Retelling a romantic legend

Newer adaptations

In recent decades, advancements in special effects technology and the film and television industry have transformed the centuries-old folktale into a narrative that resonates with modern values, incorporating themes of pursuing free choice and struggles against societal constraints.

One of the most influential adaptations is the TV series New Legend of Madame White Snake starring Hong Kong actresses Angie Chiu and Cecilia Yip, which made its debut in Taiwan in 1992 and was introduced to the mainland in 1993. It quickly became a hit and was rescreened numerous times in the following two decades.

Comprising 50 episodes, the drama deepened the complexity of each character and introduced many plot twists — for instance, the son of the White Snake and Xu rescue his mother who is imprisoned in the Leifeng Pagoda upon reaching adulthood.

Maverick director Tsui Hark's 1993 movie Green Snake takes a bold step in retelling the legend.

For the first time on the silver screen, Fahai — previously portrayed by senior actors — is played by young, handsome martial arts star Zhao Wenzhuo, with his role exploring the monk's struggle with rigidity and bias, adding depth to the character and challenging the audience's perception of good and evil.

However, for young Chinese audiences in their 20s and 30s, it is the animated franchise White Snake, produced by Beijing-based Light Chaser Animation, that has introduced them to, and sparked their interest in, the story. The series released three consecutive installments in 2019, 2021 and 2024, grossing 1.5 billion yuan ($204.6 million) in China box offices.

Yu Zhou, co-founder and president of Light Chaser Animation, revealed that the series started preparations in early 2016 following a strategic move by the company to attract a young adult audience. Its previous features were targeted toward parents and their children.

Since its founding in 2013, the company, most known for the animated hit Chang'an, has focused on drawing inspiration from Chinese culture and history. The White Snake franchise marks the beginning of their New Legend series, which specializes in visualizing fantasy imbued with traditional Eastern aesthetics and Chinese philosophical thought. The upcoming title in the series Liao Zhai is inspired by Qing Dynasty novelist Pu Songling's Liao Zhai Zhi Yi (Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio).

"The first White Snake film is a prequel set 500 years before the ancient legend. While brainstorming the script, we each had a question: why is Bai so good and loyal to Xu, even though he is cowardly and betrays her after discovering that she is a snake demon?" recalls Yu.

The first White Snake animated film, set during the later Tang Dynasty, reimagines Xu as a snake hunter and Bai as a skilled fighter from a powerful snake spirit clan. On a mission to assassinate a sorcerer-like official threatening her tribe, Bai is injured and loses her memory. Rescued by Xu, they develop a romantic bond. After surviving many perilous moments together, Xu sacrifices his life to save Bai.

The third installment, which became a blockbuster in the summer of 2024, picks up where the 2019 movie left off, fictionalizing Xu's reincarnation 500 years later as a doctor, following the popular portrayal in most modern retellings.