Tencent is the biggest copycat company in China.  Of course they have to make changes to avoid copyright lawsuits.  BUT I became highly suspicious when Shi Ying wore the white dress and white hair band to officially become a priest on his 18th birthday.  Plus he always walks around carrying an umbrella.  That settled it.  Tencent copied the character White Snake especially the CGI anime movie version.  Instead of a female, Shi Ying is the male "White Snake".  Instead of being able to morph into a white snake, Shi Ying morphs into a furry white animal:



https://cdn-1.filmpulse.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/16144541/WHITE-SNAKE-STILL-7.jpg

Look at that!  Why if it isn't Shi Ying the "White Snake" clone...  (notice her two long white flowing hair band ribbon ends plus the umbrella she and her boy use to fly around the scenic spot.  It's not a coincidence Tencent similarly dressed Shi Ying umbrella included!)


BTW, I'm just pointing out what I see.  I like White Snake the 2019 CGI movie (except the sex scene -- HK productions should stop copying West/Hollywood with inclusion of sex scene[s] in something supposedly rated PG).  Anyways, Tencent mimicking something I like earns them some brownie points...

This is the jade hairpin White Snake used to seal her man's soul for reincarnation.  Looks like the same kind of jade hairpin Shi Ying gave to Zhu Yan.  



https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/white-snake-2019/images/1/11/Jade_Hairpin.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20190824083548

I love how Tencent shows no shame in mimicking the works of others.  Like that beast in the first few episodes that only kill righteous ppl (who claim to be original/never copy from others) while leaving sinners alone.  Tencent is the kind of "sinner" such beasts would leave alone...

BTW, I'm wondering how Xiao Zhan felt when he read the script and went "I'm going to be playing a male/guy White Snake."  If it was me I'd be giggling with joy for playing a classic Chinese folk character with sex switch!

Ultimately, this drama is a copycat of the classic Chinese story White Snake. Shi Ying is the (male) White Snake.  The change Tencent made in order to avoid being called a plagiarist is that one of them dies and reincarnates.  In the original White Snake story, her lover dies and reincarnates. In this story the "White Snake" is the one that dies and reborns...

It were the props that looks like those in White Snake. Let's say the prop makers were copycats.  If they use a cloak instead, that would be copying Harry Potter.  Wonder what else they could use - shoes perhaps.

However, I do think that originality and  creativity need to be worked on.  After watching the large number of Chinese fantasy dramas, I began to feel that they are more of the same.  The costumes may change, the cast may change, the CGI may differ and the development of the stories may vary.  But the themes are more or less the same.

 Drama Addict :

It were the props that looks like those in White Snake. Let's say the prop makers were copycats.  If they use a cloak instead, that would be copying Harry Potter.  Wonder what else they could use - shoes perhaps.

However, I do think that originality and  creativity need to be worked on.  After watching the large number of Chinese fantasy dramas, I began to feel that they are more of the same.  The costumes may change, the cast may change, the CGI may differ and the development of the stories may vary.  But the themes are more or less the same.

LOL, what r u smokin!!!  Tencent is the BIGGEST copycat in China.  3Lives3Worlds became popular... Presto Tencent made a clone (Ancient Love Poetry).  Twin Flowers Legend became popular...  Presto Tencent made a clone (Romance of Twin Flowers) -- they even hired the same actor who played FL's dad...  He now the emperor in Romance of Twin Flowers...

I can go on and on.  It's no surprise that after White Snake (CGI anime movie) became a hit, Tencent had an eye to copy that IP.  Tencent even has a copy of Street Fighter:


THIS is their copy of Ryu from Street Fighter (don't tell me this Street Fighter character clone is a common theme in Chinese manga/anime?!?!?):


You do realize that the drama is adapted from a novel, which novel has nothing to do with the White Snake story, right ?  Take a step back and stop spouting nonsense.