Legacy of White Snake in Chinese Opera

The 2025 Spring Festival Gala featured a unique crossover performance titled ‘Borrowing the Umbrella,’ showcasing various regional opera styles and culminating in an emotional reunion of veteran actresses Zhao Yazhi and Ye Tong.

Chinese opera’s enduring appeal was magnificently displayed in the 2025 Spring Festival Gala through a distinctive performance that masterfully wove together different regional interpretations of the classic White Snake legend. The piece “Borrowing the Umbrella” demonstrated the rich diversity of China’s theatrical traditions by incorporating Peking Opera, Cantonese Opera, Sichuan Opera, and Vietnamese Opera styles.

The performance gained particular emotional resonance with the surprise appearance of Zhao Yazhi (72) and Ye Tong (62), beloved stars of the 1992 television series “New Legend of White Snake.” Their presence transformed what might have been a simple showcase of regional opera styles into a powerful bridge between past and present Chinese entertainment.

The artistic direction cleverly used the familiar scene of borrowing an umbrella - a pivotal moment in the White Snake story where the snake spirit Bai Suzhen meets her future husband Xu Xian - to highlight how different opera traditions interpret the same narrative. Each regional style brought its unique characteristics: the precise movements of Peking Opera, the melodic qualities of Cantonese Opera, the face-changing techniques of Sichuan Opera, and the distinctive musical elements of Vietnamese Opera.

While some viewers found the mixture of styles somewhat challenging to follow, the performance succeeded in its larger cultural mission. It effectively demonstrated how a single story could resonate across different Chinese opera traditions, each adding its own artistic flourishes while maintaining the core romantic narrative.

The highlight came when Zhao Yazhi and Ye Tong performed “Previous Life, Present Life,” the theme song from their classic TV series. Their appearance, particularly notable for their remarkably preserved elegance and stage presence, served as a powerful reminder of how certain artistic works can transcend generations. Their participation transformed the performance from a mere showcase of operatic styles into a meaningful connection between traditional art forms and modern entertainment.

What makes this performance particularly significant is how it managed to honor both the regional diversity of Chinese opera and the enduring appeal of the White Snake legend. Rather than simply presenting these elements separately, the production wove them together into a cohesive narrative that celebrated the continuing vitality of Chinese performing arts.

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