Firstly, the background of the novel is modified, mainly to remove illegal plots such as feudal superstition and opium cultivation. There is a chapter in the novel that describes in detail the death of Bai Jiaxuan and his first six wives for various reasons and the process of his father's death. There are many feudal superstitions and social bad habits, which have been deleted from the TV series. After Bai Jiaxuan's father Bai Bingde died, Bai Jiaxuan found Cao Ling in the heavy snow. Under the guidance of his brother-in-law, Mr. Zhu, he knew that this was Bailuyuan, which had a beautiful meaning, so he changed his native land and moved his father's grave here. In the TV series, Teacher Zhu told him that there were water veins here, which reduced a lot of feudal superstitions. Cao Xian, the seventh wife of Bai Jiaxuan in the book, is the fifth daughter of Wu Changgui, the shopkeeper of Baijiashan's Chinese herbal medicine purchasing business. Wu Changgui was grateful for her kindness, so she betrothed her daughter to Jia Xuan, who had died with her sixth wife. Bai Jiaxuan got poppy from his father-in-law, planted opium, sold opium for profit and bought back the original land. At that time, there was indeed a large area of opium cultivation in Kansai area. In the TV series, Cao Xian was exchanged by Bai Jiaxuan for a child from a poor family with a load of food.
Looking at the modification of characters, the TV series has optimized the character image of Bai Jiaxuan, shaping Bai Jiaxuan into a perfect character with no shortcomings and fair handling. In the novel, Bai Jiaxuan is a good man, but also an ordinary person, with shortcomings and things that harm others and benefit themselves. In the novel, Bai Jiaxuan often says to people: "If you speak, you shouldn't be said. If you are afraid of being heard, you shouldn't say it." He himself has done a shameful thing all his life, that is, deliberately changed the feng shui treasure house where Lujia White Deer is located. He planted opium, he timidly let Lu San go when he was "making trouble with farmers", and he severely punished Tian Xiaoe in the ancestral temple in order to save the face of his ancestors, all of which showed that he was an ordinary good man, not the more upright and perfect man in the TV series.
The TV series also modified the image of Tian Xiaoe. In the novel, Tian Xiaoe shows that she takes the initiative to hook people. She seduced Heiwa, made a living by associating with Lu Zilin, punished her in the ancestral temple for revenge, and seduced Bai Jiaxuan's eldest son. In the TV series, Tian Xiaoe's action was forced and he was beaten, so he turned to Tian Wa for help. She was coerced by Lu Zilin and threatened to seduce Bai Xiaowen, which was also an adaptation of the female role of Tian Xiaoe.
In short, the original and TV series of White Deer Plain have their own characteristics, one is a literary classic, and the other is an excellent work with a strong cast, which is worth seeing.