Zhu Yingtai is a beautiful and intelligent young woman, the only daughter of the wealthy family. Although traditions of that era discourage females from going to school, Yingtai manages to convince her father to allow her to attend classes in disguise as a young man.

During her journey to Hangzhou, she meets Liang Shanbo, a poor but hard-working scholar. They chat and feel a strong affinity for each other at their first meeting. However, they treated each other like brothers. They study together for the next three years in school and Yingtai gradually falls in love with Shanbo. Shanbo begins to suspect YingTai to be gay when he accidentally discovers some of Yingtai's secrets. But he is still unaware of the feminine characteristics exhibited by his classmate.

One day, YingTai receives a letter from her father, asking her to return home as soon as possible. YingTai has no choice but to pack her belongings immediately and bid ShanBo farewell. Before her departure, she reveals her true identity to ShanBo. ShanBo was not surprise that YingTai was a women as he had figured it out much earlier. ShanBo promises YingTai that he will ask her hand in marriage after he becomes an official. They are devoted to and passionate about each other and they make a vow of "till death do us part".

A few months later, ShanBo becomes a government official and reunites with YingTai during one of his visits. ShanBo offers to have YingTai's hand in marriage. However, YingTai's parents have already arranged for her to marry a man from a rich family. YingTai's parents did not approve of ShanBo's proposal to YingTai as he was just a lower rank of a government official.

ShanBo plans to take YingTai away one night. But he was caught and beaten up. YingTai was banned from seeing ShanBo ever again and was locked up in her room. ShanBo is heartbroken and his health gradually deteriorates until he becomes critically ill. He dies in office later as a county magistrate.

YingTai was heartbroken when she heard the news of ShanBo's death. On the day of YingTai's marriage, mysterious whirlwinds prevent the wedding procession from escorting the bride beyond ShanBo's grave, which lies along the journey. YingTai leaves the procession to pay her respects to ShanBo. She descends in bitter despair and begs for the grave to open up.

Suddenly, the grave opens with a clap of thunder. Without further hesitation, YingTai throws herself into the grave to join ShanBo. Their spirits turn into a pair of beautiful butterflies and emerge from the grave. They fly together as a pair and are never to be separated again.

***

If you love sappy love stories, try watching The Lovers. The storyline is the same as the Butterfly Lovers but the way the actors contributes to the story is really cute! This movie was filmed back in 1995 but it is really worth watching.

You can watch the whole movie on YouTube!! You should really watch it! :D