Luo Yuhua
01 · Lineage & Regional School
Luo Yuhua, Male, Han, from Runan, Henan, is a sixth-batch national representative bearer of Legend of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai (Ⅰ-7). The tradition is documented in Runan, Henan. Within the regional tradition and school record of Legend of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai in Runan, Henan: Runan is one of the important areas of the Liang-Zhu legend. It formerly had relics such as the tomb of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai and the Liang-Zhu temple, and the local gazetteers of the Ming and Qing frequently record the Liang-Zhu tomb; local people also tell such episodes as studying, swearing brotherhood and dying for love, so that Runan is named together with Ningbo, Shangyu, Hangzhou, Yixing and Jining as one of the main areas of the legend's circulation. Since the Liang-Zhu legend formed in the Jin dynasty sixteen hundred years ago it has circulated mainly in Ningbo, Shangyu, Hangzhou, Yixing, Jining and Runan and radiated out to every region and every ethnic group of China. It has also spread to Korea, Vietnam, Burma, Japan, Singapore and Indonesia, an influence rare among Chinese folk legends. Like other oral literature and intangible cultural heritage, in the past twenty years, under the impact of modernisation and urbanisation, the mainly orally transmitted Liang-Zhu legend has suffered an unprecedented shock. Runan lies in the central plains, where communications have been convenient and culture and education flourishing since ancient times; after the Liang-Zhu legend took root here it interpenetrated with local marriage and funeral customs, forming a narrative-singing tradition with a central-plains colouring.
02 · Mastery & Signature Works
The bearer record for Luo Yuhua is anchored in the documented technical standards of Legend of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai in Runan, Henan. Within the documented technical tradition of Legend of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai in Runan, Henan: The legend of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai is one of the four great Chinese folk legends and a treasure of Chinese culture. For a thousand years it has deeply moved people's hearts with its clear theme of advocating the pursuit of knowledge, honouring love and celebrating the endless renewal of life, and has been widely loved by the people for its moving plot, sharply drawn characters and ingenious story structure. The artistic charm shown by the Liang-Zhu legend and the other art forms based on it makes it a rare flower in the forest of Chinese folk literature and art. In the course of circulation the people of every locality have continually enriched and developed its content and even built many tombs, temples and other structures on the theme of the Liang-Zhu legend. Such literary and artistic works as the Yue opera Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai, the violin concerto The Butterfly Lovers and the film Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai, together with the distinctive custom of seeking study and marriage that grew out of them, constitute a vast Liang-Zhu cultural system. Representative repertoire, works and technical entries recorded for the project include: "The Liang-Zhu Tomb at Runan": The reputed tomb of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai at Runan, much recorded in Ming and Qing gazetteers. "The Liang-Zhu Temple": An old shrine at Runan connected with the Liang-Zhu legend. "The Episode of Sworn Brotherhood and Study": The episode of sworn brotherhood and studying together told among the people of Runan. "Dying for Love and Turning into Butterflies": The ending of the legend, also told in the Runan area.
The Liang-Zhu Tomb at Runan
The reputed tomb of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai at Runan, much recorded in Ming and Qing gazetteers.
The Liang-Zhu Temple
An old shrine at Runan connected with the Liang-Zhu legend.
The Episode of Sworn Brotherhood and Study
The episode of sworn brotherhood and studying together told among the people of Runan.
Dying for Love and Turning into Butterflies
The ending of the legend, also told in the Runan area.
03 · Transmission & Safeguarding Status
In 2025, Luo Yuhua was announced in the sixth batch of national representative bearers for Legend of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai, with Runan, Henan as the declared area. Within the documented safeguarding record of Legend of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai in Runan, Henan: The project was inscribed in the national inventory in 2006 (batch 1), with Runan, Henan as its declared area, and Runan County Cultural Center as its safeguarding unit. Since the project was inscribed in the national inventory, its declared area and safeguarding unit have carried out documentation, transmission and presentation within the national safeguarding framework. Together, the inventory record and the project archive form the public documentary basis for the bearer’s transmission practice.
04 · Associated Heritage Item Dossier
Historical origin
Since the Liang-Zhu legend formed in the Jin dynasty sixteen hundred years ago it has circulated mainly in Ningbo, Shangyu, Hangzhou, Yixing, Jining and Runan and radiated out to every region and every ethnic group of China. It has also spread to Korea, Vietnam, Burma, Japan, Singapore and Indonesia, an influence rare among Chinese folk legends. Like other oral literature and intangible cultural heritage, in the past twenty years, under the impact of modernisation and urbanisation, the mainly orally transmitted Liang-Zhu legend has suffered an unprecedented shock. Runan lies in the central plains, where communications have been convenient and culture and education flourishing since ancient times; after the Liang-Zhu legend took root here it interpenetrated with local marriage and funeral customs, forming a narrative-singing tradition with a central-plains colouring.
05 · Fellow National Bearers Lineage
National representative bearers recorded under the same item code, ordered from the first to the sixth batch. Batch order is not a teacher–student relationship.
| Bearer | Declared area | Roster code | Relation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chen Qiuqiang | Shangyu, Zhejiang | 05-1989 | Other regional school |
| Luo Yuhua | Runan, Henan | — | This page |
06 · Archival Sources & Bibliography
This static English edition is rendered at the edge for search engines, AI crawlers and readers without JavaScript. Compiled from official national representative bearer archival records and the associated project dossier, organized by topic and translated into English. 阅读中文版。