English Original
This story is set during the Qin Dynasty (221–206 BC). An elderly couple named Meng lived next door to another childless couple, the Jiangs. One spring, Meng planted a gourd seed in his yard. The vine grew over the wall into Jiang's yard, and both men lovingly tended to it. In autumn, a large gourd appeared. When they cut it open, they found a beautiful baby girl inside. Overjoyed, they raised her together and named her Meng Jiangnu (Meng and Jiang's daughter).
Meng Jiangnu grew into a kind, intelligent, and hardworking young woman. One day, she discovered a young scholar, Fan Qiliang, hiding in her garden. At that time, Emperor Qin Shihuang was conscripting men to build the Great Wall, and Fan was fleeing the officials. Meng and Jiang approved of the honest young man and arranged for him to marry their daughter. The couple was happily married, but just three days later, officials seized Fan and forced him to labor on the Wall.
Heartbroken, Meng Jiangnu sewed warm clothes for her husband and embarked on a long, arduous journey to find him. After overcoming many hardships, she reached the Great Wall at Shanhaiguan. There, she received the devastating news that Fan had died from exhaustion and was buried within the Wall itself. Overwhelmed by grief, she wept bitterly. Her sorrow was so profound that a section of the Wall, hundreds of kilometers long, collapsed.
Emperor Qin Shihuang, who was inspecting the Wall, was furious. However, upon seeing Meng Jiangnu's beauty, he demanded she marry him instead of facing punishment. Concealing her anger, she agreed on three conditions: find Fan Qiliang's remains, hold a state funeral for him, and have the Emperor wear mourning clothes and attend in person. After the Emperor reluctantly fulfilled her requests, Meng Jiangnu, as they prepared to leave, turned and leaped into the Bohai Sea.
This legend reflects the suffering of the common people under the harsh labor system of the Qin Dynasty. To honor her memory, later generations built the Jiangnu Temple at the foot of the Great Wall. Her tale of love, loss, and defiance has been passed down through the ages.
中文翻译
故事发生在秦朝（公元前221–206年）。孟家与姜家是邻居，两对老夫妇都没有孩子。一年春天，孟老汉在院里种下一颗葫芦籽。藤蔓爬过墙头，长到了姜家院里。两家人一起悉心照料这株葫芦。秋天，结出一个大葫芦。当他们切开葫芦时，发现里面有一个漂亮的女婴。两家欣喜万分，共同抚养她长大，并给她取名孟姜女。
孟姜女长大后，善良、聪慧又勤劳。一天，她在花园里发现了一位躲藏的年轻书生范杞梁。当时，秦始皇正征召民夫修筑长城，范杞梁为躲避官差而藏身于此。孟、姜两家都很喜欢这位诚实的年轻人，便将孟姜女许配给他。两人成婚仅三天后，官差就闯进来抓走了范杞梁，迫使他去修筑长城。
孟姜女悲痛欲绝，为丈夫缝制了寒衣，踏上了漫长而艰辛的寻夫之路。历经千辛万苦，她终于到达山海关的长城脚下。然而，她得到的却是噩耗：范杞梁已因劳累而死，被埋在了长城之中。孟姜女悲恸不已，放声痛哭。她的哀痛感天动地，致使长城崩塌了数百里。
正在巡视的秦始皇勃然大怒。但一见孟姜女的美貌，他便转而要求她嫁给自己，免其死罪。孟姜女强忍愤怒，提出了三个条件：找到范杞梁的遗骸、为他举行国葬、秦始皇亲自穿丧服参加葬礼。秦始皇勉强答应了。待所有条件履行完毕，准备带她回宫时，孟姜女趁守卫不备，转身投进了附近的渤海。
这个传说反映了秦朝苛政下普通百姓的苦难。为了纪念她，后人在长城脚下修建了姜女庙。这个关于忠贞、悲情与反抗的故事，世代流传至今。