Latest offering sees end of trilogy as love takes center stage, Xu Fan reports.

Over nearly three years, directing duo Chan Kinhi and Li Jiakai devoted themselves entirely to producing the animated film White Snake: Afloat. However, they often grappled with the weight of its archetype Legend of the White Snake, a household tale established in folklore that has been reinterpreted over centuries.

Its earliest legend may date back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907), where the titular snake demon was consistently depicted as a malevolent character throughout the Song Dynasty (960-1279). However, it was retold in writer Feng Menglong's Jingshi Tongyan (Stories to Caution the World) during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). That's when the tale took its current form — a poignant love story between the snake-turned-woman and a handsome man.

In the modern era, the story has been adapted into multiple movies, TV dramas, animated series and stage shows. Some of the most popular titles include the 1992 costume drama New Legend of Madame White Snake starring Hong Kong actress Angie Chiu, and director Tsui Hark's 1993 movie Green Snake, which casts more light on White Snake's sister-like maidservant, Xiaoqing, a green serpent demon.

The dilemma for Chan and Li was simple: How could they achieve a breakthrough in retelling a story familiar to Chinese people for generations?

They traveled to Hangzhou in October to seek inspiration.

During the over-one-week stay in the picturesque and verdant city, Chan says, they visited famous historical sites, iconic landmarks and scenic spots, such as the Southern Song Imperial Street, and the Nine Creeks and Eighteen Gullies.

Li adds: "We also spent several days strolling along the West Lake, observing how the light changes from morning to noon and night. This was particularly significant as one of the most highlighted scenes takes place on the lake."

"During the final days of conceiving the script, I suddenly realized — it is simply a love story depicting a man falling in love with a snake-turned-woman and how this unusual couple overcomes difficulties to be together," said Li, with Chan, during an interview with China Daily.

The two directors delved into the preparation work, especially the meticulous research of Song Dynasty painter Zhang Zeduan's masterpiece Qingming Shanghe Tu (Along the River During the Qingming Festival).

The over 5-meter-long scroll features numerous figures, cattle, houses and ships, making it a detailed record of the landscape of the dynasty's capital city of Bianjing (today's Kaifeng in Henan province), and the lives of people from various walks of life. It provided a good reference for the animators to re-create the story's backdrop, set in Lin'an, which is now Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, during the Song Dynasty.

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