The Story...

A snake spirit, Lady White, accompanied by her maid Miss Qing, descends from the Ermei Mountain to the humans’ world for a visit. At the Broken Bridge by the beautiful West Lake, she happens to meet a young pharmacy apprentice Xu Xian, and falls in love with him. They soon get married and prepare to live a happy life together, until the appearance of a monk, Fahai, who comes a long way to advise Xu Xian that his wife is all evil and danger. Although not convinced, Xu Xian managed to persuade Lady White to drink the realgar wine on the day of Dragon Boat Festival. The wine makes Lady White lose control of her magic and expose her animal form, - a giant white snake, which scares Xu Xian to death straightway.

To bring her husband back to life, Lady White took great risks to steal the sacred herb, Lingzhi, which belongs to the South Immortal in the Penglai Mountain. The magic herb revives Xu Xian's life but does not remove his doubt. Fahai seizes the opportunity to coax Xu Xian to his temple and locks him up to force him separate from his wife. The worried Lady White comes to look for her husband, and begs Fahai for his release. The monk shows no mercy to entreating, despite her apparent pregnancy. Determined not to give up, Lady White battles against Fahai, with all her magic power and Qing’s help. She builds up giant flood to drown Fahai's temple, only to be denied by Fahai's more powerful magic.

Defeated and exhausted, the fragile Lady White stopped at the Broken Bridge for a short rest, where she finally finds the anxious Xu Xian, who has managed to run away from the temple. Feeling betrayed, the furious Qing tempted to kill Xu Xian, but stopped by the heartbroken Lady White. She tells Xu Xian all about herself as a snake spirit, but her devotion to him. In tears, Xu Xian regrets his blindness and promises his heart will not change anymore.

The reunited couple set to rebuild their home, and have a baby boy soon after. At the celebration of the baby's one month birth, the Monk fahai reappears, aided by Weituo, a heavenly guard with his Golden Alms Bowl. Lady White has no escape from the powerful summon, and is prisoned to the Pagoda of Leifeng, overlooking the West Lake for her life.

The Legend of White Snake is a Chinese famous folklore, and Lady White is a house known name in China. In the long history of suppression and obedience that people had in generation, Lady White is a symbol of rebellion, bravery and quest for true love. The play is performed by the prestigious Chinese National Peking Opera, starring one of the most famous stage artists, Ms Li Shengsu.