汉代有个书生叫刘向，上京赶考时，顺道登游华山。华山上有一座神庙，庙神华岳三娘是一美丽善良的仙女，自从被王母派遣到华山后，一直过着孤独寂寞的生活。这天，她正在庙中吟歌跳舞，消磨时光，突然发现一个书生跨进了庙门。
During the Han Dynasty, there was a scholar named Liu Xiang. While traveling to the capital to take the imperial examination, he made a detour to visit Mount Hua. On the mountain stood a temple whose deity, Lady Third of Mount Hua, was a beautiful and kind immortal. Since being sent to Mount Hua by the Queen Mother, she had lived a lonely and solitary life. One day, while singing and dancing in the temple to pass the time, she suddenly noticed a scholar entering the temple.
她急忙登上莲花宝座，化为雕像。走进大殿的刘向，一眼就看到了三娘俊丽、温柔、娴静的雕像。刘向被深深吸引住了，心想要是能娶她做妻子该多幸福。不过，这只是一尊没有情感和知觉的雕像。刘向抑制不住内心的激动，取出笔墨，深情地在墙上抒写着自己对三娘的爱慕。
She hurriedly ascended the lotus pedestal and transformed into a statue. Entering the main hall, Liu Xiang immediately saw the statue of Lady Third, beautiful, gentle, and serene. He was deeply captivated and thought how happy he would be if he could marry her. However, it was only a statue without emotion or awareness. Unable to restrain his excitement, Liu Xiang took out brush and ink and wrote passionately on the wall of his admiration for Lady Third.
三娘默默地看着这一切，心中不禁百感交集。面前这个书生英俊倜傥，文采斐然，他对自己满怀深情，而自己又何尝不被他深深吸引，何尝不爱恋他呢？可是，一个是上界仙女，一个是下方凡人，如何能缔结姻缘呢？
Lady Third silently watched all this, her heart filled with mixed emotions. The scholar before her was handsome and talented, full of deep affection for her, and she herself was also deeply attracted to him and loved him. But one was a heavenly immortal and the other a mortal—how could they possibly be united in marriage?
目送依依不舍、怅然离去的刘向，三娘沉思再三，终于决定不顾天条禁令，要与刘向结为夫妻。于是，三娘便化为一个民间女子，追上刘向，向他道出了真情。从此，二人结为伉俪，两情依依，恩爱无比。
Watching Liu Xiang leave reluctantly and sorrowfully, Lady Third pondered repeatedly and finally decided to disregard the heavenly laws and marry Liu Xiang. She transformed into a mortal woman, caught up with him, and revealed her true feelings. From then on, the two became husband and wife, deeply in love.
刘向考期将临，三娘已有孕在身。依依惜别之时，刘向赠给三娘一块祖传沉香，说日后生子可以“沉香”为名。二人十里相送，难舍难分。
As Liu Xiang’s examination date approached, Lady Third was already pregnant. When they parted reluctantly, Liu Xiang gave her a piece of ancestral agarwood, saying that if they later had a son, he could be named “Chenxiang.” They escorted each other for ten li, unwilling to part.
刘向在京城一举中榜，被任命为扬州府巡按。就在他走马上任之时，华岳三娘却遭难了。原来，这时正值王母娘娘生日，王母娘娘在天宫大办蟠桃会，各路神仙均来赴会祝寿。
Liu Xiang passed the examination in the capital and was appointed as an inspector of Yangzhou Prefecture. Just as he was taking office, Lady Third of Mount Hua met with disaster. At that time, it was the Queen Mother of the West’s birthday, and she held a grand Peach Banquet in the Heavenly Palace, attended by immortals from all directions.
可是三娘有孕在身，便推脱染病而留在华山。谁知真相被三娘的哥哥二郎神知道了，二郎神勃然大怒，责怪妹妹私嫁凡人，触犯天条律令，要捉她回天庭接受惩罚。
Because Lady Third was pregnant, she claimed illness and stayed behind on Mount Hua. Unexpectedly, her brother Erlang Shen learned the truth and flew into a rage, accusing her of secretly marrying a mortal and violating heavenly law, and sought to capture her and bring her back to Heaven for punishment.
三娘毫不畏惧，况且她还随身带着王母娘娘赠的宝物宝莲灯。此物是三娘的镇山之宝，无论哪路妖魔、哪方神仙，只要宝莲灯放异彩，都会被震慑住，从而束手就擒。
Lady Third was not afraid, especially since she carried with her the Lotus Lantern bestowed by the Queen Mother. This treasure was the sacred object guarding Mount Hua; no matter what demon or immortal it faced, once the Lotus Lantern shone, they would be subdued and captured.
二郎神自知不敌，便令自己的哮天犬趁三娘休息之际，将宝物偷走。这样，可怜的三娘就被二郎神压在了华山下的黑云洞中。
Knowing he could not defeat her, Erlang Shen ordered his hound to steal the treasure while Lady Third was resting. Thus, the pitiful Lady Third was imprisoned by Erlang Shen beneath Mount Hua in the Black Cloud Cave.
三娘在暗无天日的洞中生下了儿子沉香。为防不测，她偷偷恳求夜叉将儿子送到扬州，留在父亲刘向身边。
In the pitch-dark cave, Lady Third gave birth to her son, Chenxiang. To prevent danger, she secretly begged a yaksha to send the child to Yangzhou and leave him with his father, Liu Xiang.
沉香长大了，渐渐懂事了，知道母亲被压在华山下受苦，就一心想救出母亲。他把想法对父亲说了，无奈刘向只是一介文弱书生，只有叹气摇头。
When Chenxiang grew up and became sensible, he learned that his mother was suffering beneath Mount Hua and became determined to rescue her. He told his father of his plan, but Liu Xiang, being only a frail scholar, could do nothing but sigh and shake his head.
于是，沉香独自离家寻找母亲，历尽千辛万苦，终于走到了华山。可是，母亲在哪里呢？这个只有八岁的孩子不知所措，放声大哭起来。
Thus, Chenxiang left home alone to search for his mother. After enduring countless hardships, he finally reached Mount Hua. But where was his mother? The eight-year-old child was at a loss and burst into loud sobs.
凄厉痛苦的哭喊声在空谷中回荡，惊动了路过此地的霹雳大仙。好心的大仙问明缘由，为善良的三娘鸣不平，却也无可奈何。
The piercing cries echoed through the empty valley and alerted the Thunder Immortal who happened to pass by. The kind immortal asked about the reason and spoke up for the wronged Lady Third, but could do nothing to change her fate.
于是，他将沉香带回了自己的住所。沉香在大仙的指点下，刻苦认真地学习，渐渐学会了六韬三略、百般武艺、七十三变。
Thus, he took Chenxiang back to his residence. Under the immortal’s guidance, Chenxiang studied diligently and gradually mastered military strategy, various martial arts, and seventy-three transformations.
十六岁生日那天，沉香向大仙辞行，要去华山救母。大仙称他有志气，并赠给他一柄萱花开山神斧。
On his sixteenth birthday, Chenxiang bade farewell to the immortal and set out to rescue his mother at Mount Hua. The immortal praised his resolve and gave him a divine axe capable of splitting mountains.
沉香腾云驾雾来到华山，大声呼唤娘亲，声音穿透重重岩层，传入三娘耳中。三娘不由得百感交集，她知儿子已长大成人，一片孝心来救自己。
Riding on clouds and mist, Chenxiang arrived at Mount Hua and loudly called for his mother. His voice pierced through layers of rock and reached Lady Third’s ears. Overwhelmed with emotion, she knew her son had grown up and had come to rescue her out of filial devotion.
三娘深知哥哥二郎神神通广大，叫沉香去向舅舅求情。沉香飞身来到二郎庙，向二郎神苦苦哀求。
Knowing her brother Erlang Shen’s immense power, Lady Third told Chenxiang to plead with his uncle. Chenxiang flew to Erlang Temple and earnestly begged Erlang Shen.
谁知二郎神铁石心肠，不但不肯放出三娘，反而舞起三尖两刃刀，要向沉香下手。沉香怒不可遏，抡起神斧，与他大战起来。
Unexpectedly, Erlang Shen was hard-hearted. Not only did he refuse to release Lady Third, he wielded his three-pointed double-edged blade to strike Chenxiang. Enraged, Chenxiang raised his divine axe and fought back.
两人云里雾里，刀斧往来，从天上杀到地下，又从人间杀到天宫，直杀得山摇地动，翻江倒海，天昏地暗。
The two battled amid clouds and mist, blades and axes clashing, fighting from the heavens to the earth, and from the human world to the Heavenly Palace, until mountains shook, seas overturned, and the sky darkened.
这件事惊动了太白金星。太白金星派四仙姑前来探看，觉得二郎神身为舅舅，却如此凶狠地对待外甥，太无情无义，便暗中助沉香一臂之力。
The conflict alarmed the Venus Star Immortal, who sent the Four Immortal Maidens to investigate. Seeing Erlang Shen treat his own nephew so cruelly, they found it heartless and unjust, and secretly aided Chenxiang.
沉香越战越勇，二郎神再也招架不住，只得落荒而逃，宝莲灯也落入沉香之手。
Chenxiang grew braver as the battle went on, and Erlang Shen could no longer withstand him. He fled in defeat, and the Lotus Lantern fell into Chenxiang’s hands.
沉香立即飞回华山，举起萱花开山神斧，奋力猛劈。只听轰隆一声巨响，地动山摇，华山裂开了。
Chenxiang immediately flew back to Mount Hua, raised the divine axe, and struck with all his strength. With a thunderous crash, the earth shook, the mountain trembled, and Mount Hua split open.
沉香急忙找到黑云洞，救出了受尽苦难的母亲。整整十六年，三娘终于重见天日，与儿子紧紧抱在一起，百感交集，泪流满面。
Chenxiang hurried to the Black Cloud Cave and rescued his mother, who had endured sixteen years of suffering. Reunited at last, mother and son embraced tightly, overwhelmed with emotion and tears streaming down their faces.
后来，二郎神向三娘、沉香认了错。沉香也被玉帝敕封了仙职。从此，三娘、刘向和他们的儿子沉香全家团圆，永远幸福地生活在一起。
Later, Erlang Shen admitted his wrongdoing to Lady Third and Chenxiang. Chenxiang was granted an immortal title by the Jade Emperor. From then on, Lady Third, Liu Xiang, and their son Chenxiang were reunited as a family and lived happily together forever.