We have told many love stories, we have also lived them and some we have even imagined. But this story that comes to us from China and that is very real is possibly the one that has moved us the most. Because it is a real love lesson. The protagonists of this story are a couple, Liu Guojiang and Xu Chaoqing, and a ladder of love.
The difficulties of forbidden love
- At the age of 19, Liu Guojiang fell madly in love with Xu Chaoqing, a woman ten years older than him and also a widow. Something that in our western society would only be heard in whispers as the couple passed, in rural Chinese society it was totally out of place. It was a completely forbidden love, a love that neither family, nor friends, nor society in general was willing to accept.
- But the couple was not intimidated by social conventions and decided to go ahead with their relationship. Regardless. Totally convinced of the strength of their love. With this couple, the myth of “love conquers everything” becomes a reality, not exempt from suffering, it is true, but in the end what counts is how much love you have spent your life with.
- Since they could not enjoy their love except in secret, but they were not willing to give up on each other, they decided to live their particular love story away from people. And so they went to live in a practically inaccessible cave that obviously lacked any of the comforts we need today. However, their basic needs were covered. Because they had love.
You can live on love
- Those who say that you cannot live from love begin to doubt it with this story of true and tenacious love. And it is that Liu Guojiang and Xu Chaoqing forged a new life and a family away from the world, with the basics or even less, but with all the love. Sometimes Liu Guojiang would go to the nearest town center when he had to. In those two days that his trip lasted, his wife stayed in his shelter, since she could barely move among those steep cliffs.
- But what is the love of your life for if not to make your life easier. Thus, Liu Guojiang began to hand-carve stairs to make the path more passable so that Xu Chaoqing could also go down the mountain whenever he wanted. The project for this impressive hand-carved staircase of love lasted about 50 years, in which the love between the couple only increased.
- This story of forbidden, true and immense love had its reward when it was publicly recognized throughout China as the best love story. The love story of a man and a woman who loved each other forever overcoming all obstacles. Undoubtedly, more love stories like the one on this ladder of love would be needed to live in a better world.