Hometown of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai

The legend of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai is one of China’s Four Great Romantic Tales. The hometown in Maxiang, Runan County is widely recognized as the birthplace of this legendary love story. Remaining historical sites here include the tombs of the two lovers, Liang Village, Zhu Village, Ma Village, Hongluoshan Academy, Mandarin Duck Pond, the ancient path of the Eighteen-Mile Send-off, Caoqiao (Caoqiao Bridge), and the tomb of their teacher Zou Tong.

This beautiful, sorrowful and touching love story has been passed down orally for generations in Liangzhu Town (formerly Maxiang), Runan County, Henan Province.

According to folklore, during the Western Jin Dynasty, a young scholar Liang Shanbo left home to pursue his studies. On his journey, he met Zhu Yingtai, who disguised herself as a man. They immediately became close friends with shared aspirations and sworn brotherhood at Caoqiao Bridge. Later, they studied together at Wansong Academy.

Living together day and night at the academy, their affection kept growing. Three years later, Yingtai headed home, and Shanbo accompanied her for eighteen miles before they parted reluctantly. Guided by their teacher’s wife, Shanbo took the jade butterfly pendant left by Yingtai and proposed marriage to her family, only to be rejected. Overwhelmed by grief and anger, he fell gravely ill and passed away soon after returning home.

When Yingtai learned that Shanbo had died for her, she was plunged into deep sorrow. Before long, the Ma clan came to escort her for the arranged marriage. She had no choice but to board the bridal sedan with resentment. When the sedan detoured to Shanbo’s tomb, Yingtai insisted on getting out. She knelt and wept bitterly before the grave and died of excessive heartbreak. She was buried on the eastern side of Shanbo’s tomb. Another version goes: amid her mourning, a thunderbolt split the tomb open, and Yingtai jumped inside. The couple then turned into a pair of butterflies and danced together forever.

Even today, the local custom still forbids intermarriage between families surnamed Liang and Zhu.

In December 2005, Runan County was awarded the title of "China’s Hometown of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai" by the China Folk Literature and Art Association. In June 2006, the Legend of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai in Runan was included in China’s first batch of National Intangible Cultural Heritage List.

To better protect and develop Liang-Zhu culture and raise the nationwide profile of Zhumadian and Runan, the county applied to rename Maxiang Township Liangzhu Town.

On April 3, 2007, the Department of Civil Affairs of Henan Province issued an official document: "With the approval of the Provincial People’s Government, Maxiang Township of Runan County is officially renamed Liangzhu Town." The entire administrative territory of the former Maxiang Township was placed under the jurisdiction of Liangzhu Town. It is the first and so far the only administrative region in China named after the two legendary lovers.