Sunday, 3 December 2017

The Butterfly Lovers

Web Drama: The Butterfly Lovers
Chinese Title: 梁山伯与祝英台 / Liang Shan Ba Yu Zhu Ying Tai
Broadcast Website: Tencent

Broadcast Date: December 4, 2017

Air Time: 20:00
Language: Mandarin
Episodes: 29
Director: Chen Peng
Origin: China
Source: Based on the Chinese folktale of the same name
Watch Episodes On: Youtube

Love Meter

Synopsis and Plot Summary

It's an ancient legend about butterfly lovers. Zhu Ying Tai (Chen Meng Xi) is a young lady from a prominent family who pretends to be a man in order to study to become a scholar. She meets Liang Shan Bo (Yan Zi Dong) along the way and they become fast friends. Three years have passed and Shan Bo is still oblivious to Ying Tai's real identity. One day, her family sends a message requesting her to return home urgently so she decides to leave him with a token of their love. Shan Bo realizes that Ying Tai is a girl and they decide to get married. However, Ying Tai's parents have already betrothed her to Ma Wen Cai (Lin Feng Song).

Ending Spoilers

Show

Fun Facts

Filming took place in Hengdian World Studios.
The Butterfly Lovers is one of China's Four Great Folktales which also include Legend of the White Snake, Lady Meng Jiang and The Cowherd and Weaving Maid.
Liang Shan Bo Yu Zhu Ying Tai translates to Liang Shan Bo and Zhu Yi Tai which are the names of the titular couple in the story.
Chen Peng has directed a number of gay-themed dramas and his take on The Butterfly Lovers initially casted two men as the leads.
Love Is More Than A Word star Lu Zhuo who is an avid cosplayer himself was initially cross-dressing to play the role of the female lead alongside newcomer Yang Jing Cheng. Both backed out due to health reasons.
Yan Zi Dong who was also in Love Is More Than A Word and Chen Meng Xi took over and the cross gender idea was abandoned.

Cast