Mulan

History

Hua Mulan is a legendary woman warrior from the Southern and Northern Dynasties, 420 through 589, of China who was originally described in a ballad known as the Ballad of Mulan In the ballad, Hua Mulan takes her aged father's place in the army. She was known for practicing martial arts such as Kung Fu and for being skilled with the sword. She fought for twelve years and gained high merit, but she refused any reward and retired to her hometown instead.

The historical setting of Hua Mulan is in the Han Dynasty. Over a thousand years later, Xu Wei's play from the Ming places her in the Northern Wei (386 through 536), whereas the Qing dynasty Sui Tang Romance has her active around the founding of the Tang c. 620. In 621, the founder of the Tang dynasty was victorious over Wang Shichong and Dou Jiande, the latter of which was the father of Xianniang, another female warrior who became Mulan's laotong in the Sui Tang Romance.

The Real Story

The poem starts with Mulan sitting worriedly at her loom, as one male from each family is called to serve in the army to defend China from invaders. Her father is old and weak and her younger brother is just a child, so she decides to take his place and bids farewell to her parents. After twelve years of fighting, the army returns and the warriors are rewarded. Mulan turns down an official post, and asks only for a swift horse to carry her home. She is greeted with joy by her family. Mulan dons her old clothes and meets her comrades, who are shocked that in their years traveling together, they did not realize that she was a woman.