What is the name of the white snake spirit in Chinese folklore?

The white snake spirit in Chinese folklore is Bai Suzhen.

Bai Suzhen, also called Lady Bai or Madam White Snake, is the central figure of the Legend of the White Snake. She is traditionally depicted as a supernatural white snake who has cultivated Taoist powers for centuries—often one thousand years—and can transform into a beautiful woman.

In the best-known versions, she falls in love with Xu Xian after meeting him near West Lake in Hangzhou. Their marriage is threatened when the Buddhist monk Fahai exposes her identity. The story includes realgar wine, the magical lingzhi herb, the flooding of Jinshan Temple, and Bai Suzhen’s imprisonment beneath Leifeng Pagoda.

Xiaoqing is a frequent mix-up: she is usually Bai Suzhen’s green-snake companion and sworn sister, not the white snake. Earlier versions portray Bai more demonically, while later Ming- and Qing-era retellings emphasize her compassion, loyalty, and true love.