About Ancient Tragic Love

Southeast Flight of the Peacock Preface: At the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, during the period of Jian'an (196-219 A.D.), Liu Lanzhi, the wife of Jiao Zhongqing, a minor official in the magistrate's office in Lujiang, was driven back to her mother's house by Jiao's mother, and she swore (after returning to her mother's house) that she would never marry again. When her mother's family forced her to remarry, she threw herself into the water and died. When Jiao Zhongqing heard of this (Liu Lanzhi's death by throwing herself into the water), he also hanged himself from a tree in the courtyard (of his house). People at that time mourned them. He wrote this poem to recount this incident.

The peacock bird flew in a south-easterly direction, and hovered for a while as it flew up to five miles.

"(I) was able to weave fine white juan at the age of thirteen, learned to cut clothes at the age of fourteen, played konghou at the age of fifteen, and was able to recite poetry at the age of sixteen. At seventeen, I became your wife, and I often felt a painful sadness in my heart. Now that you are a minor official of the Imperial Household, you abide by the rules of the government and are dedicated to your duties. I stayed alone in the empty room, and the days we met were really few.

At the hour of ugliness (1:00-3:00 p.m.) I got on the machine to weave silk, and I was not allowed to rest every night. In three days, I made five ponies of silk, and my mother-in-law still thought I was slow. It was not because I was slow, but because it was difficult to be your daughter-in-law! Since I can't take care of your family, it's useless to keep me here for nothing. （You can tell my mother-in-law now and send me back to my mother's house before it is too late."

After Jiao Zhongqing heard this, he went to the hall and told his mother, "I no longer have the destiny to be a high-ranking official or to enjoy great wealth, but I am fortunate to have been able to marry this (wise and capable) wife, and after we got married, (the teenage couple) lived lovingly with each other and (agreed) that we would be companions in the ground after our deaths. (We) have been together for less than two or three years, and (life) has only begun, which is not very long, and there is nothing improper in this woman's behavior, so how could I have expected to incur my mother's displeasure?" Mother Jiao said to Zhongqing, "(You) are so uneducated! This woman has no sense of propriety, and her every move is entirely at her own discretion. I've been holding my breath for a long time, so how can you take matters into your own hands! There was a virtuous woman in the neighborhood, named Qin Luoshi, (with) lovely looks and elegant manners. There's no one like her. Mother will propose marriage for you. (You) then quickly repudiate Liu Lanzhi and send her away, never retain (her)!" Jiao Zhongqing straightened his back and knelt down to report, "My son respectfully sends his mother to report that if I repudiate this woman now, I will never take another wife in my life!" Hearing her son's words, Mother Jiao (with her fist) knocked on the seat and lost her temper (scolding), "You have nothing to fear, how dare you speak for your daughter-in-law! I have no more favors for her, of course I can't agree to your (request)."

Jiao Zhongqing silently dared not make a sound, to the mother to pay two obeisance, back to his own room, opened his mouth to speak to his wife, but drawled and swallowed words can not say sentence: "Originally, I do not want to drive you away, but there is a mother to force. You can only go back to your mother's home for the time being. I now temporarily go back to the governor's office to do business, soon I will definitely come back, come back to welcome you back to my home. For this, you will suffer a little, and never go against what I say." Liu Lanzhi said to Jiao Zhongqing, "Don't waste your breath! I remember at the end of that winter, when I left my mother's house and married into your house, I always obeyed my mother-in-law's wishes when serving, and where would I dare to make up my own mind in every move? I operated diligently day and night, and I suffered hard work and torture alone, always thinking that I had no faults, serving my mother-in-law all my life. （After all, I was driven away, so how can I talk about coming back to your house again? I have an embroidered waistcoat with beautiful embroidery that shines brightly, a double-layered doily made of red gauze with incense bags hanging from the corners, and sixty or seventy suitcases for my clothes, all of which are tied with turquoise silk ropes. All kinds of things are not the same, all kinds of utensils are in that box curtain. I am a lowly man, and my things are not worth much, and I am not worthy to take them to your future wife, but keep them as a souvenir of my gift (to you), for I shall never see you again. Take these things as a consolation from time to time, and (I hope you) will never forget me."

As the rooster crowed and it was about to dawn outside, Liu Lanzhi got up and dressed neatly. Putting on an embroidered clip-on skirt, she changed every piece of clothing and jewelry several times. Feet wearing silk shoes, head wearing (inserted) sparkling tortoiseshell jewelry, waist girded with white silk, glossy like water waves flow, ears wearing earrings made of bright moon beads, fingers slender and white like sharpened green onion roots, lips red, like containing red vermilion sand, lightly stepped on the fine step, exquisite and beautiful, really no second in the world.

Liu Lanzhi went up to the hall to see her mother-in-law, whose anger had not yet subsided. (Lanzhi said:) "In the past, when I was a daughter, I was born and grew up in the countryside, so I was not well educated, and I am even more ashamed to be married to your young master. I have received much money and gifts from my mother-in-law, but I cannot bear her call. I will go back to my mother's home today, just remembering my mother-in-law's hard work at home." Turning back to say goodbye to her little aunt again, tears fell like a series of beads. (Liu Lanzhi said to her little aunt:) "When I first came to your house, you were just learning to walk with the help of a chair; today I have been driven away, and you have grown as tall as me. I hope you will endeavor to serve your mother with all your heart, and serve her old man well, and in the seventh and nineteenth days of the year, do not forget me when you are at play." (Lanzhi finished) went out and boarded the car and left, tears kept falling.

Jiao Zhongqing's horse walked in front, Liu Lanzhi's car line in the back, the car made a faint sound, together at the intersection, Jiao Zhongqing dismounted and sat in Liu Lanzhi's car, the two men lowered their heads to each other close to the ear to speak in a low voice. (Jiao Zhongqing said): "I swear not to break off relations with you, you temporarily go back to your mother's home, I am now temporarily go to Lujiang Taishoufu (errand), soon will certainly return, I swear to heaven, will never apologize to you."

Liu Lanzhi said to Jiao Zhongqing, "Thank you for your loyal and loving wish! Since you remember me in this way and look forward to your coming to fetch me soon, you must become a rock, and I must become a cattail and a reed. The cattail and the reed are soft and strong as silk, and the rock is not easily shifted. I have a brother of my own, whose temperament and behavior are stormy, and I am afraid he will not listen to my wishes, and the thought of the future is like a torment to my heart." Then he raised his hand in farewell, with more than a little despondency, and the same fondness for the two men.

Lanzhi walked into the house, came to the inner hall, up and back feel no face. Liu's mother (seeing Lanzhi's return) was greatly surprised, clapping her hands and saying, "I didn't expect you to come back on your own! At thirteen I taught you to spin and weave, at fourteen I could cut clothes, at fifteen I could play konghou, at sixteen I knew the etiquette, and at seventeen I sent you to be married, always thinking that you would not have any faults. What faults do you have now that you have come back on your own without anyone to greet you!" Lanzhi was ashamed and said to her mother, "My daughter really has no fault." The mother was very sad to hear this.

(Lanzhi) had been home for only ten days when the magistrate sent a matchmaker to her door. (The matchmaker) said that the magistrate's family had a third son, who was beautiful and elegant, unrivaled in the world, only eighteen or nineteen years old, very eloquent, and very capable.

Mother Liu said to her daughter, "You may go and say yes to him." With tears in her eyes, her daughter replied, "When Lanzhi only came back, Jiao Zhongqing repeatedly instructed me to make a vow never to part. Today it is against love and justice, and I am afraid that it is not proper to do so in this matter. Then you can rebuff the people who come to matchmaking, and (later) speak about this matter slowly."

Liu's mother told the matchmaker, "(We are) a poor family with this daughter, who was repudiated back to her mother's house soon after she was married. (She) can't be the wife of a government official, so how can she be worthy of the county governor's son? I hope you will make inquiries (and visit another woman), and I cannot just grant you a favor."

A few days after the magistrate's matchmaker left, the governor soon sent the county minister to propose marriage. ...... said that the Taishou's family had a fifth son, dainty and handsome, who was not yet married, and asked the county minister to go and be the matchmaker, which was the word conveyed down by the chief minister. The county prime minister said directly to Liu's mother, "Our tai shou's family, with such a good son, since they want to marry your family, so they sent me to your house to make a match.

Liu's mother thanked the matchmaker and said, "My daughter has previously made a vow, how dare I, old woman, speak (to her) about this matter of remarriage?"

Lanzhi's brother, hearing that the governor's proposal had been rejected, was troubled and said to his sister, "Why don't you think about it? The previous marriage was to a minor official, this marriage to a noble gentleman, the difference between good and bad luck is like heaven and earth, (good luck) is enough to make you honor and wealth for life, not to marry such a benevolent gentleman, what do you intend to do in the future?"

Lanzhi looked up and replied, "The reasoning is indeed like what my brother said, I resigned from my mother's house to serve my husband, and returned to my brother's house halfway. How to deal with it is entirely at my brother's whim, how dare I just make up my own mind? Although I made a vow with the official, I will never have the chance to meet him. Immediately, I will agree to this marriage with the Taishou, and I will be able to form a marriage."

The matchmaker of the Taishou got up from his seat and said in a loud voice, "Yes, yes, let it be so, let it be so." He returned to the county government and reported to the Taishou, "I accepted the mission you gave me and went to the Liu family to make a match, and the prince was very much in love, and the matchmaking was a success." Hearing these words, the Taishou was very happy in his heart, and (immediately) checking the marriage calendar, and looking through the marriage book, he told the county minister, "It will be very auspicious to set the date of marriage within this month, and the year, month, and day of the year's stems and branches are all suitable, and the good day will be on the 30th day of the month, and today it is already the 27th day of the month, so you should hurry up and go to Liu's family to set a date for the marriage." Everyone in the Taishou's residence passed the word to each other, "Hurry up and organize the wedding!" (People rushing to organize the wedding) came and went like floating clouds in the sky. The ships carrying the wedding goods were painted with green sparrows and white swans, and flags embroidered with dragons hung from the corners, gently fluttering in the wind. The gold-colored car with white jade wheels and the buckskin horse walking at a slow pace had a saddle with colored tassels hanging around and gold ornaments engraved underneath. The bride-price was three million dollars, all dressed in green silk thread, and there were three hundred pieces of various colors of silk and satin, as well as delicacies of the mountains and the sea procured from the Canton of Jiaoshu. There were four or five hundred followers, and they came to the door of the Lujiang county government in great hustle and bustle.

A mother said to her daughter: "Just now I received a letter from the governor to come to meet you tomorrow, why don't you make clothes yet? Don't let the marriage not take place!"

Lanzhi was silent, covered her mouth with a handkerchief and wept, her tears dripping down like water pouring out. Moving the glazed couch on which she was sitting, she carried it out and placed it under the front window. Took scissors and ruler in his left hand, and damask in his right (and made a garment with his hands). In the morning, I made an embroidered skirt, and in the evening, I made a single robe. When it was almost dark in the gloomy sky, Lanzhi, full of Sydney's thoughts, went out of the door and wept bitterly.

Jiao Zhongqing heard of this change, so he took leave to come back temporarily, to Lanzhi's home is still two or three miles away, people sad, the horse also wailed. Lanzhi, familiar with the barking of the horse of the government official, ran lightly and quickly to meet him, and looked on in sadness and disillusionment, knowing that the (beloved) man had come. She raised her hand and stroked the saddle of her horse, and with a long, mournful sigh broke her heart. She said, "Since you left me, the changes in human affairs have been unexpected! I have my own mother, forced me and my own brother, hard to betroth me to someone else, you come back to have what to count on!"

Jiao Zhongqing said to Lanzhi, "Congratulations on your promotion! This rock of mine is square and solid, and can be kept for thousands of years, while the bushy reed is momentarily pliable, and can be kept only between morning and evening. You will grow richer and richer day by day, and I will walk alone to hell!"

Lanzhi said to Jiao Zhongqing, "Where did I expect (that) you would say such things? We are both forced, you are like this and I am like this, (let us) meet each other under the hell! (I hope) not to break today's oath!" (They) clasped each other's hands tightly, then bid farewell and departed, each to his own home. How can we say enough about the indignation of those who are alive and are bidding farewell to those who are about to die? And when they think that (they) are going to depart from this world for ever, they will not be able to preserve (their lives) by any means!

Jiao Zhongqing returned home and went up to his mother in the hall, saying, "Today the wind is strong and very cold, and the cold wind has broken the trees, and the orchids in the yard are covered with frost. My son is now like the sun that is about to set, making my mother very lonely in the future. （It is my intention to make such a bad intention, so don't blame any ghosts or gods! May your life span be as long as the stones of the southern mountains, and may your body be healthy and comfortable forever!"

Hearing these words, Jiao's mother, with tears streaming down her face along with her son's voice, said, "You are the son of a great family, and you are an official in a great officialdom, do not seek death for (a) woman, (you and she) are different in nobility and inferiority, and where is the love of a woman that is considered to be weak (when you repudiated her)? There is a virtuous woman in the east neighborhood, whose beauty is famous in and out of the city; I will ask for her on your behalf, and sooner or later there will be an answer."

Jiao Zhongqing paid two obeisances to his mother and returned to his room, where he sighed long and loud in his empty room, and his intention to commit suicide was decided. (He) turned his head toward the inner room where Lanzhi had lived, (witnessing) and was increasingly driven by the torment of grief.

(Lanzhi) On the day of her wedding, when the cows and horses were barking, Liu Lanzhi entered the green cloth tent where the wedding was to take place, and in the silence after the dark dusk, the people began to rest. (Lanzhi said to herself): "My life is over today, my soul is leaving, let this body stay on earth for a long time." (So) pulling up her skirt and taking off her silk shoes, she plunged into the pool of clear water.

When Jiao Zhongqing heard that Liu Lanzhi had committed suicide by throwing herself into the water, he knew in his heart that he had parted with Liu Lanzhi forever, and after wandering for a while under the trees in the courtyard, he hanged himself from the branch of a tree facing southeast.

The Jiao and Liu families asked to be buried together, so they buried the two together beside Mount Hua. （On the east and west sides (of the grave) were planted pines and cypresses, and on the right and left sides (of the grave) were planted sycamores, and (of these trees) strips of branches covered each other, and pieces of leaves were connected with each other. There was a pair of birds in the trees, whose name was Mandarin Ducks, and they called to each other with their heads up, and every night they called until the fifth hour. Those who walked stopped to listen; the widow heard them, and rose from her bed, and her heart was troubled. I urge the people of future generations to take this incident as a lesson and never forget it!

Note: In the "matchmaker to go a few days -----承籍有宦官" here may be the text off or error, so these four sentences can not be explained! Some people think that the two sentences "said there is a woman of the Lan family, the registration has eunuchs" should be after "the mother thanked the matchmaker", which is the second time the mother thanked the words of the matchmaker. The meaning is that the daughter of the Lan family is from an official family and can be matched with the son of the governor, while her own daughter is from a lowly family and cannot be matched with him. Liang Zhu This a beautiful, poignant, touching love story, how many years on the banks of the Cao'e River in Shangyu, circulating in the handsome foot of the Dragon Mountain.

During the Eastern Jin Dynasty, in the Zhu Family Estate in Shangyu County, Zhejiang Province, by the Yushui River, there was a Zhu's daughter, Yingtai, who was beautiful and intelligent, and had studied poetry and literature with her brother since she was a child, and had admired the talents of Banzhao and Cai Wenji, and hated that there was no good teacher at home, and she wished to go to Hangzhou to visit a teacher to pursue her studies. Zhu Yingtai refused her daughter's request. Zhu Yingtai, eager to learn, disguised as a soothsayer, said to Zhu Yingtai, "According to the trigrams, it is better to let your love go out." Zhu father saw his daughter disguised as a man, nothing broken, in order not to disappoint her, only reluctantly agreed. Yingtai disguises herself as a man and goes to Hangzhou to study. On the way, met to go to Hangzhou to study in Huiji (now Shaoxing) scholar Liang Shanbo, at first sight, read each other very happy, in the grass bridge pavilion handful of soil for incense, the righteousness of the Golden Orchid. Not one day, the two came to Hangzhou City, Wansong Academy, worship teacher enrollment. From then on, the same window *** read, inseparable. Liang Zhu classmates for three years, love is as deep as the sea. Yingtai y love Shanbo, but Shanbo always do not know she is a woman, only the idea of brotherly love, and no special feelings. The father of the wish to miss his daughter, urging the return of very urgent, Yingtai had to hastily return to their hometown. Liang Zhu parted, reluctant to part. On the way to see each other off, Yingtai constantly borrows objects to caress her feelings, suggesting love. Shan Bo, who is loyal and simple, does not understand the reason. Yingtai had no choice but to lie that the home of the nine sisters, character and appearance and their own cool, willing to matchmaking for Shan Bo, but Liang Shan Bo family poverty, failed to come as expected, to be Shan Bo went to the Zhu family marriage proposal, I do not know that the father of the Zhu father has been promised to the home of the Anxiu City (now Yinxian) of the governor's son of the Ma Wencai. Beautiful marriage, has become a vicissitude. The two met on the platform, tearful eyes to each other, sad and goodbye. Farewell, made a vow: life can not be the same bed, death also want the same hole! After Liang Shanbo was the court swamp for yin county (now ningbo yinzhou district) order. Ran Shanbo melancholy disease, died soon. Last order buried ancient city Jiulong market. Yingtai heard Shanbo bad news, swore to martyrdom. Yingtai was forced to marry, detour to Liang Shanbo tomb to pay homage, in Zhu Yingtai mournful induction, wind, rain, thunder and lightning, the grave burst, Yingtai jumped into the grave, the grave compound together, the wind stops raining, rainbow hanging high, Liang Zhu into butterflies, limp and fluttering on earth.