The Legend of Meng Jiangnu Weeping Over the Great Wall

Author: Gu Xijia
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-09-01
Features: "For seven days, the autumn wind has blown; Meng Jiang, the brave woman, sends cold clothes. She wept until the Great Wall collapsed for eight hundred miles, but couldn’t see her husband come to wear them." After singing this folk song, let me tell you the story of Meng Jiang weeping over the Great Wall. This story, the elders all know, and some even sing it as folk songs. It is said that this story originally circulated in Shandong, then spread to the northwest, then to the northeast, and finally settled in the south. As a result, people from all over the place, generation after generation, spoke of Meng Jiang, claiming she was from their region, and the story took on countless variations, with people adding details and creating many versions. However, no matter how the story changes, everyone mentions Meng Jiang traveling a long distance to the Great Wall to give cold clothes to her husband. When she learned that her husband had died and was buried beneath the Great Wall, she wailed bitterly at its base. As a result, the Great Wall actually collapsed under her tears. Today, let’s talk about the story of Meng Jiang weeping over the Great Wall.
"The Story of Meng Jiang Weeping Over the Great Wall" is an ancient folk tale that has been passed down through the ages in China, known to all, men and women alike. To commemorate the woman who searched far and wide for her husband, Shanhai Pass is considered the place where Meng Jiang wept over the Great Wall, and a temple was built there in her honor. Visitors who climb the temple are deeply moved. Although some doubt the story’s authenticity, its truth has long been set aside. People admire the unwavering love and the firm resistance to rulers embodied by Meng Jiang. It is truly said, "Where is the Qin Emperor now? The Great Wall built in resentment stretches for miles; Meng Jiang has not perished either, and a stone monument for her loyalty will last for a thousand years."
This book is part of the "Chinese Folklore Stories" series and is presented in Chinese-English parallel format. It tells a vivid and love story through plots such as Xi Liang’s flight, the garden encounter, the sudden change at the wedding, the thousand-mile journey to send clothes, and the brave woman’s suicide by drowning. The text is concise, and the translation is lively. This book can not only serve as leisure reading for young readers but also as an excellent resource for learning English.