Musical film of the Huangmei opera genre; an adaptation of the Chinese legend of the butterfly lovers. Chu Ying-tʻai disguises herself as a man in order to study in Hangchou. She becomes sworn brothers with scholar Liang Shan-po. They study together for three years. Chu falls in love with Liang but is too shy to tell him. Chu returns home, Liang is told the truth and rushes to make a proposal but is too late. Chu is engaged to another man, and her father refuses to break the engagement. The two lovers swear if they can not live together, they will die together.