Long ago in China, when the world was new, there lived a white snake. She called the banks of the West Lake in Hangzhou her home and from there she would watch the humans, longing to be one of them. The snake was kind and did many good deeds in the hopes that someday she would be able to take on human form and live amongst the people. One day the white snake met a turtle. This turtle was hateful and cold. There temperaments clashed and they had a fierce battle. The turtle was defeated and ran away disappearing into the hills.
After a millennium of training in the Taoism mystical arts, the white snake was finally able to achieve her dream. She transformed into a beautiful woman. To accompany her in her new adventures, she also transformed a younger green snake into a woman. These two snakes were as close as sisters. The white snake took the name of Bai Suzhen, while the green snake took the name of Xiao Qing. Eager to experience life as humans, the two watched the festivities of Qingming (Ancestors' Day) by the shore of the West Lake. They watched in delight until rain began to fall where they then took shelter under a large willow tree. The rain became a heavy downpour and the pair huddled together with dampened spirits. A young handsome man walking along the path saw them and offered room under his umbrella while they waited out the storm.
The young man’s name was Xu Xian. Bai Suzhen and Xu Xian smiled at each other under the umbrella. When the rain subsided, all three shared a boat ride as they headed home towards the other side of the lake. When they reached the dock, Xu Xian insisted the ladies keep his umbrella incase the rain would return while they walked home. Xiao Qing knew Bai Suzhen was smitten with Xu Xian so she quickly accepted his offer with a promise to return it the following day.
The next morning when the ladies arrived at Xu Xian’s house, he told them he was a poor man with no family and that he worked at a medicine shop for a living. Bai Suzhen admired his honesty and kindness; she did not care that he was poor. Xu Xian and Bai Suzhen got to know each other more over time and fell in love. They got married the next year and moved to the city of Zhenjiang where they opened their own medicine shop. Bai Suzhen used her powers to cure patients from all kinds of ailments and became quite famous for it. The people of Zhenjiang called her “Madam White”.
One year the plague had spread throughout the province, killing many lives. When it arrived at the city of Zhenjiang, the people sought the help of Madam White and her medicine. Because her medicine was infused with magic, any sick person who takes it, soon recovered. The people sang the praises of Madam White and her reputation as a healer grew even more.
Before long the news of Madam White reached Fa Hai, the abbot of Jinshan Temple. Fa Hai was no ordinary man, he was the turtle that fought with Bai Suzhen a thousand years ago. He too had evolved and accumulated enough power to obtain human form. He knew who Madam White really was and planned to exact revenge on her. Fa Hai approached Xu Xian alone on the streets and there he warned Xu Xian of a dark aura that surrounded him; the evidence of an evil spirit close by. Fa Hai revealed Bai Suzhen’s true identity to Xu Xian. Because wine dispels evil spirits, Fa Hai convinced Xu Xian to offer wine to his wife on the night of the Dragon Boat Festival. If she drinks the wine, it will transform her back into a snake.
Xu Xian was eager to prove the monk wrong and offered wine to his wife that night, but Bai Suzhen refused saying that she cannot drink wine because she was pregnant. This worried Xu Xian and he kept insisting they celebrate the occasion by drinking wine until finally Bai Suzhen agreed. After ingesting a bit of wine, Bai Suzhen felt faint and tired and went to rest in the bedroom. Later that night, Xu Xian went to check on his wife. When he entered the bedroom and lifted the blankets, he saw a huge white snake. The vision gave him such a fright that he had a heart attack and fell to the floor.
When Bai Suzhen was able to return to human form, she found her husband’s unconscious body. She had to save Xu Xian from his coma and quickly flew to Kunlun Mountain to obtain some magic herbs. After mixing her potion, she placed a few drops to Xu Xian’s cold lips. Soon after his body began to get warm and a flush of colour returned to his face and he awoken.
When Xu Xian opened his eyes and saw Bai Suzhen, he was still frightful. He jumped out of bed and fled to Jinshan Temple. When Fa Hai saw Xu Xian at the temple gates, he allowed entrance and instructed Xu Xian not to leave the temple. Bai Suzhen and Xiao Qing followed Xu Xian to the temple and realized that Fa Hai was their nemesis, the ancient turtle seeking revenge.
At the temple gates, Bai Suzhen demanded to see her husband but was refused and a battle ensued. Fa Hai used his scepter to create a powerful storm. Giant waves from the river crashed onto the land and flooded the area. Bai Suzhen called upon the water creatures for help. She took out her hairpin and transformed it into a boat.
The sisters climbed onto the boat and found Xu Xian at a temple window. Xu Xian finally realized that his wife was trying to rescue him and jumped onto the boat with them and all three headed home.
Xu Xian apologized for doubting their love and Bai Suzhen apologized for not telling him about her past. They vowed to stay together forever. Soon after, Bai Suzhen gave birth to a baby boy. When the baby was one month old, a celebration was held and many friends from the city visited the happy family bringing gifts and well wishes.
Fa Hai, in disguise, blended in with the crowd and waited for a chance to be alone with Bai Suzhen. When all the visitors had left, Fa Hai took out his magic golden bowl directing it towards Bai Suzhen and she instantly transformed back into a snake. He captured her and placed her inside the bowl and sealed it. Xu Xian and Xiao Qing were no match for Fa Hai. They could not stop him and he bolted off. Fa Hai buried the magic golden bowl with Bai Suzhen trapped inside under Leifeng Pagoda beside the West Lake.
Twenty years had passed, and Xiao Qing’s powers grew much stronger. Strong enough to defeat Fa Hai and release Bai Suzhen from her prison. Xiao Qing went to Leifeng Pagoda and conjured up thunder and lightning. A fierce lightning bolt struck Leifeng Pagoda and it burst into flames.
As the pagoda collapses, Bai Suzhen appeared from the rubble and was freed. Xiao Qing fought with Fa Hai whose powers had diminished greatly from years of misdeed and sent him fleeing. He hid inside a crab’s belly but is later too weak to free himself and became trapped there ever since. That is why a crab’s fat is yellow, the same colour as the monk’s robe. Bai Suzhen is reunited with her family, and they lived happily ever after.
Legend of the White Snake is one of China’s most famous folk tales. Its earliest written form appears in Jingshi Tongyan (警世通言, Stories to Caution the World) compiled and edited by Feng Menglong (1574–1646) in 1624. It has been adapted numerous times for literature, opera, film, and television. It is also known as Madame White Snake or Legend of the White Serpent. The illustrations here are from a series of posters c. 1950 by an unnamed artist.
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