Director: Mao Shiying | Yu Conglei

Synopsis

Du Liniang reads the Book of Songs, which stirs a longing for love and self-pity. She goes to the garden to relax and, seeing the flowers and plants and the butterflies fluttering, gradually feels at ease and happy. On the bridge she sees fish swimming in pairs and mandarin ducks playing in the water, and thinks that at sixteen she still has no beloved. Where is the husband with whom she could be like birds flying wing to wing in the sky and trees with branches intertwined on earth? The more she thinks, the sadder she becomes. There is a pavilion ahead, so she goes in to rest and, drowsy in the spring air, falls asleep. In her dream she meets an extraordinarily handsome young man who has long admired her, and the more Liniang looks at him, the happier she is. Despite the noise of the world, in this moment they are willing to watch the rain, wait for the rainbow and admire the butterflies together. Your protection is my paradise. In the middle of her sweet dream, her maid wakes her. She finds herself in the pavilion, but holding a willow branch, and the dream feels so real. Thinking back on this love, she is happy at first, but as time passes the feeling becomes more and more helpless, until in despair she falls ill with lovesickness. Before her death, she paints a self-portrait and, accompanied by her maid, returns to the garden. Moved by the willow branches, she tells her maid to hide the painting. Soon after returning home, she dies. Liu Mengmei, on his way to the capital for the imperial examination, passes by and happens to find Du Liniang's hidden painting. Unrolling it, he sees the woman from his dream years ago, whom he has longed for day and night ever since. He worships the painting devoutly and begs to see Du Liniang. At this moment, Du Liniang's spirit breaks free of the underworld and comes to meet Liu Mengmei again. Though I am a ghost, if you do not mind, I will watch over you forever.