Madam White Snake is a Chinese legend/folklore, which existed as oral traditions before any written compilation. It has since become a major subject of several Chinese opera, films and TV series. The earliest attempt to fictionalize the story appears to be “Madame White Snake Jailed Eternally in the Leifeng Pagoda“ in Jing Shi Tong Yan by Feng Menglong  during the Ming Dynasty (1368 to 1644).

The story in “Jing Shi Tong Yan” was a story between righteous and evil with Fahai out to save Xu’s soul from the demon Bai. Over the centuries however the story has evolved from horror to romance with Bai and Xu genuinely in love with one another. There are many modifications to the story later.

The Story

There are many versions of the legend of “Madam White Snake” but generally, the story is set during the Southern Song dynasty.

It tells of a powerful female white snake demon, Bai Suzhen, and a green snake demon of lesser powers, Xiao Qing, that take on human form and become two beautiful women. They set home in human world and meet the scholar Xu Xian at the Broken Bridge. White snake eventually fell in love with him and marries him.

One day, Xu Xian visited a temple to pray for his family’s well-being and met the antagonist of the story, a Buddhist monk named Fa Hai who sensed the ‘devil scent’ on Xu Xian and warns Xu Xian that he married a snake demon and advises him to press her to drink some wine because it would change her in her real form.

Xu Xian follows that advice and because the white snake is pregnant and her magical powers are weakened, she turns on her snake form. When he saw her in her true form, he dies of fright. White snake was devastated and stole the magical herb from Mount Kunlun to save him.

Bai is fighting to get herbal medicine to save Xu Xian’s life

Meanwhile, Fa Hai seize Xu Xian and forcefully separate him from White snake and captured him to Jin Shan Temple. White snake decided to launch a flood attack against Fa Hai for him to release Xu Xian. Both White snake & Green snake defeated Fa Hai and was reunited at the Broken Bridge with Xu Xian, who managed to escape from Jin Shan Temple.

However, Bai Su Zhen was eventually captured and imprisoned in the Lei Feng Pagoda by Fa Hai after giving birth to a son.

Green snake has been trying to attain immortality so as to be able free White snake from Lei Feng Pagoda. Meanwhile, Xu Xian raised their child who eventually emerged as a top scholar in the imperial examinations. The new imperial scholar paid respects to his mother at the Lei Feng Pagoda.

Green snake finally succeeded in attaining immortality and attacked Lei Feng Pagoda and crumbled it. Bai Su Zhen was able to be reunited with her husband, her son and Green snake after defeating Fa Hai in the end.

Madam White Snake can be interpreted as a reflection of the tension between social norms and individual desires. Xu Xian and Bai Su Zhen’s love affair was one that did not confirm to social norms and Fa Hai represents the force that attempts to uphold social hierarchy and maintain social norms. Fai Hai’s attempts and eventually success in separating them implies the priority or victory of society over individuals.

On the other hand, individuals are rewarded when they confirm to social norms as reflected in Xu Xian’s son who emerged as the top scholar in the imperial exams. As an imperial scholar and who exhibited filial piety, the son achieved two important goals that every Chinese parent could wish for in their son.

As a result, Bai Su Zhen was rewarded through her release from the Lei Feng pagoda but the social norms continued to prevail; she was rewarded with immortality but remain separated from her beloved husband and son.

The Location

Madam White Snake’s tragedy is a popular story and has inspired operas, plays and even movies. The story even propelled many places to fame and they continue to be the most popular tourist sites in China, such as Lei Feng Pagoda, located at the West Lake in Hangzhou.

The Lei Feng Pagoda where Bai Suzhen was imprisoned.

The Bridge where Bai Suzhen met with Xu Xian at the first time

Movie & TV drama

The Legend of the White Snake Maiden is a Taiwanese production made in 1993 starring veteran actresses Zhao Yazhi and Cecilia Yip Tung.

1993 movie Green Snake starring Maggie Cheung & Joey Wong, directed by Tsui Hark.

Legend of the Snake Spirits (青蛇与白蛇) Singapore 40-episodes TV series in 2001 directed by Shu Quin Lai with Fann Wong, Christopher Lee and Yuyan Zhang

Operas

The story has been performed numerous times in various operas, such as Beijing opera, Cantonese opera and other Chinese operas.

A Beijing Opera

A Cantonese Opera

Vocabulary

白蛇传  bái shé zhuàn  Legend of the White Snake

金山寺    jīn shān sì    Golden Mountain Monastery

雷峰塔   léi fēng tǎ    Lei Feng Pagoda

中国京剧  zhōng guó jīng jù   Peking opera

粤剧  yuè jù   Cantonese Opera

Origin
Like many festivals, the Mid-Autumn festival came to its current traditions through many years of evolution. The history of Mid-Autumn festival in China can be dated back to around 500 BC where the term “Mid-Autumn” was found mentioned in a classic written by Confucius.

Ancient Emperors in China followed a custom of praying to the Sun in Summer and to the Moon in Autumn. This custom was later adopted by the royalties and scholars and eventually by the commoners too, hence becoming a mass tradition. By the Tang dynasty (A.D. 618 – 907) this tradition became officially stated as a festival. It gain popularity during the Song dynasty (A.. 960 – 1279) and by Ming dynasty (A.D. 1368 – 1644) became as popular and important as the Spring Festival (Chinese New Year).

Legends
The Mid-Autumn festival has many rich and ancient legends associated with it. These mythical tales enrich the festive atmosphere with interesting stories and histories and also adding a weave of mystery behind it.

Chang Er and the Jade Rabbit

Legend of the Chang Er (嫦娥奔月 : cháng é bēn yuè)
Of the many legends, the one on Chang er is the most famous. There are a few versions of the story on how Chang er ended up on the moon. Below is one popular version.

Hou Yi the archer

Legend goes that in ancient China, the sky suddenly appeared ten Suns. The ten scorching suns burnt the lands, ruining crops and drying rivers. Just as the situation was at its direst and all seemed lost for the people on earth, a hero appeared. His name was Hou Yi. With his bow and arrows, he ascended the peak of Kun Lun Mountain and using his mighty strength and godly archery skills, he shot down nine of the suns.

The land and its people were saved from the catastrophe and Hou Yi became honoured as a saviour. Many people came to become his archery disciplines, but among his students, there was a cunning and devious man called Peng Meng.

Soon Hou Yi married Chang Er, a beautiful and kind girl. Other than teaching archery classes, Hou Yi spent his time with Chang Er and they were much adored and admired as a loving pair of couple.

One day, as Hou Yi was travelling to Kun Lun Mountain to visit a friend, he chanced upon the Jade Empress, a heavenly goddess. To the Jade Empress, he requested and was given the pill of immortality, which was able to transform a moral into a deity.

Chang Er flying up to the moon

Hou Yi was reluctant to leave his wife alone on earth however and passed the pill of immortality to Chang Er for safekeeping. The devious Peng Meng overheard about the pill and wanted it for his selfish means. Whilst Hou Yi was out hunting with his other disciplines, Peng Meng stormed into their house with a sword in his hand and demanded Chang Er to give him the pill of immortality. Unable to fight against Peng Meng and afraid that he would use the pill for evil purposes, Chang Er swallowed the immortality pill.

Immediately, Chang Er became light and started to float out the window. She flew up the sky beyond her control. As she flew higher and further from earth, she yearned badly to see her husband again. Hence, seeing the moon being the nearest heavenly land from earth, Chang Er landed and stayed on the moon.

When Hou Yi came back in the evening and knew of the incident, he was extremely upset. Dashing out to the backyard garden, he yelled out his wife’s name in sadness. Suddenly, he noticed that the moon was brighter than normal and he could notice a familiar shadow moving on the moon, much resembling his beloved wife, Chang Er.

Hou Yi realized that Chang Er had become a deity on moon. He set up an incense altar below the moonlight and placed her favourite fruits and snacks as a memorial for Chang Er. Word spread that Chang Er has become the moon deity and people have since every Mid-Autumn place offerings and pray to the moon for the kind-hearted Chang Er to grant peace and happiness to them.

'Jade Rabbit' on the moon surface

There are several versions to the story. One claims that the rabbit is in fact Chang Er herself. One says that Hou Yi transformed into Chang Er’s favourite animal, a white rabbit to keep her company on the moon. And another mentioned a rabbit fairy, sympathizing on Chang Er’s plight, sent his youngest daughter to keep her company. Below is yet another version.

In this legend, three gods descended on earth and disguised themselves as three pitiful old men. They met fox, monkey and rabbit and asked them to spare them some food. Both the fox and monkey did so.

However, the rabbit had no food, hence it told the three old men to eat itself. Shortly after, it jumped into the fire. The gods were greatly moved and made the rabbit live immortally in the moon palace.

No matter what version the story is, the jade rabbit’s task on moon was to pound and create the pills of immortality. It is also sometimes said that Chang Er, missing dearly her husband on Earth, asks Wu Gang the woodcutter (with his wood for fuel or ingredient) and the Jade Rabbit to help create a magical pill to allow her to fly back to earth to reunite with Hou Yi.

Wu Gang

Also stuck on the moon, Wu Gang is made to chop down an osmanthus tree in the moon palace by the Jade Emperor. However, this tree magically heals itself from any damage and hence it has become an eternal punishment for Wu Gang to chop on the tree that never falls.

Another version tells of Wu Gang as the protector of the osmanthus tree on moon. And it was he who handed down the seeds of the tree to earth. Without him, the humans would have no osmanthus trees to make the fragrant osmanthus tea and osmanthus flavoured wine.

The 1st one is based on the story of Chang Er. Yearning to meet her husband again, Chang Er instructed Hou Yi to, on the day of full moon, create a pill made of flour, as round as the moon. He was to place this flour pill at the west side of the house and call out her name. As promised, on the night of full moon, Chang Er flew down to reunite with him once every Mid-Autumn. The mooncake tradition then evolved from there.

Zhu Yuan Zhang Mooncake Rebellion (朱元璋与月饼起义 : zhū yuán zhāng yǔ yuè bǐng qǐ yì)

Pastry mooncake with secret message inside

The 2nd tale is set in the late Yuan Dynasty (A.D. 1279 – 1368). This is a famous legend about Zhu Yuan Zhang who gathered the masses to rebel against the tyrannical Yuan government. However, the Yuan soldiers conducted stringent checks which made communication among the rebel groups difficult.

Liu Bo Wen, his strategist, then came up with an idea. He instructed the writing of”八月十五夜起义” (Rebellion on the 15th day of the 8th month) on slips of paper which were then stuffed into pastries. These boxes of pastries with the secret message on the date of rebellion were sent to the ally forces without notice from the Yuan soldiers.

On the fateful day (which is set on the Mid-Autumn day), Zhu Yuan Zhang led a successful rebellion and founded the Ming Dynasty. Since then celebrations on the Mid-Autumn Festivals included these mooncake pastries to commemorate the event.

However, the corpse of the python mysteriously disappeared and soon an epidemic of plague engulfed the village, killing many of the people. A priest then came. He explained that the python was originally the son of the Sea Dragon. The death of his son angered the Sea Dragon so much that he brought forth the disaster upon the village and its people.

An old man from the village claimed that a heavenly deity came to his dream and taught him how to counter the Sea Dragon’s spells. He was told that the Sea Dragon feared the Fire Dragon and fire element the most and hence for three consecutive nights on Mid-Autumn festival, a Fire Dragon Dance is held.

Fire Dragon Dance

In this dance, a dragon head with a long segmented dragon body and a tail is controlled by several dancers. The dragon structure is stuck all over with lit red coloured incense sticks to symbolize the fire element. After the dance, the plague was controlled. And since then, the tradition of the Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance during every Mid-Autumn festival lived on even til now.

Regardless how true the legends are, as you savour your mooncakes and enjoy the full moon scenery, these traditional stories will make good tales to entertain your family and friends.

Related Posts:

- The Customs of Mid-Autumn Festival

Cowherd and the Weaver Girl (牛郎与织女 ; niú láng yú zhī nǚ)

There are ‘Four Classic Chinese Folklore’ (中国四大传说 ; zhōng guó sì dà chuán shuō) of the ancient Chinese mythological history.

1. Cowherd and the Weaver Girl (牛郎与织女 ; niú láng yú zhī nǚ)
2. Lady Meng Jiang’s Bitter Weeping (孟姜女哭长城 ; mèng jiāng nǚ kū cháng chéng)
3. Butterfly Lovers (梁山伯与祝英台 ; liáng shān bó yǔ zhù yīng tái)
4. Legend of Lady White Snake(白蛇传 ; bái shé zhuàn)

(We will be posting features of the other 3 Folklore in the near future!)

While all four are great classics of romantic love stories, only ‘Cowherd and the Weaver Girl’ became commemorated as a yearly festival, the Qi Xi Festival (七夕節 ; qī xī jié), falling on the 7th day of the 7th month of the Chinese (Lunar) Calendar.

Cowherd Star and Weaving Girl Star (Altair and Vega respectively)

This tale, which is at least 6th century BC old, starts its story in the skies.

The Weaver Girl Star (织女星 ; zhī nǚ xīng), referring to the Vega star and the Cowherd Star (牵牛星 ; qiān niú xīng), referring to the Altair Star, fell deeply in love with each other. However, in the Heavens of the Chinese mythological world, it is against the heavenly rules for these stars or deities to have romantic relationships. Moreover, the Weaver Girl Star is the granddaughter of the Heavenly Empress.

When word of their forbidden love reached the ears of the powerful Heavenly Empress, she became furious and sent the Cowherd Star down to Earth as a mortal. The Weaver Girl was punished to weave non-stop in the sky. In the legend, clouds in the skies were weaved by the Weaver Girl with magical silk and weaving machine. Different colours were weaved according to different times of the day and season.

Heavenly Empress

On a day, a group of fairies requested the Heavenly Empress for permission to descend to the mortal world, to Bi Lian Lake (碧莲池 ; bì lián chí), a lake which could beautify and whiten skin. The Empress was in a good mood and agreed. The fairy girls taking pity on the Weaver Girl for working so hard on her weaving, further requested for her to join them on the trip. Heavenly Empress thought for quite a while, and gave in eventually.

On earth, when the Cowherd Star descended to the mortal world, he was reborn into a farming family and named as Cowherd / Cow Boy (牛郎 ; niú láng). After his parents passed away, he stayed with his brother and sister-in-law, who treated him very badly. Eventually he was chased out of their home with only an old Ox and a broken cart.

The Cowherd and the old Ox depended on each other and lived through hardship together. They plowed and worked hard and in a couple of years, managed to build a small house and make ends meet.

Cowherd and his Ox

Unknown to the Cowherd, the old Ox was originally the Golden Ox Star (金牛星 ; Jīn niú xīng). One day, the Ox suddenly spoke, to the Cowherd’s surprise. The Ox said to him, “Go to Bi Lian Lake today. You will find the dresses of some fairies by the rocks, while they are bathing in the lake. Take the red dress and the fairy will become your wife.”

Shocked and thrilled, the cowherd took the advice, for he has been alone and yearns a companion. He hid near the lake and sure enough, true to the Ox’s words, fairies flew down from the sky. The fairies placed their dresses by the rock and stepped into the Lake.

Seeing his chance, the Cowherd ran out and grabbed the red dress. The fairies were frantic to find there was man around. Wearing their dresses in haste, they flew back to heaven. Only one fairy was left in the lake, for the Cowherd was holding onto her dress. She was none other than the Weaver Girl Star.

The Cowherd walked forward and asked the Weaver Girl to be his wife, in exchange for her dress. At this moment, the Weaver Girl recognized him as the Cowherd Star whom she was still deeply in love with. Shyly but happily, she accepted his marriage request and became his wife.

Life on earth for them was wonderful. They bore a son and a daughter and lived happily as a family.

However, their joy and peace did not last forever. For when the Heavenly Empress knew of this matter, she stormed in rage! She immediately deployed heaven guards and soldiers to bring the Weaver Girl back for punishment.

Back on earth, the Cowherd ran back home in the midst of his plowing day with sad news that the old Ox has passed away. He told the Weaving Girl that the Ox spoke before it died. It asked him to keep his ox hide well. One day, he will be able to cape the hide and fly into the sky. Upon hearing this, the Weaving Girl realized that the Ox was once the Golden Ox Star, who was also punished to the mortal world when he tried to speak in favour for the Cowherd Star.

Sadly, they peeled the hide and gave the Ox a burial.

Heavenly Guards and Soldiers

Right at this moment, the heaven guards and soldiers came! In an instance, they grabbed the Weaving Girl and flew off. Sad as she may be, the Weaving Girl could do nothing about it. Helplessly, she flew in the skies with the guards to the heavens.

“Weaver Girl, wait for me!” The Weaver Girl heard the Cowherd’s voice. Looking back, she saw him flying behind them, wearing the magical Ox hide with each hand holding a basket and their 2 children in them.

The gap between them became closer and closer. Soon, Weaver Girl could see the adoring faces of her children and hear their cries for her. Just when they were almost reunited, the Heavenly Empress appeared and with a wave of her hairpin, created a galaxy (the Milky Way) between them, forming an impenetrable barrier.

The couple and their children gazed helplessly across the Milky Way at each other. Emotionally torn, they cried and cried. Fairies and gods who heard their cries all felt pity for them and pained that the loving family had to be separated. Soon, even the Empress soften her heart. She allowed the family (including the 2 children) to stay in the sky and remain as stars, permitting them to meet once every year on the 7th day of the 7th month.

Magpie Bridge

On that day of the year, countless magpies (喜鹊 ; xǐ què) would form a bridge to reunite the Cowherd, the Weaving Girl and their two children in the skies.

This day is then commemorated by Chinese people as Qi Xi Festival (read our previous article here).