For over a thousand years, a Great White Snake resided in the depths of the mist-shrouded peaks of Mount Emei, a place of profound spiritual resonance and ancient power. Through centuries of silent meditation, the ingestion of celestial essences, and the careful cultivation of her internal qi, this serpent attained a level of existence far beyond her kin. She was not merely a beast of the earth but a spiritual being of immense magical capability. Eventually, she achieved the ultimate transformation, assuming the form of a breathtakingly beautiful woman. She took the name Bai Suzhen, a name as elegant as her new human appearance, symbolizing purity and the refined nature of her spirit.
Beside her was a companion she had rescued and befriended: a Green Snake who, though younger and less powerful, had also achieved human form. This companion was known as Xiao Qing. Together, the two sisters—bound by spiritual affinity rather than blood—decided to leave the solitude of the mountains to witness the vibrant, bustling world of the Song Dynasty mortals. They were drawn by the tales of Hangzhou, a city said to be a paradise on earth, centered around the shimmering waters of the West Lake. For Bai Suzhen, the journey was also driven by a sense of karmic destiny; she felt a pull toward a soul she had encountered in a previous existence, a debt of gratitude that had yet to be repaid.
Upon arriving at West Lake, the sisters were mesmerized by the scenery. The lake was a mirror reflecting the weeping willows and the ornate pavilions that lined its shores. It was the time of the Qingming Festival, when the air is heavy with the scent of peach blossoms and the soft dampness of early spring. As they strolled along the banks, the sky, which had been a clear, pale silk, suddenly darkened with the arrival of a seasonal squall. The wind began to whip the surface of the lake into silver ripples, and thick droplets of rain began to fall, threatening to drench the throngs of people visiting the ancestral tombs.
Near the structure known as the Broken Bridge—so named because, after a snowfall, the sun melts the drifts on the crest first, making the bridge appear severed from a distance—stood a young man. His name was Xu Xian, a modest and kind-hearted apprentice at a local apothecary. He was a man of simple means but great virtue, carrying an old-fashioned paper umbrella to shield himself from the elements. As the rain intensified, Bai Suzhen caught sight of him. In that moment, the memories of a thousand years seemed to converge. She recognized his soul, the same gentle spirit that had saved a small white snake from a predator centuries ago.
Wanting to bridge the gap between their two worlds, Bai Suzhen used her formidable magic. With a subtle gesture hidden by the folds of her silken sleeves, she manipulated the very atmosphere. While the rain was real, she ensured that the circumstances of the storm would lead them together. More importantly, when she and Xiao Qing found themselves caught in the downpour without cover, she magically manifested an umbrella—or in some versions, influenced the winds so that Xu Xian would feel compelled to offer his own. In the most magical retellings, she creates a beautiful, oil-paper parasol out of thin air and moonlight, its surface painted with delicate blossoms that seemed to glow in the grey light of the storm.
Seeing two refined ladies struggling against the rain, the chivalrous Xu Xian approached them. He offered his umbrella to Bai Suzhen, his voice steady yet filled with a shy reverence for her beauty. The touch of their hands as she accepted the handle was the spark that ignited a legendary romance. They shared the shelter of the umbrella as they walked toward the shore, the magical barrier keeping the cold rain at bay while the warmth of their conversation grew. This simple act of sharing an umbrella became the foundation of their bond. To ensure they would meet again, Bai Suzhen arranged for the umbrella to be returned to him later, a classic trope of courtship that allowed their path to cross once more.