Bai Suzhen, after centuries of cultivation, takes human form driven by her longing for love and human experiences. Her fateful encounter with Xu Xian on a rainy day in Hangzhou blossoms into a passionate romance, leading to their marriage. However, their idyllic life is disrupted when Fahai, a Buddhist monk representing the “immortal” order, discovers Bai Suzhen’s true identity.

The Legend of the White Snake “tells the story of Bai Suzhen, a thousand year old white snake who transforms into a human form to repay kindness. She meets and marries the mortal Xu Xian at the Broken Bridge in West Lake, and gives birth to a son named Xu Shilin. Due to accidentally drinking realgar wine during the Dragon Boat Festival, which revealed its true form and scared Xu Xian to death, Bai Suzhen took the risk of stealing fairy grass to save her husband. Hou Fahai used the excuse of the different paths between humans and demons to break up the two, and Bai Suzhen rebelled by flooding Jinshan. She was eventually suppressed under the Leifeng Pagoda. After his son Xu Shilin grew up, he passed the imperial examination and became the top scholar. Xiaogan moved the heavens to save his mother from the tower, and the family reunited. The story praises the sincere emotions and spirit of rebellion that transcend the secular world.

Fahai’s actions expose the core contradiction: what defines a “demon” versus an “immortal”? Bai Suzhen, despite being a spirit, shows profound love, sacrifice, and kindness—qualities often associated with the divine. She risks everything, including stealing the immortal herb to save Xu Xian after accidentally terrifying him in her serpent form due to realgar wine. In contrast, Fahai, an “immortal” figure, enforces rigid rules, imprisoning Bai Suzhen in Leifeng Pagoda under the guise of maintaining the natural order. His actions highlight how those in power can use moral absolutes to suppress difference, reflecting the real – world struggle between individual freedom and societal norms.

This legend is more than a love story; it’s a critique of judgment based on origin rather than deeds. Bai Suzhen’s character defies the stereotype of spirits as malevolent, while Fahai’s dogmatism questions the righteousness of the “immortal” establishment. Through their conflict, the story forces us to confront our biases and the blurred lines between good and evil, challenging traditional views of spirituality in Chinese culture.

Over time, the legend’s adaptations across operas, films, and dramas only reinforce its universal appeal. It continues to fascinate audiences, reminding us of love’s power and the timeless debate about identity, acceptance, and the nature of morality.