A Review of the Research on the Legend of the White Snake

As one of the four major folk legends in China, the Legend of the White Snake has undergone a long period of development and evolution. The culture of the spirit snake is deeply rooted in the soil of Chinese culture, with its image constantly changing and its form constantly enriching. This article will review the relevant discussions on the Legend of the White Snake by different scholars in the last century and this century. By sorting out the relevant research results, it strives to comprehensively reflect the relevant issues about the Legend of the White Snake and lay the foundation for further research. The specific contents are as follows: First, the author will sort out the development and evolution of the Legend of the White Snake from the perspective of ancient and modern dynasties, based on the works of different eras, and take into account the discussions of authors of various eras. Secondly, the transformation of the image of the White Snake and its cultural connotations, as well as the main characters in the Legend of the White Snake, are reviewed. Finally, based on classic White Snake films and television works, the characteristics of character creation are briefly take into account, and the gains of the character image are discussed.