Mythology behind White Snake: Cultivation and transcendence
Xiao-Bai was on her way to immortality.
仙 (Xian, Immortal), in a narrow sense, means ‘a immortal being’. In Chinese folklore, Xian play the similar roles as the deities in a polytheistic mythology except two major differences: first, Xian doesn't necessarily control some part of the world (in other words, Xian don’t have their own divine domains); second, all Xian were transcendent mortal beings.
In early ages, Xian were often depicted as some mysterious immortal hermits who lived in the isolated mountains or islands and kept the secret of universe and immorality. At that time, people believed that a mortal being could transcend into Heaven and become a Xian by taking some magical portions (the elixir of life). As a result, unlike their colleagues in Greco-Roman Egypt who centered on the transmutation of base metals into noble metals, the early Chinese alchemists focused on seeking the elixir of life.
Around the 2nd century, the belief system of Chinese alchemists gradually merged with the philosophy of Tao and developed into the religion of Taoism. And achieving immortality became one of the main goals of Taoism. During this period, the imagination of immortals became more colorful and tempting. It said that immortals were immune to fire and ice, didn’t need to eat or drink, could use magic and could fly without a fluttering motion as if they were riding on wind.
Later, around 4 or 5th century, after absolving some idea of traditional Chinese medicine, Taoism developed a new theory of achieving immortality called Neidan (Inner Alchemy). Unlike traditional alchemy theory (External Alchemy), Neidan theory tried to create the elixir of life or an immortal spiritual body with the principles of traditional medicine. Ancient Neidan participants believed that they could prolong their lives and achieve immortality by cultivating and transforming three essential energies sustaining human life: Jing (essence), Qi (breath or vitality), Shen (spirit or soul). Naturally, they failed, however the idea of cultivating life energies to achieve greater power and even immortality became a very important part of Chinese folktales. Nowadays, the magical Chi in modern popular culture and the cultivation mentioned in Chinese Xianxia story all can be traced back to Neidan theory.
Xuan traded his essence with an opportunity to become a demon, which meant that he could never cultivate magic power, or achieve immortality.
Obstacles
Since in Chinese folklore the circle of life and death is part of the natural order (in other words, the Way of Heaven), achieving immortality is naturally considered to be a Heaven-defying behavior. Hence, folktales believe that the fate would set some sort of obstacles for those who sought immortality, and only those who passed through the obstacles could achieve immortality. In folktales, those obstacles are called ‘劫’ (Jie, doom or trail). Although, in modern Chinese pop culture, Jie is always described to be a direct and violent event, such as a series of violent lightning bolts or an unstoppable fire, Jie could take many forms in Chinese folktales and may not necessarily be lethal or even noticeable. But if the victim fails, it would always ruin the opportunity to achieve immortality once for all.
The movie adapted this idea in a very interesting way. The beginning scene of White Snake showed an often mentioned obstacle in Chinese folktales —— the Trail of Love. It basically means that the one who seeks immortality would fall for someone which would make him/her choose between the immortal life in Heaven and the life with his/her lover in the mortal world. And this is why, at the end of movie, Xiao-Qing asked Xiao-Bai that whether it was worth to give up her five hundred years’ effort.
Although she lost her memory, in her subconscious, she still felt that there was something she was longing for, and this idea became her undoing.
