Lady White Snake, also known as Legend of the White Snake, is a Chinese legend which existed as oral traditions before any written compilation. The story tells of a young scholar who falls in love with a beautiful woman, unaware that she is a thousand year old white snake that has taken on human form. Although the scholar and the snake woman are genuinely in love with each other, their relationship is forbidden by nature's law. When a Buddhist abbot discovers her true origin, Lady White Snake must fight for both her marriage and her freedom.