"White Snake" is an old chinese legend about a white
snake who lived in the West Lake (Xi Hu) near Hangzhou. The snake possessed
magical powers and worked hard at bettering herself. Eventually, she
was able to take the form of a beautiful woman called "Lady White."
She rescued and befriended another snake of lesser powers who becomes
her handmaiden. Her name was "Little Blue". They set up a home in Hangzhou
and met a young trainee apothecary called Xu Xien. Lady White falls
in love with Xu Xian and marries him. Together, they set up a Herbalist
shop and White Snake used her magical powers to make the medicines especially
potent. Hence, their business began to do very well. A buddist monk,
named Fa Hai warned Xu Xian that his wife was actually a large snake
and that if she drank wine she would change her into her real self.
Xu Xian took the opportunity of the occasion of the Dragon Boat races
and the announcement of Lady White's news that she was pregnant to press
her to drink some wine. Lady White was frightened because she knew that
if she did this she might turn her back into her original snake form.
Xu Xian continued to urge her so she agreed to have one sip hoping that
her magic would protect her. However, because of her pregnancy, her
magical powers were weakened and she could feel herself changing. She
ran into the bedroom to hide and her transformation however Xu Xian
followed her and witnessed it. When he saw her in her old form he died
of fright. Then Lady White went to a magic mountain, fought off the
stork guardian and brought home the powerful herb that restored him
back to life. Far from being grateful, Xu Xian became more scared of
her than ever. He went to the Buddist Monastery by the Yangtse River
where the Monk protected him. White Snake came and pleaded with the
Monk Fa Hai, but to no avail. Then in anger, she gathered together a
great army of underwater creatures such as crabs and shrimps. Neither
side won this battle. The monk tried to capture Lady White and failed
while Lady White could not get her husband back. However, Fa Hai realised
that one reason that his magical powers were not working, was because
of Lady White's pregnant state. So Fa Hai advised Xu Xian to go home
and live with Lady White until the birth of their child. After their
son was born, Xu Xian with the help of Fa Hai contrived to have White
Snake revert back to her old form and to imprison her under the Thunder
Peak Pagoda by the West Lake in Hangzhou. However, Little Blue managed
to destroy the pagoda and set White Snake free. One version of the story
is that they then went back to Heaven. Another version says they lived
happily ever after with Xu Xian and the child.
