlwind comes up, and Shan-bo's shrine is broken open.

It collapses in a pile of dust and Ying-tai is engulfed within it. As the servants look on, a pair of butterflies escape from the rubble and seem to fly up to heaven.

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