During the Jin Dynasty, women were not permitted education. So Jo - a girl from a wealthy family - disguises herself as a man and heads out to school. There she meets Leon - a commoner from a small village - and falls in love with him. An obnoxious rival, family honor, mistaken identity and tragedy make The Butterfly Lovers something akin to an ancient Chinese Romeo and Juliet. Based on a romantic folktale, the film is set to enchanting ballads and features some of the finest animation art yet produced in Taiwan.