The Legend of White Snake

"The Legend of White Snake" is one of the most famous folktales in Chinese culture, dating back to the Tang Dynasty. This Beijing Opera adaptation brings to life the romantic yet tragic story of Bai Suzhen, a white snake spirit who transforms into a beautiful woman and falls in love with a human pharmacist named Xu Xian.

After centuries of cultivation, Bai Suzhen and her companion Xiao Qing (a green snake) take human form and encounter the young scholar Xu Xian by the West Lake in Hangzhou. They marry and open a medicine shop, but their happiness is threatened by a Buddhist monk, Fa Hai, who believes that the union between a human and a spirit is against the natural order.

This performance showcases the exquisite artistry of Beijing Opera through elaborate costumes, symbolic makeup, and the unique combination of singing, recitation, acting, and combat skills that define this traditional art form.

The production features our principal performers Li Mei as Bai Suzhen and Wang Jing as Xiao Qing, with guest artist Chen Wei from the Beijing Opera Theatre as Xu Xian.