china's four big folk stories

The first folk story, Cowherd and Weaver Girl. Legend has it that the weaver girl is a god in the sky, and the cowherd is only a mortal. Weaver girl went to play on earth, and while taking a bath in the lake, Cowherd took her clothes by mistake. They fell in love at first sight and gradually fell in love with each other. But immortals are not allowed to fall in love with mortals in heaven, so the Jade Emperor ordered people to bring back the Weaver Girl. After the Weaver Girl left, the Cowherd missed him every day and tried his best to pursue him, even if he was hindered. In the end, the affection between the two moved the Queen Mother, allowing them to get together once a year on Tanabata, and there was a legend of meeting at Queqiao.

In the second folk story "The Legend of the White Snake", the White Snake is a snake demon with a thousand-year cultivation ability. In order to repay the kindness of his last life, he became a human being and married Xu Xian, a scholar now. They loved each other very much, but just then they met Fahai, a monk who was bent on finding the snake demon, so he told Xu Xian the prototype of the White Snake. Xu Xian was misled by Fahai and made the White Snake Queen drink realgar wine. He was scared to death.

Seeing that Xu Xian was in a coma, Empress White Snake descended to earth and stole the elixir of life. Later, he fought against Fahai, causing many innocent lives to be hurt, so he violated heaven and was imprisoned under the Leifeng Tower. A few years later, the son of White Snake won the first prize and came to Leifeng Tower to save her. The family is finally reunited.

The third story is the story of Liang Zhu. Zhu Yingtai disguised herself as a man and went to college to study. In college, he met Liang Shanbo. Three years of classmates have brought their feelings close, but Liang Shanbo never knew that Zhu Yingtai was a woman. Later, by chance, Liang Shanbo learned the truth and went to bless and propose. Unexpectedly, he was beaten by Ma Wencai, so Liang Shanbo went home and died of depression.

After hearing the news of Liang Shanbo's death, Zhu Yingtai also shed tears. When he went to worship Liang Shanbo again, a strong wind suddenly blew, and Liang Shanbo's grave was blown by the wind. At this moment, Zhu Yingtai jumped in without hesitation. After a while, two butterflies flew out of the grave. Everyone present said that this was the incarnation of butterfly lovers, so later generations used butterflies to symbolize love.

In the fourth story, Meng Jiangnv cried down the Great Wall. This story happened in the Qin Dynasty. Qin Shihuang ordered the national labor force to build the Great Wall together. Fan Xiliang met Meng Jiangnv on the way to escape. They fell in love at first sight and decided to get married. But on their wedding night, Fan Xiliang was taken away by the government to repair the Great Wall and never came back. Meng Jiangnv missed her husband so much that she decided to find him herself. Finally, at the foot of the Great Wall, she accidentally learned that her husband had passed away and was buried in the Great Wall.

After learning the truth, Meng Jiangnv began to cry at the foot of the Great Wall for three days and nights. Later, a strong wind blew near the Great Wall, and suddenly a part of the Great Wall collapsed, revealing Fan Xiliang's body inside. Meng Jiangnv chose to throw herself into the sea in the process of despair. Later generations were moved by the love between them, so Meng Jiangnv Temple was set up there, and all passers-by came in to pay homage.