The Legend of Hua Mulan

Main article: Hua Mulan The Chinese legend of Hua Mulan centers on a young woman who disguises herself as a man to take the place of her elderly father in the army. The story can be traced back to The Ballad of Mulan. The earliest accounts of the legend state that she lived during the Northern Wei dynasty (386534). However another version reports that Mulan was requested as a concubine by Emperor Yang of Sui China (reigned 604617).[2] The film may take place even later, as it prominently features landmarks such as the Forbidden City which was not constructed until the 15th century during the Ming dynasty. On the other hand, at the time of Northern Wei, the Xiongnu (Huns) had been already absorbed into Chinese culture. However, according to the style of dress (traditional Han clothing, also known as Hanfu), the film takes place sometime in the 15th century or before. The fireworks featured in the movie indicate that the movie is set during the Sui dynasty. Though Mulan is set in north China, where the dominant language is Mandarin,[30] the Disney film uses the Cantonese pronunciation, "Fa", of her family name. Disney's Mulan casts the title character in much the same way as the original legend, a tomboy daughter of a respected veteran, somewhat troubled by not being the "sophisticated lady" her society expects her to be. In the original Mulan legend, Mulan uses her father's name Li and she was never discovered as a girl, unlike the film. Plot The Huns, led by the ruthless Shan Yu (Miguel Ferrer), invade Han China, forcing the Chinese emperor (Pat Morita) to command a general mobilization. Each family is given a conscription notice, requiring one man from each family to join the Chinese army. When Fa Mulan (Ming-Na) hears that her elderly father Fa Zhou (Soon-Tek Oh), the only man in their family, is forced to join the army, she decides to stand in his place, disguising herself as a young man named "Ping". Fa Zhou learns that Mulan has taken his place and prays to his family's ancestors, who order their "Great Stone Dragon" to protect her. The ancestors are unaware that the statue of Great Stone Dragon failed to come to life, and that Mushu (Eddie Murphy), a small dragon is the one to go and protect Mulan. Mulan is initially misguided by Mushu in how to behave like a man, and starts a ruckus at the training camp. However, under command of Li Shang (B. D. Wong), she and her new friends at the camp, Yao (Harvey Fierstein), Ling (Gedde Watanabe), and Chien-Po (Jerry Tondo), become skilled warriors. Mushu, desiring to see Mulan succeed, creates a fake order from Li Shang's father, General Li (James Shigeta), ordering Li Shang to follow them into the mountains. They arrive at a burnt-out village and discover that General Li and his forces have been wiped out by the Huns. As they solemnly leave the mountains, they are ambushed by the Huns, but quick-thinking by Mulan buries most of the force in an avalanche. Mulan is hurt during the battle, and she is forced to reveal her deception. Li Shang abandons Mulan on the mountain while they make their way to the Imperial City to report the news of the Huns demise. However, the avalanche failed to eliminate all the enemies, as Mulan catches sight of a small remnant of Huns, to include Shan Yu, making their way to the City intent on capturing the Emperor. In the Imperial City, Mulan attempts to warn Li Shang about Shan Yu, but he refuses to listen. The Huns appear and capture the Emperor, locking themselves inside the palace. With

Mulan's help, Li Shang, Yao, Ling, and Chien-Po pose as concubines and are able to enter the palace and defeat Shan Yu's men. As Shang prevents Shan Yu from assassinating the Emperor, Mulan lures the Hun onto the roof where she engages him in single combat. Meanwhile, acting on Mulan's instructions, Mushu fires a bundle of fireworks rockets at Shan Yu on her signal and apparently kills him. Mulan is praised by the Emperor and the people of China, and while she accepts the Emperor's crest and Shan Yu's sword as gifts, she politely declines his offer to be his advisor and asks to return to her family. She returns home and presents these gifts to her father, but he is more overjoyed to have his daughter back safely. Li Shang, who has become enamored with Mulan, soon arrives under the guise of returning her helmet, but accepts the family's invitation for dinner. Earlier in the film, Mulan was declared unfit for marriage, but this is not the case with her budding romance with Li Shang. Mushu is granted a position as the Mulan family guardian by the ancestors amid a returning celebrat

Life
As a child, Mulan loved riding horses around her gaff and shooting arrows, as well as reading books about war, as she was from an area dedicated to practicing the arts of fighting. It is recorded that she was born around H Nn Sh ng Ch i Sh, a province in northern ancient China that practiced the arts of the sword, as well as fighting and kung fu. Mulan was around 18 when she joined an all-male army in place of her father, who was too old, and a younger brother who was still too young. During her war years, she fought against forces from the Middle East and the Mongolian/nomadic tribes, and was able to claim victory for China for a short period of time. She was then offered a title, but rejected it and went home. It is said that she died of old age, not from war.

Profile

Personality
Mulan is kind, bold, self-reliant, strong-hearted and shows little interest in romance. She is the Princess of Honor and does not fit in with the expectations of a young Chinese woman of the time: graceful, demure, obedient, feminine and silent. Instead she is clumsy, outspoken, tomboyish and independent. Early in the first film she is very insecure and self-loathing, thinking that she will only continue to dishonor her family. As the story continues she starts to gain confidence in herself and after saving China, she finally sees herself as the person she always wanted to be, having brought honor to her family and country. Her courage, determination and extraordinary ingenuity help her through her adventures, while she maintains her respect for others.

Physical appearance
Mulan is a very beautiful girl with an Asian appearance, an average height and slender figure with long, silky black hair, dark eyes, rosy cheeks, and a pale skin tone. In the original film, Mulan is only sixteen years old, and as the action of the second film takes place one month on, is also likely to still be of that age.