wedding chinese hanfu for lesbian couples by 临溪摄影

The lines are from Butterfly Lovers 梁山伯与祝英台 of the Huangmei opera 黄梅戏.

Long story short, Zhu Yingtai disguised as a man to attend class, and Liang Shanbo was her classmate. They kinda felt in love with each other but did not confess before Zhu was engaged to another man. Liang was heartbroken and died. On the day of the wedding, the wedding procession pasted by Liang’s grave, which strong wind prevented them from continued the journey. As Zhu left to pay her respect, she broke down and cried. The grave suddenly opened and Zhu jumped into the grave immediately. The grave closed and a pair of butterflies emerged from the grave and flew away together.

Back to the lines.

[Liang Shanbo saw the pierced ear of Zhu Yingtai, and suspected that Zhu was a woman. Zhu said she played Guanyin (the Goddess of Mercy) every year back home and that he should think more about his future than woman. And thus Liang reply.]

“我从此不敢看观音。” I have never dared to look at Guanyin again.

“为何不敢看观音？” Why [do you] not dared to look at Guanyin?

“不敢看我心上人。” [I] dare not look at my beloved.

“因何不敢？” Why don’t you dare?

“我问心有愧。做文章不专心，一心想那女钗裙。 可惜前程纵似锦，心事不敢见光明。 英台啊，我不爱前程爱观音。” I have a guilty conscience. [I am] not concentrating on my writing, [but I am] thinking about the girl’s hairpin and skirt. Unfortunately, even though my future may be bright, my thoughts dare not to see the light. Yingtai, I don’t love my future but Guanyin.