《白蛇传》是中国著名民间传说。与《孟姜女》、《牛郎织女》、《梁山伯与祝英台》并称为中国四大民间传说，又名《许仙与白娘子》。故事成于南宋或更早，在清代成熟盛行，是中国民间集体创作的典范。描述的是修炼成人形的蛇妖与凡人的曲折爱情故事。

"The legend of Madam White Snake" is a famous Chinese folk tale, also known as "Xu Xian and Lady White." The story was formed in the Southern Song dynasty (AC960–1279) or earlier, and became mature and prevalent in the Qing dynasty. It is a model of Chinese folk collective creation. It describes the tortuous love story between the snake immortal and a human.

白素贞是千年修炼的蛇妖，与青蛇小青结伴同游西湖。在西湖避雨之时与许仙相识，一见钟情，并嫁与他。婚后金山寺和尚法海对许仙讲白素贞乃蛇妖，许仙将信将疑。后来许仙按法海的办法在端午节让白素贞喝下带有雄黄的酒，白素贞不得不显出原形，却将许仙吓死。白素贞上天庭盗取仙草灵芝将许仙救活。法海将许仙骗至金山寺并软禁，白素贞同小青一起与法海斗法，水漫金山寺，但终因不敌法海败下阵来遁走杭州，许仙趁乱逃下山来寻妻，二人又在西湖边相遇，尽释前嫌。白蛇不久产下一子，不想法海突然前来降妖，她被法海收入钵内，镇压于雷峰塔下。后来劫数完结，天雷劈倒雷峰塔，放出白素贞，使其全家团聚。

Bai Suzhen is a snake immortal. She meets Xu Xian around the west lake when taking shelter from the rain. Bai falls in love at first sight and married him.

After marriage, the monk of Jinshan temple, Fa Hai, told Xu Xian that Bai was a snake. Later, according to the method of Fa Hai, Xu Xian asked Bai to drink some realgar wine on the Dragon Boat Festival. Bai Suzhen had to show her true colors, which scared her husband to death. (In Chinese legend, the realgar wine can reveal the real shape of snakes) Bai stole the fairy grass from heaven by risking her life and saved Xu Xian.

Fa Hai then deceives Xu Xian and house-arrested him in Jinshan temple. Bai misunderstands her husband for betraying her. She and her sister, Xiao Qing, follow him to Jinshan temple and fight with Fa Hai, flooding the Jinshan temple, but eventually are defeated and escapes to Hangzhou. Xu Xian takes advantage of the chaos to run down the mountain to find his wife. They two meet in the west lake again. After the explanation, Bai Suzhen forgives Xu Xian.

Bai Suzhen soon gives birth to a son, Fa Hai suddenly comes, and Bai falls victim by him. Fa Hai suppresses Bai under the Leifeng Pagoda. A few years later, a piece of thunder from the heaven splits the pagoda, released Bai Suzhen, and makes her family reunion.

传说发生在宋朝时的杭州、苏州及镇江等地。流传至今有多个版本，但故事基本包括借伞、盗仙草、水漫金山、断桥、雷峰塔、祭塔等情节。京剧以其唱念做打的表演形式 成功的表现了游湖相爱，端午惊变，仙山盗草，水漫金山，断桥重逢，合钵分别等经典的故事情节。

Legend took place in Hangzhou, Suzhou, and Zhenjiang during the Song dynasty. So far, there are multiple versions, but the story basically includes classic chapters such as "borrowing the umbrella," "steal fairy grass," "reunion at the broken bridge," "the LeiFeng pagoda." Beijing Opera, in its particular form of singing, speaking and dancing and performing, successfully presents the classic storylines during nearly past 100 years.