With all the hype surrounding Disney’s live-action remake of the 1998 animated classic, Mulan – we thought it would be fun to uncover the true story of the Chinese Heroine.
We’re not entirely sure if Mulan was real, or merely a fictional character. But the legends of her mighty exploits have been recorded in many literary works. For the most part, Disney got the plot right. Mulan was washing clothes when she got news that the army was forcing all able-bodied men to join them at war. Since every family had to send one man, she decided to be recruited as his “son” to save her old and ailing father, Huan Hu. She knew that her father was too old and too ill to survive the war, so she decided to disguise herself as a man to go in his place.
The tale continues with Mulan leaving for the battlefield carrying the sword inherited from the ancestors of the family. Here’s the part that may have differed from Disney’s rendition: nobody found out about her identity during the years of war. FYI: she fought in the war for 12 years. How on earth did she keep that a secret for 12 years?? During which time, she was promoted to a general and given high me
Chinese legend also has it that during the war, she met an officer, who is normally named Jin Yong, with whom she fell in love. After the war, when Jin Yong learned that Mulan was a woman, he became attracted to her. In many versions of the story, both Mulan and Jin Yong dreamt about getting married. In time, other soldiers also started to find out that Mulan was a woman. Supposedly, one day, before a very difficult battle, Mulan decided to go onto the battlefield in women’s clothing so her soldiers would realize her true identity. The reaction of the soldiers was one full of respect and admiration. They were overwhelmed by her bravery, grace, and wisdom. With that, she inspired her army to win the battle once more.
Here’s when the folklore takes a dark turn (far away from Disney’s happily-ever-after). After another heroic triumph, the emperor wanted to reward Mulan. He was surprised that the bravest of his soldiers was a female. He then asked her to be his concubine. When forced to become the emperor’s concubine, Mulan instead decided to commit suicide. Many variations of the story also say that when Mulan returned home she discovered that her father passed away. She is also depicted in these folk tales as haunted by her experiences on the battlefield.
Turns out, there was no Happily Ever After for our beloved Chinese Disney Princess in real life after all.
We’ve also included the original text of the folklore, known as the Ballad of Mulan:
Since it is a Chinese poetry, grammar structures found here may seem unfamiliar.
唧唧复唧唧，木兰当户织。不闻机杼声，惟闻女叹息。
问女何所思，问女何所忆。女亦无所思，女亦无所忆。昨夜见军帖，可汗大点兵。军书十二卷，卷卷有爷名。阿爷无大儿，木兰无长兄。愿为市鞍马，从此替爷征。
东市买骏马，西市买鞍鞯，南市买辔头，北市买长鞭。旦辞爷娘去，暮宿黄河边。不闻爷娘唤女声，但闻黄河流水鸣溅溅。旦辞黄河去，暮至黑山头。不闻爷娘唤女声，但闻燕山胡骑鸣啾啾。
万里赴戎机，关山度若飞。朔气传金柝，寒光照铁衣。将军百战死，壮士十年归。
归来见天子，天子坐明堂。策勋十二转，赏赐百千强。可汗问所欲，木兰不用尚书郎，愿驰千里足，送儿还故乡。
爷娘闻女来，出郭相扶将；阿姊闻妹来，当户理红妆；小弟闻姊来，磨刀霍霍向猪羊。开我东阁门，坐我西阁床。脱我战时袍，著我旧时裳。当窗理云鬓，对镜帖花黄。出门看火伴，火伴皆惊忙：同行十二年，不知木兰是女郎。
雄兔脚扑朔，雌兔眼迷离；双兔傍地走，安能辨我是雄雌？
Ji ji
and
again
ji ji, Mulan
weaves,
facing
the
door. You
don’t
hear
the
shuttle’s
sound, You
only
hear
Daughter’s
sighs.
They
ask
Daughter
who’s
in
her
heart, They
ask
Daughter
who’s
on
her
mind. “No
one
is
on
Daughter’s
heart, No
one
is
on
Daughter’s
mind. Last
night
I
saw
the
draft
posters, The
Khan
is
calling
many
troops. The
army
list
is
in
twelve
scrolls, On
every
scroll
there’s
Father’s
name. Father
has
no
grown‑up
son, Mulan
has
no
elder
brother. I
want
to
buy
a
saddle
and
horse, And
serve
in
the
army
in
Father’s
place.”
In
the
East
Market
she
buys
a
spirited
horse, In
the
West
Market
she
buys
a
saddle, In
the
South
Market
she
buys
a
bridle, In
the
North Market
she
buys
a
long
whip. At
dawn
she
takes
leave
of
Father
and
Mother, In
the
evening
camps
on
the
Yellow
River’s
bank. She
doesn’t
hear
the
sound
of
Father
and
Mother
calling, She
only
hears
the
Yellow
River’s
flowing
water
cry
tsien
tsien.
At
dawn
she
takes
leave
of
the
Yellow
River, In
the
evening
she
arrive s
at
Black
Mountain. She
doesn’t
hear
the
sound
of
Father
and
Mother
calling, She
only
hears
Mount
Yen’s
nomad
horses
cry
tsiu
tsiu.
She
goes
ten
thousand
miles
on
the
business
of
war, She
crosses
passes
and
mountains
like
flying. Northern
gusts
carry
the
rattle
of
army
pots, Chilly
light
shines
on
iron
armor. Generals
die
in
a
hundred
battles, Stout
soldiers
return
after
ten
years.
On
her
return
she
sees
the
Son
of
Heaven, The
Son
of
Heaven
sits
in
the
Splendid
Hall. He
gives
out
promotions
in
twelve
ranks And
prizes
of
a
hundred
thousand
and
more. The
Khan
asks
her
what
she
desires. “Mulan
has
no
use
for
a
minister’s
post. I
wish
to
ride
a
swift
mount, To take
me
back
to
my
home.”
When
Father
and
Mother
hear
Daughter
is
coming They
go
outside
the
wall
to
meet
her,
leaning
on
each
other. When
Elder
Sister
hears
Younger
Sister
is
coming, she
fixes
her
rouge,
facing
the
door. When
Little
Brother
hears
Elder
Sister
is
coming, He
whets
the
knife,
quick
quick,
for
pig
and
sheep.
“I
open
the
door
to
my
east
chamber, I
sit
on
my
couch
in
the
west
room, I
take
off
my
war time
gown, and
put
on
my
old‑time
clothes.” Facing
the
window
she
fixes
her
cloud like
hair, Hanging
up
a
mirror
she
dabs
on
yellow
flower
powder. She
goes
out
the
door
and
sees
her
comrades. Her
comrades
are
all
amazed
and
perplexed. Traveling
together
for
twelve
years They
didn’t
know
Mulan
was
a
girl.
“The
he‑hare’s
feet
go
hop
and
skip, The
she‑hare’s
eyes
are
muddled
and
fuddled. Two
hares
running
side
by
side
close
to
the
ground, How
can
they
tell
if
I
am
he
or
she?”
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