Pai Niang, a one-thousand-year-old white snake spirit, attained human form through disciplined Taoist training on Mount Emei, aided by the Dragon King of the East China Sea. This transformation enabled her entry into the human realm, where she dedicated herself to benevolent deeds to achieve immortality and became a disciple of the goddess Lishan Laomu. In the human world, she rescued the green snake spirit Xiaoqing from peril, securing Xiaoqing's pledge of eternal loyalty as her sworn sister and companion. Pai Niang later encountered Xu Xian at West Lake; their immediate romantic connection led to marriage. Together, they ran a prosperous medicinal shop utilizing her herbal knowledge. The monk Fahai, revealed as a transformed terrapin spirit harboring ancient jealousy over her spiritual advancement, sought to destroy their union. He manipulated Xu Xian into offering Pai Niang realgar wine during the Dragon Boat Festival, forcing her involuntary reversion to serpent form—a revelation that fatally shocked Xu Xian. To resurrect him, Pai Niang embarked on a perilous journey to steal the Lingzhi immortality herb from celestial guardians. After Xu Xian's revival, Fahai imprisoned him at Jinshan Temple. Pai Niang and Xiaoqing besieged the temple, with Pai Niang summoning floods to breach its defenses, though her pregnancy diminished her powers. The conflict caused unintended collateral damage, echoing historical flood myths. Xu Xian, recognizing her sincere devotion, escaped captivity. The trio reunited at Broken Bridge, where Xiaoqing’s initial fury toward Xu Xian subsided through Pai Niang’s mediation. She gave birth to their son, Xu Mengjiao or Xu Shilin, before Fahai ultimately subdued and imprisoned her beneath Leifeng Pagoda. During confinement, she focused on spiritual cultivation. Years later, her son achieved scholarly success and secured her release through filial piety, enabling her ascension to immortality. An alternative resolution depicts her transforming into the mount of the goddess Yaotai Laomu post-imprisonment, accompanying her in aiding all living beings. Pai Niang’s character undergoes significant evolution across historical narratives. Early Tang and Song dynasty versions portray her as a malevolent seductress causing Xu Xian’s misfortunes through theft and deception. Ming and Qing era adaptations emphasize her empathy and devotion, recasting Fahai as the antagonist. Modern interpretations solidify her as a heroic figure embodying courage and self-sacrifice for love. Her enduring cultural significance includes veneration as the deity "Madam White Snake" in Chinese folk religion, with dedicated temples in Taiwan and Tianjin. Annual festivals celebrate her legacy, and her namesake honors include Suzhen’s krait snake species and the Baisuzhenia mushroom genus. Her relationship with Xu Xian illustrates evolving thematic concepts of balance. Early narratives emphasize discord, while later adaptations highlight their complementary strengths, particularly during conflicts where their unity counters external threats. The core legend persists across media: a spiritual being pursues humanity through love, faces persecution, demonstrates resilience through sacrifice, and achieves transcendence via familial bonds or divine service.