Legend of the White Snake

The Legend of White Snake (青白·断桥送伞) reimagines one of China’s most beloved folk tales through the lens of modern experimental theater. Set on the Broken Bridge of West Lake, the play stages a timeless cycle of love, destiny, and tragedy.

At its heart is the encounter between Bai Suzhen, a snake spirit transformed into a woman, and Xu Xian, a young scholar. Their fateful meeting beneath a shared umbrella begins a romance that defies the boundaries between the human and the supernatural. Yet this love is constantly shadowed by Fa Hai, a Buddhist monk who sees their union as a violation of cosmic order.

The performance highlights the tension between freedom and fate. The stage repeatedly returns to the same pivotal moments—meeting at the bridge, swearing an oath under the umbrella, separation through divine intervention, and the looming presence of the Leifeng Pagoda. In each retelling, the cycle of passion and loss reasserts itself, suggesting that some destinies cannot be escaped.