Written and Directed by
Lee Tien-Lu
Performed by the
I WAN JAN PUPPET TROUPE
Lee Tien-lu's version of The Tale of the White Snake is an intriguing, fast-paced story that brings together the forces of love and revenge in a climactic battle of demon spirits. It is a story about cause and effect, about reaping what one sows—either in this life or the next.
In the original story of The White Snake, written hundreds of years ago, the good Monk Fa-hai (法海) saves his friend Hsu Hsien (許仙) from being tricked into marrying the beautiful Pai Su-chen (白素貞), who is really a White Snake Spirit that has assumed human form. But in Lee Tien-lu's version, the monk is himself a reincarnation of a Centipede Spirit who is out to revenge the White Snake for having once beaten him to death.
In this story, the White Snake, it turns out, has no designs to gobble up Hsu once he falls for her. She only wants to repay him: in a previous life, he saved her from being killed by a hunter. At her side is the faithful Hsiao-ching (小青), who is really a Green Snake Spirit. Both the monk and the two snake spirits have pledged to follow the practices of Buddha in order to break free from their fates as animal spirits so that they can move on to a higher realm. The battle that takes place later in the story is perhaps a test to determine which is the better Buddhist disciple.
In one of the story's most famous scenes, the two snake spirits descend to earth and meet Hsu Hsien at the beautiful West Lake in Hangzhou. It begins to rain, and Hsu offers to share his umbrella with the two women. He takes them to their home, and they invite him to stay rather than venture back into the rain. The encounter creates the perfect setting for a budding love between Hsu and Pai, the White Snake.
As the story progresses, Monk Fa-hai learns of their impending marriage and is determined to stop it. He gives Hsu a potion for his wife that will cause her to resume her original form. When Hsu finds a huge white snake slithering in his marriage bed, the shock kills him. Pai, with the help of her companion, the Green Snake, retrieves an elixir to revive her husband, who then sets off to tell Fa-hai he is not to interfere in their lives. But the monk locks Hsu up, leaving a child monk to watch over him. Eventually the child takes pity on the scholar and frees him.
When Pai and her maid arrive to save Hsu, Fa-hai rebukes them: "How dare you two goblins come to the clean place of a Buddhist temple!" But they remind the monk that he himself is really a Centipede Spirit. A great supernatural battle ensues, Fa-hai summoning a fire-spitting dragon and a troop of heavenly soldiers and Pai calling on the Water Snake Goblin, who floods the temple. A fight takes place between the heavenly soldiers and the Water Snake's army of river goblins. Finally, Pai is captured by Yang Chien (楊戩), the Heavenly Commander. However, being pregnant, Pai is allowed to give birth before being imprisoned. The child is given over to Hsu's elder sister-in-law.
The Green Snake can now do nothing but return to the Snake Cave, where she continues to follow the practices of Buddhism and concentrates on creating a powerful fire ball. Many years later, she sets off with this to find the evil monk who, after another violent battle, is reduced to ashes. Pai is released and reunited with Hsu and the couple's now-grown son, Hsu Meng-chiao (許夢蛟), who has just passed the imperial examination. As the son prepares for the life of a revered scholar, Hsu and Pai fly off into the sky together.
The Cast
Pai Su-chen
(the White Snake)
Leading Actress
Like many of her fellow puppet theater stars, Pai Su-chen has adopted the personae of a well-known character type in Chinese opera, in this case the wu-tan (武旦), a young woman with martial arts abilities. To play this character type, she must not only be a talented actress but also as killed acrobat. Pai's physical talents are highlighted in the battle scene, when she takes on Monk Fa-hai. In order to accommodate her acrobatic maneuvers, Pai always wears clothing with straight, neat lines.
Although Pai is a martial arts expert, she is still a refined young woman. The elaborate embroidery of her clothes, the jewels in her hair, and the curved shoes she wears suggest that she is from a prominent family. Her voice is delicate and her manners are well-bred. We know that she is under thirty by her hairstyle, which has short bangs.
Pai is also a dutiful daughter, reflecting the importance of filial piety as a theme in Chinese stories. Because both of her parents have died, she always wears white, the color of mourning, in memory of them. But her white dress, of course, is also an indication of her original form.
Hsu Hsien
Leading Actor
Hsu Hsien belongs to the character type known as wen-sheng (文生), a man of learning. His scholarly inclinations leave little time or reason for pursuing the martial arts. He is not a rough-and-ready man of action, but a fair-complexioned gentleman. When he is not studying, he is often found contemplating the beauties of nature—as Pai finds him doing at the West Lake. His good manners come to the fore in one of the famous scenes of the play, when he politely offers his umbrella to Pai and her companion and sees them home in the rain.
As a man of learning, Hsu, speaks in refined sentences with a voice that is gentlemanly, never rough or crude. His acting style is also subtle, and he moves with a sense of measured grace. And although he could never hold his own in a real battle, he is still a man of honor and moral courage.
Hsu's costume also reflects his role. He wears the blue robe and squared-off cap of the scholar. His shoes, however, are canvas flats, which show that he is not an aristocrat, but of common origins.
Hsiao-ching
(the Green Snake)
Major Supporting Actress
Like her mentor Pai Su-chen, Hsiao-ching is a talented wu-tan character. She is beautiful and graceful, yet a woman of great physical prowess. Her martial arts abilities are best displayed in aviolent battle with Fa-hai, in which she finally defeats the evil monk and frees the imprisoned Pai.
Hsiao-ching also demonstrates one of the essential virtues of the martial artist: loyalty. Whether in battle or in pursuit of marriage, she is always at the side of her friend Pai. When Pai is captured, Hsiao-ching devotes all her energies to devising the means to save her.
Hsiao-ching also follows the same dress code as Pai, wearing a fancily embroidered but straight-cut robe. Her dress, however, is green, reflecting her original form as the Green Snake Spirit.
Monk Fa-hai
Major Supporting Actor
The role of Monk Fa-hai is unique, as it does not fit any of the standard character types in Chinese opera. He is a man of contemplation and religious learning, who might be found at his desk composing a letter or in attendance at his temple. But he also has supernatural powers that he is prepared to use in battle. He carries a cane that is really a magic stick and can be turned into a flying, fire-spitting dragon.
His high forehead and bald head indicate a monk, as do his fairly simple robe and shoes. His crown-like headdress shows he is a monk of high rank. Fa-hai often plays his role with a red dot on his forehead, a sign of one who has attained a high level of spiritual achievement through the practices of Buddhism. Fa-hai's position is also ensured by his age; his long, white beard indicates that he is over fifty.
Yang Chien
Commander of the Heavenly Soldiers
A man of fierce bearing, Yang Chien exemplifies the wu-sheng (武生), a male character that excels at acrobatic maneuvers and martial arts. He is purely a man of action, with no patience for the literary life. But as commander of the heavenly troops, he is also something of a supernatural being, although his powers are reserved strictly for use in battle.
Talented actors like Yang Chien have brought Taiwanese puppet theater to a new level of expertise, with their innovative acrobatic stunts, skills at stylized stage fighting, leaping through the air or somersaulting in and out of windows.
Yang Chien's thick arched brows and piercing gaze are enough to stop opponents in their tracks. He often appears with a third eye painted on his forehead. His thickly embroidered robe, elaborate headgear, and three-pronged pitchfork also let everyone know that he is a brave and high-ranking military figure.
The Water Snake Goblin
Leader of the River Goblin Soldiers
The Water Snake, like the monk, is a character type unique to the puppet theater, with no real equivalent in Peking opera. He is known as a kuai-tou (怪頭), or "strange head" character, because of his monstrous, animal-like appearance.
His face resembles a dragon, reflecting the idea in Chinese iconography that a snake is really a little dragon. As king of the river, the Water Snake Goblin also wears a robe embroidered with a dragon motif, a design reserved for rulers. The bright blue color of his skin indicates that he is a creature of the water.
His acrobatic skills and supernatural wiles are given play in the memorable battle scene, with Yang Chien, the heavenly commander.
Also Starring
The River Goblin Soldiers
These kuai-tou characters appear with the heads of fish, shrimp, octopuses, and other water creatures. Their clothes are in simple colors that reflect the particular creature portrayed. They play strictly martial arts roles, with no speaking parts.
The Heavenly Soldiers
The Heavenly Soldiers are true warriors. They have fierce expressions and wear robes that resemble armor. Like the River Goblin Soldiers who they battle against, the Heavenly Soldiers bring highly trained acrobatic skills to the stage. Their display is one of the high points of the drama.
The Child Monk
With his distinctive shaved head and yellow robe, this young boy could be mistaken for no one but a young novice monk. He is obedient and sometimes naive, although his innocence usually works in the favor of those who genuinely need his help.
Hsu's Sister-in-law
This middle-aged female character is an unassuming figure, ready to accept whatever responsibilities come her way. She wears a simple hairstyle, which indicates her age, and the lack of jewelry suggests she is, like Hsu, a commoner. Her dark blue tunic and pants also show that she is of humble origins.
Hsu Meng-chiao
The Son of Hsu Hsien and Pai Su-chen
Like his father, Hsu Meng-chiao is a scholar. He wears the scholar's hat and embroidered robe. But he also sports a red ribbon, indicating his rank as a chuang-yuan (狀元), the highest level possible for those passing the imperial examination.