Abstract: In the latter half of the twentieth century, the division and eventual reunification of Germany significantly influenced the reception and reinterpretation of “The Legend of the White Snake.” Situated within contrasting ideological frameworks, this Chinese story underwent repeated processes of retranslation and reimagination, gradually shifting from an exoticized narrative of the cultural Other to a multifaceted cultural mirror and political allegory within German-speaking contexts. In the German Democratic Republic, the legend was appropriated as a moralistic allegory under the suppressive symbolism of the pagoda; in the Federal Republic, it was reinterpreted as a ritual of individual awakening; and in post-reunification Germany, it became a site of historical reflection, symbolized by the collapse of the pagoda metaphor. These evolving interpretations gave rise to a heterogeneous and polycentric pattern of transmission, wherein narrative heteroglossia and symbolic plurality coexisted. By reshaping narrative functions and engaging with the dynamics of historical memory and ideological reproduction, “The Legend of the White Snake” emerged as a site of symbolic negotiation, capable of continuous resemanticization within Germany's evolving cultural and political landscape.

Key words: Germany, Chinese stories, “The Legend of the White Snake”, cultural translation, political allegory

摘要： 20世纪下半叶,两德分裂与重新统一的历史巨变促使“白蛇传”在德国呈现出显著的接受差异。在不同意识形态的规训下,这一中国故事被反复转译与赋义,逐渐从异域他者的民间传说转化为德意志社会自我言说的文化镜像与政治象征。从民主德国“塔镇”的道德警示,到联邦德国“塔祭”的主体觉醒,再到统一后德国“塔倒”的历史反思,“白蛇传”在德语语境中的多重演化不仅建构出一种叙事异质共存、多点共生的传播格局,也深度介入了德国社会的历史想象与政治话语再生产,展现出其强大的再语义化潜力与象征能动性。

关键词: 德国, 中国故事, 白蛇传, 文化转译, 政治寓言