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'The Ballad of Mulan' - The story of Mulan is based on a simple folk song written in the sixth century AD. It tells her tale in 300 lines.

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A daughter in turmoil -

Mulan is a young woman working at loom, worrying and sighing. She’s worried because her elderly father has been conscripted into the army and has no sons to take his place.

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Call to action -

She decides she will go and fight instead of her father, so she buys a horse and goes to war disguised as a man.

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The warrior -

She is away for more than a decade and distinguishes herself as a warrior.

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A simple reward -

When she returns, the emperor offers her prizes and promotions for her bravery, but she simply asks for a horse so she can go home to her family.

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The warrior returns -

She travels to her home with some of her fellow warriors. She enters the house and removes her armor, dresses in her old clothes, and puts on her makeup.

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The reveal -

Her friends are shocked when she steps outside again. They fought beside her for years and never knew she was a woman.

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The allegory -

The poem ends with a reflection about rabbits. If you trap a rabbit, you can find out if it’s male or female. If you see two free rabbits running side by side, you’ll never know which is which.

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The brave daughter - The story is simple and elegant. The important points are clear: Mulan is brave and selfless. However, it doesn't dedicate much time to her experiences at war–it simply states that she was fighting for many years.

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The transformation -

Much of the song is spent describing her transformation into a male warrior, and her transformation back into the woman she was before she left.

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The question of virtue -

At the time, her actions would have been illegal, but the story emphasizes that she is virtuous because she was attending to the overruling obligation of filial piety: honoring her parents.

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Filial duty -

When it's required, the brave Mulan steps into the role of the brave warrior to perform her duty to her father.

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Temporary transformation -

As soon as her duty is fulfilled, she happily steps back into her traditional role as a woman at home with her family.

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The modern Mulan -

This idea is somewhat at odds with the modern depiction of Mulan as a strong, brave, free-spirited woman who is a symbol for gender equality.

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Mulan's virtue -

Over hundreds of years, the story of Mulan has been retold in songs, books, plays, operas, and movies. In each telling, the proof of her virtue is represented a little differently.

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16th century Mulan -

In a 16th-century play called ‘Female Mulan Joins the Army Taking Her Father’s Place,’ Mulan has traditionally bound feet and has to unwrap them to fill her warrior’s shoes.

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16th century Mulan -

She’s worried that unbinding her feet will take away from her beauty and make her less attractive for marriage in the future.

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16th century Mulan -

Again, the story focuses on the fact that she is only fulfilling her duty to her family and will return to her traditional role once it’s complete.

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17th century Mulan -

In other versions, Mulan’s virtue is symbolized by her virginity. In the 17th century novel ‘Historical Romance of the Sui and Tang Dynasties,’ the emperor asks her to become his consort.

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17th century Mulan -

She must choose between her loyalty to her emperor and her commitment to chastity. She cannot sacrifice either virtue, so instead she sacrifices her life by killing herself over her father’s grave.

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Mulan propaganda -

Mulan's story was used as political propaganda during the Sino-Japanese war between Japan and China in the 20th century.

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Mulan propaganda -

Operas and plays showed Mulan fighting off Japanese enemies, and female members of the army dressed in men's uniforms in honor of her legacy.

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Introduction to the US -

The story of Mulan was introduced to the US by author Maxine Hong Kingston in the 1970s in her seminal memoir 'Woman Warrior.'

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Blending with American culture -

Mulan would go on to star in children's books and movies for the following decades.

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'Mulan' (1998) -

In 1998, Mulan became a Disney princess. While many considered it a decent effort at understanding Chinese culture, the Disney Mulan was very much an American creation.

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The unconventional Disney Princess -

The main difference is her motivations. In both the traditional story and the Disney movie she wants to save her father, but in the Disney movie she's a tomboy who  rejects traditional femininity.

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Contradicting the legacy -

The traditional sixth century Mulan only satisfied expectations because she remained the perfect bride and daughter. Disney's Mulan was so revolutionary that in her story she changed an entire nation's view of women.

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Disney traditions -

However, she still followed the most important gender norm in Disney culture: she got her man.

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'Mulan' (2020) -

The controversial new 'Mulan' released in 2020 may not have all the answers, but at least it raises important questions about gender roles in society. (Vox)

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What next? -

The story of Mulan is so old that there's no way to know if she was a real person, or simply an inspirational folk tale. Here are some of the most inspiring women in history who definitely did exist!

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