Xiaoqing ( zh, c=小青, l=Little Qing) or Qingqing ( zh, c=青青, 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 one of the protagonists 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 L ...

, one of China's "four great folktales".

Legends

Xiaoqing is a green snake who transforms into a human being after five hundred 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 ...

. Xiaoqing is the close confidant or sworn sister of the protagonist

Bai Suzhen 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. She is a one-thousand-year-old white snake spirit and the title character of the Legend of the White Snake, ...

, the white snake. Bai Suzhen often calls her Qing'er (, ) or Qingmei (, ). After Fahai pushed Bai Suzhen down under the Leifeng Pagoda, Xiaoqing was no match for Fahai, and had no choice but to retreat to

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 ...

, go back into the cave and return to practicing Daoist austerities. Twelve years later, she had finally completed the True Fire of Samadhi, and came to find Fahai for revenge. There was nowhere for Fahai to escape being burned by the True Fire of Samadhi, so in a great rush, he hid inside a

crab Crabs are decapod crustaceans of the infraorder Brachyura, which typically have a very short projecting "tail" (abdomen) ( el, βραχύς , translit=brachys = short, / = tail), usually hidden entirely under the thorax. They live in all the ...

shell. Leifang Pagoda collapsed, and Bai Suzhen was saved. From then on, she and Bai Suzhen, Xu Xian and their child all lived a blessed and happy life together. Xiaoqing's fate varies depending on the preference of the storyteller. In some versions, Xiaoqing and Bai Suzhen are fused together in the

Leifeng Pagoda Leifeng Pagoda is a five story tall tower with eight sides, located on Sunset Hill south of the West Lake in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China. Originally constructed in the year AD 975, it collapsed in 1924 but was rebuilt in 2002. Since then, it ha ...

; in others, Xiaoqing marries Xu Xian (or a friend of his) and has a son, Xu Rulin. Sometimes it is said she never married, instead devoting herself to ''

neidan Neidan, or internal alchemy (), is an array of esoteric doctrines and physical, mental, and spiritual practices that Taoist initiates use to prolong life and create an immortal spiritual body that would survive after death. Also known as Jindan ...

'', and in an even more extreme variation, she is portrayed as a treacherous antagonist who betrays Bai Suzhen. However, in almost all versions, Xiaoqing finally becomes a

deity A deity or god is a supernatural being who is considered divine or sacred. The ''Oxford Dictionary of English'' defines deity as a god or goddess, or anything revered as divine. C. Scott Littleton defines a deity as "a being with powers greate ...

. The popular film '' Green Snake'' features Xiaoqing as the main character. It is an adaptation of the novel of the same name by

Lilian Lee Lillian or Lilian can refer to: People * Lillian (name) or Lilian, a given name Places * Lilian, Iran, a village in Markazi Province, Iran In the United States * Lillian, Alabama * Lillian, West Virginia * Lillian Township, Custer County, Ne ...

, published in 1993.

Influence

Gallery

File: Green Snake, China, Qing dynasty, 1644-1911 AD, cowhide - Sichuan Provincial Museum - Chengdu, China - DSC04589.jpg, Exhibit in the Sichuan Provincial Museum File: Legend of the White Snake, Haw Par Villa (14790874231).jpg, Statues of Bai Suzhen and Xiaoqing File: Legend white snake1.jpg, Picture on the long veranda in the Summer Palace, Beijing, China File: Legend of the White Snake in Beijing Opera.JPG, Statues 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 characters Fictional therianthropes Legendary serpents Shapeshifting Chinese operas Female legendary creatures Hangzhou in fiction Love stories Buddhist folklore Chinese legends {{China-myth-stub

Legends

Influence

Gallery

See also

References