Bai Suzhen ( zh, t=白素貞), also known as Lady Bai ( zh, c=白娘子, links=no), is a mythological figure in

Chinese folk religion Chinese folk religion, also known as Chinese popular religion comprehends a range of traditional religious practices of Han Chinese, including the Chinese diaspora. Vivienne Wee described it as "an empty bowl, which can variously be filled ...

. She is a one-thousand-year-old white snake

spirit Spirit or spirits may refer to: Liquor and other volatile liquids * Spirits, a.k.a. liquor, distilled alcoholic drinks * Spirit or tincture, an extract of plant or animal material dissolved in ethanol * Volatile (especially flammable) liquids, ...

and the

title character The title character in a narrative work is one who is named or referred to in the title of the work. In a performed work such as a play or film, the performer who plays the title character is said to have the title role of the piece. The title of ...

of the

Legend of the White Snake The Legend of the White Snake is a Chinese legend. It has since been presented in a number of major Chinese operas, films, and television series. The earliest attempt to fictionalize the story in printed form appears to be ''The White Maiden ...

, one of China's "four great folktales". The legend has been adapted into several Chinese operas, films, television series and other media. In some versions of the legend, Bai Suzhen becomes a goddess; her worshippers refer to her as Madam White Snake ( zh, c=白蛇娘娘, links=no).

Legend

After one thousand years of disciplined training in

Taoism Taoism (, ) or Daoism () refers to either a school of Philosophy, philosophical thought (道家; ''daojia'') or to a religion (道教; ''daojiao''), both of which share ideas and concepts of China, Chinese origin and emphasize living in harmo ...

Mount Emei Mount Emei (; ), alternately Mount Omei, is a mountain in Sichuan Province, China, and is the highest of the Four Sacred Buddhist Mountains of China. Mount Emei sits at the western rim of the Sichuan Basin. The mountains west of it are know ...

, the white snake, Bai Suzhen, is transformed into a woman by the essence of the Dragon King of the East China Sea. She decides to go out into the human world and do good deeds in order to become

immortal Immortality is the ability to live forever, or eternal life. Immortal or Immortality may also refer to: Film * ''The Immortals'' (1995 film), an American crime film * ''Immortality'', an alternate title for the 1998 British film '' The Wisdom of ...

. She is later accepted by the goddess

Lishan Laomu Líshān Lǎomǔ () is the goddess of Mount Li in Chinese religion. She is a popular female immortal in the Taoist pantheon, and a high-ranking one according to some late sources. Her origins are said to derive from Nü Wa, the legendary creat ...

as a disciple. On a visit to

West Lake West Lake (; ) is a freshwater lake in Hangzhou, China. It is divided into five sections by three causeways. There are numerous temples, pagodas, gardens, and natural/artificial islands within the lake. Gushan (孤山) is the largest natural is ...

, she falls in love with a young man named Xu Xian and soon becomes his wife. Eventually, however, a

Buddhist Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...

monk, Abbot Fahai, discovers her true origin and compels her to fight for both her marriage and her freedom. At last he tracks down the couple, defeats Bai Suzhen and imprisons her in the imposing Leifeng Pagoda. She is finally freed from the pagoda when her son's

filial piety In Confucianism, Chinese Buddhism, and Daoist ethics, filial piety (, ''xiào'') (Latin: pietas) is a virtue of respect for one's parents, elders, and ancestors. The Confucian ''Classic of Filial Piety'', thought to be written around the late W ...

moves

Heaven Heaven or the heavens, is a common religious cosmological or transcendent supernatural place where beings such as deities, angels, souls, saints, or venerated ancestors are said to originate, be enthroned, or reside. According to the belie ...

. In some versions, after her imprisonment she is transformed into the goddess Yaotai Laomu's mount. She goes on to accompany Yaotai Laomu for many years as they attempt to help all living beings and save the world.

Worship

Bai Suzhen is worshipped as a deity in Chinese folk religion, where she is known as Madam White Snake. It is said that she and Xu Xian once practiced Chinese medicine and that believers came to them seeking healing and health advice. In

Taoyuan City Taoyuan () is a special municipality (Taiwan), special municipality of the Taiwan, Republic of China (Taiwan) located in northwestern Taiwan, neighboring New Taipei City to the north-east, Yilan County, Taiwan, Yilan County to the south-e ...

Yangmei District Yangmei District () is a district in southwestern Taoyuan City, Taiwan. The centre of the district is Yangmei town itself. The traditional residents are Hakka people. History Yangmei town was originally established as ''Yangmeili'' () during Q ...

Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...

, the was built in 1991 and dedicated to her. The temple inaugurated the annual

Dragon Boat Festival The Dragon Boat Festival ( zh, s=端午节, t=端午節) is a traditional Chinese holiday which occurs on the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese calendar, which corresponds to late May or June in the Gregorian calendar. Names The Engl ...

to celebrate the birthday of Madam White Snake, and it has become a traditional and popular event.

Influence

Gallery

File:白蛇廟神像.jpg, Figurines, including one of Bai Suzhen, in the White Snake Temple in Taiwan File:20090524 Hangzhou 7423.jpg, A wood relief decoration in the Leifeng Tower,

Hangzhou Hangzhou ( or , ; , , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ), also romanized as Hangchow, is the capital and most populous city of Zhejiang, China. It is located in the northwestern part of the province, sitting at the head of Hangzhou Bay, whi ...

File: Wood Carving of Lady Snake Bai (335235232).jpg, Hand-carved 3D wood reliefs depicting the story of Bai Suzhen File: Legend white snake1.jpg, Image from the

Summer Palace The Summer Palace () is a vast ensemble of lakes, gardens and palaces in Beijing. It was an imperial garden in the Qing dynasty. Inside includes Longevity Hill () Kunming Lake and Seventeen Hole Bridge. It covers an expanse of , three-quarter ...

, Beijing, China, depicting the legend File:白蛇廟2.jpg, White Snake Temple in Taiwan File:白蛇廟白蛇娘娘神像.jpg, Statutes in the White Snake Temple File:Opéra de Pékin - voler l'herbe de longue vie Serpent Blanc combattant deux fils de la Grue et deux fils du Cerf (9476576481).jpg, Bai Suzhen in an opera portraying the legend File: Legend of the White Snake in Beijing Opera.JPG, Statutes of the three protagonists in the

Peking Opera Peking opera, or Beijing opera (), is the most dominant form of Chinese opera, which combines music, vocal performance, mime, dance and acrobatics. It arose in Beijing in the mid-Qing dynasty (1644–1912) and became fully developed and recognize ...

References

{{Legend of the White Snake Legend of the White Snake characters Chinese goddesses Deities in Taoism Snake goddesses