Hello, and welcome to Chinese Tales of Gods and Spirits, Told a Million Times.

In ancient times, young people could not fall in love and marry as freely as they can today. Their marriages were arranged by their parents, and many tragedies resulted. Today’s story is an especially unusual one.

The story takes place more than two thousand years ago, during the Spring and Autumn period. King Fuchai of Wu had a younger daughter named Ziyu, who was eighteen. One day Princess Ziyu met a young man named Han Zhong and took a liking to him. They began exchanging letters in secret. As they came to know one another better, they fell deeply in love, and Ziyu promised to become Han Zhong’s wife.

But on his parents’ orders, Han Zhong had to travel to Qi and Lu—roughly present-day Shandong—to study and broaden his knowledge. Before leaving, he told his parents what was in his heart and asked them to propose marriage to the king of Wu. Since Princess Ziyu herself had agreed, they expected no trouble and boldly went to the palace. To their surprise, the king flew into a rage: “The princess is my most precious jewel. How could she marry your son?” He drove Han Zhong’s parents from the palace without mercy.

Ziyu loved only Han Zhong, but her father had destroyed their marriage. She became deeply distressed. After the story spread, people fabricated rumors and maliciously slandered the princess. Grief made her ill and confined her to bed. Before long she died and was buried outside the city gate.

Three years later, Han Zhong returned from his studies and asked his parents about his marriage to Ziyu. They answered sorrowfully: “We went to propose, but the king became angry and refused. The princess died of grief. By now the trees over her grave have grown tall.”

Han Zhong was overcome with sorrow and wept uncontrollably. Remembering Ziyu’s deep affection made his heart ache still more, so he prepared offerings and went to mourn at her tomb. Half-conscious from crying, he suddenly saw Ziyu appear beside the grave. She walked slowly toward him, helped him up, took his hand, and wept: “After you left three years ago, your parents asked my father for my hand. I thought our wish would surely be fulfilled. Who could have known fate would toy with us like this and separate us in life and death? There was nothing we could do.”

Han Zhong was so astonished that he stood frozen. Ziyu looked back at the place where she had lived for so many years. Overwhelmed by memories, she slowly began to sing: