Mulan
Promotional Poster For Mulan
Directed by	Tony Bancroft Barry Cook
Produced by	Pam Coats
Written by	Robert D. San Souci
Starring	Ming-Na Eddie Murphy B.D. Wong Miguel Ferrer Harvey Fierstein Beth Fowler
Music by	Jerry Goldsmith
Distributed by	Walt Disney Pictures
Release date(s)	June 19, 1998
Running time	88 minutes
Language	English
Budget	$90,000,000
Gross revenue	$303,500,000
Followed by	Mulan II (2005)
Official website
All Movie Guide profile
IMDb profile

Mulan is a 1998 animated feature film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation, and released by Walt Disney Pictures on June 19, 1998. The thirty-sixth animated feature in the Disney animated features canon, the film is loosely based on the Chinese legend of Hua Mulan,^[1] and was the first of three produced primarily at the animation studio at Disney-MGM Studios in Orlando, Florida.^[2] It was directed by Tony Bancroft and Barry Cook, with the story by Robert D. San Souci among others.^[3] The film was praised for its stunning visuals and for portraying an independent and dominant female, and earned over $300 million in worldwide box office. Oil painting on silk, Hua Mulan Goes to War Hua Mulan (Traditional Chinese: ; Simplified Chinese: ; pinyin: ) is the heroine who joined an all-male army described in a famous Chinese poem known as the Ballad of Mulan. ... This article is about the Disney character. ... Mulan movie poster This work is copyrighted. ... Ming-Na (born November 20, 1963) is a Chinese-American actress. ... For the article on the baseball player Eddie Murphy, see Eddie Murphy (baseball player). ... B.D. Wong in L&O:SVU B.D. Wong (Chinese: 黃榮亮; Hanyu Pinyin: ; born October 24, 1962) is an openly gay American actor who has had roles in All American Girl, Oz, Jurassic Park and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. ... Miguel Ferrer (born February 7, 1955) is an actor of Puerto Rican-Irish-American descent who is often cast in movies as a villain. ... Harvey Fierstein (born June 6, 1952) is a Tony Award-winning and Emmy Award-nominated American actor, playwright, and screenwriter. ... Beth Fowler (born November 1, 1940) is an American actress and singer. ... Jerrald King Goldsmith (February 10, 1929 – July 21, 2004) was a famous American film score composer from Los Angeles, California. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... is the 170th day of the year (171st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar). ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Mulan II DVD Cover Mulan II is a Disney direct-to-video animated feature released in 2004 and a sequel to the 1998 animated film Mulan. ... Animation refers to the technique in which each frame of a film or movie is produced individually, whether generated as a computer graphic, or by photographing a drawn image, or by repeatedly making small changes to a model (see claymation and stop motion), and then photographing the result. ... Walt Disney Feature Animation (WDFA) is the animation studio that makes up a key element of The Walt Disney Company. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... is the 170th day of the year (171st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar). ... Animation refers to the technique in which each frame of a film or movie is produced individually, whether generated as a computer graphic, or by photographing a drawn image, or by repeatedly making small changes to a model (see claymation and stop motion), and then photographing the result. ... This is a list of animated feature films produced by Walt Disney Productions/The Walt Disney Company: Official canon The following is a list of the forty-four feature films officially part of the Walt Disney Feature Animation (WDFA) canon. ... For other uses, see Legendary (disambiguation). ... Oil painting on silk, Hua Mulan Goes to War Hua Mulan (Traditional Chinese: ; Simplified Chinese: ; pinyin: ) is the heroine who joined an all-male army described in a famous Chinese poem known as the Ballad of Mulan. ... Disney-MGM Studios is a theme park in the Walt Disney World Resort, Florida, USA. It opened on May 1, 1989. ... Nickname: Location in Orange County and the state of Florida. ...

Plot

When the Huns, led by the ruthless Shan Yu (Miguel Ferrer), invade China, each family is given a conscription notice. Mulan's father, Fa Zhou (Soon-Tek Oh) has to serve in the army being the only male, but he will not survive. Fa Mulan (Ming-Na Wen) disguises herself as a man, then takes her father's conscription notice, armor, and weapons. She rides away on her horse, Khan, to join the army, knowing that if she were caught she would be killed. The Huns were an early confederation of Central Asian equestrian nomads or semi-nomads. ... Shan Yu Shan Yu (or Shan-Yu, as he is sometimes called) is the villain of Disneys Mulan. ... Miguel Ferrer (born February 7, 1955) is an actor of Puerto Rican-Irish-American descent who is often cast in movies as a villain. ... Soon-Tek Oh (born 29 June 1943 in Japan) is a Korean-American actor. ... This article is about the Disney character. ... Ming-Na (born November 20, 1963) is a Chinese-American actress. ... Armor or armour (see spelling differences) is protective clothing intended to defend its wearer from intentional harm in combat and military engagements, typically associated with soldiers. ...

Mushu (Eddie Murphy), a small dragon who had been demoted to gong ringer by Mulan's ancestors, is asked to awaken the "Great Stone Dragon". Mushu accidentally destroys the Dragon but realizes that this could be an opportunity to earn his place among the guardians again if he can make Mulan a war hero. Mushu is a dragon on the Disney animated film, Mulan and its sequel Mulan II. He is voiced by Eddie Murphy in his first appearance and Mark Moseley afterwards. ... For the article on the baseball player Eddie Murphy, see Eddie Murphy (baseball player). ... Japanese name Kanji: Hiragana: Korean name Hangul: Hanja: Thai name Thai: Vietnamese name Quoc Ngu: Han Tu: The Chinese dragon is a mythical Chinese creature that also appears in other East Asian cultures, and is also sometimes called the Oriental (or Eastern) dragon. ...

Mulan trains with a group led by Captain Li Shang (B.D. Wong), including fellow soldiers Ling (Gedde Watanabe), Yao (Harvey Fierstein), and Chien Po (Jerry Tondo). The troops complete their training, but Chi Fu (James Hong), the Emperor's meddling and misogynistic adviser refuses to let them see battle, accusing the troops of being ill prepared. Mushu forges a letter from the General, ordering Li Shang to take his men to battle. The troops set out to meet General Li (James Shigeta), who has already left on a mission. However, Li Shang and his troops discover that the General and his men were killed in battle. Li Shang is a male protagonist and fictional Chinese army captain from Disneys 1998 theatrical animated feature Mulan, and its 2005 direct-to-video sequel Mulan II. He also appears in the Square Enix Playstation 2 game Kingdom Hearts II. His speaking voice was provided by B.D... B.D. Wong in L&O:SVU B.D. Wong (Chinese: 黃榮亮; Hanyu Pinyin: ; born October 24, 1962) is an openly gay American actor who has had roles in All American Girl, Oz, Jurassic Park and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. ... Gedde Watanabe (born June 26, 1955, Ogden, Utah) is the stage name of Gary Watanabe, a Japanese American actor. ... Harvey Fierstein (born June 6, 1952) is a Tony Award-winning and Emmy Award-nominated American actor, playwright, and screenwriter. ... Jerry Tondo is an american actor who provided the voice of Chien-Po in the animated movie Mulan. ... This biographical article or section needs additional references for verification. ... James Shigeta (born June 17, 1933) is an American film and television actor. ...

Captain Li Shang and his troops continue, disheartened by their loss, when they are ambushed by Hun archers. After an initial attack, the Huns are believed to be defeated, but the troops soon discover otherwise. As they are setting up the last cannon to fire at the Huns, Mulan spots a precarious mound of snow on the upper mountain side. As the Huns charge down the mountain Mulan takes the cannon and fires the rocket at the snow mound. The collision of the rocket and the snow mound causes an avalanche which spreads over the charging Huns, burying them. Captain Li's soldiers take refuge while Mulan rescues Captain Li from being swept away by the snow. A Himalayan avalanche near Mount Everest. ...

During treatment, Mulan's true identity is discovered. Captain Li is notified and is expected to execute Mulan, but spares her life and considers his pardon an exchange for Mulan saving his own life. Instead, Captain Li expels her from the army. Mulan decides to return home but hears the Huns emerging from the snow that had blanketed them during the earlier battle. She tries to warn Captain Li's troops as they are heralded by citizens in a parade for their war efforts, but they do not listen. As the Emperor (Pat Morita) addresses the crowd, the Huns, disguised as parade characters, kidnap him. Noriyuki Pat Morita (June 28, 1932 – November 24, 2005) was an American actor who is probably best known for playing the roles of Arnold on the TV show Happy Days and Mr. ...

Captain Li and his troops try to follow the Huns into the palace but are unsuccessful. Mulan devises a ploy with the other soldiers to dress as concubines, scale the castle wall and infiltrate the castle. When the Huns lower their defenses in the presence of the "women", Mulan and her friends swiftly dispatch them all. During this attack the Emperor is safely removed from the palace by Chien Po, but Captain Li and Mulan are both trapped on the balcony with Shan Yu. Shan Yu is about kill Captain Li when Mulan gets his attention. The Hun recognizes her from the mountain battle and gives chase. Mulan lures Shan Yu onto the palace rooftop, where Mushu propels a huge firecracker that hits Shan Yu and carries him off to his death. A swampy marsh area ...

The Emperor meets Mulan and, in an accusatory tone, lists Mulan's crimes, but he pardons her. The Emperor then bows to Mulan, which is considered an extremely high honor as it implys being of a higher status than the Emperor, and the crowd follow suit. The Emperor then offers Mulan a position in his staff but Mulan refuses the offer and confesses that she wants to return home. He gives her Shan Yu's sword, along with his crest, for her to bring home and give honour to her family. CREST (Cant Really Expect Settlement Today) is the Central Securities Depository for the U.K., Republic of Ireland, Isle of Man and Jersey equities and UK gilts. ...

Upon her return, Mulan expects to be reprimanded but is instead embraced by her family. Captain Li arrives to talk with Mulan, having been encouraged to propose. The ancestors reluctantly agree to make Mushu a guardian once more.

Production

Mulan's development begun in 1994, after the production team sent a select group of artistic supervisors to China for three weeks to take photographs and drawings of local landmarks for inspiration; and to soak up local culture.^[2]

To create 2,000 Hun soldiers during the Huns' attack sequence, the production team developed a crowd simulation software called Attila. This software allows thousands of unique characters to move autonomously. A variant of the program called Dynasty was used in the final battle sequence to create a crowd of 3,000 in the Forbidden City. Pixar's photorealistic RenderMan was used to render the crowd. Another software developed for this movie was Faux Plane which was used to add depth to flat two-dimensional painting. Although developed late in production progress, Faux Plane was used in five shots, including the dramatic sequence which features the Great Wall of China, and the final battle sequence when Mulan runs to the Forbidden City. During the scene in which the Chinese are bowing to Mulan, the crowd is a panoramic film of real people bowing. It was edited into the animated foreground of the scene. ^[4] Crowd simulation is the process of simulating the movement of a large number of objects or characters, now often appearing in 3D computer graphics for film. ... Pixars studio lot in Emeryville Pixar Animation Studios is an American computer animation studio based in Emeryville, California (USA) notable for its seven Academy Awards. ... RenderMan is an API developed by Pixar Animation Studios to describe three dimensional scenes and turn them into digital photorealistic images. ...

Cast

From right to left: Khan; Fa Mulan; Mushu; Cri-Kee

• Ming-Na as Fa Mulan (singing voice provided by Lea Salonga), the female protaganist, based on Hua Mulan. She disguises herself as a man and joins the Chinese Imperial Army in her father's place. Instead of being punished for doing so, she ends up a war hero.
• Eddie Murphy as Mushu, a dragon and one of the Fa family's guardian spirits, previously demoted after misguiding one of the Fa family ancestors. He is reinstated as a guardian after successfully aiding Mulan in her efforts in the army.
• B.D. Wong as Captain Li Shang (singing voice provided by Donny Osmond), the son of General Li and the officer in charge of training the Imperial Army's new recruits.
• Miguel Ferrer as Shan Yu, the film's main villain and the head of the Hun army who attempts to conquer the Chinese Empire.
• Harvey Fierstein as Yao, a short but tough Imperial Army recruit who befriends Mulan.
• Gedde Watanabe as Ling (singing voice provided by Matthew Wilder), a lanky Imperial Army recruit who befriends Mulan.
• Jerry Tondo as Chien-Po, an overweight and good-natured Imperial Army recruit who befriends Mulan.
• James Hong as Chi-Fu, a member of the Emperor's consul and advisor to Li Shang who refuses to allow the recruits to join the battle against the Huns.
• Soon-Tek Oh as Fa Zhou, Mulan's father and a renowned war veteran.
• June Foray as Grandmother Fa (singing voice provided by Marni Nixon), the grandmother of Mulan, who is encouraging her to find a husband.
• Pat Morita as The Emperor of China, the target of a Hun kidnapping and commends Mulan after saving him and the Chinese Empire.
• George Takei as First Ancestor Fa, the head of the Fa family ancestors.
• Freda Foh Shen as Fa Li, Mulan's mother.
• James Shigeta as General Li, Li Shang's father who was killed in a battle against the Hun army.
• Miriam Margolyes as The Matchmaker, who attempts to find Mulan a husband at the start of the film.
• Frank Welker as Khan, Mulan's horse, and Cri-Kee, a cricket given to Mulan as an amulet.

Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... This article is about the Disney character. ... Mushu is a dragon on the Disney animated film, Mulan and its sequel Mulan II. He is voiced by Eddie Murphy in his first appearance and Mark Moseley afterwards. ... Ming-Na (born November 20, 1963) is a Chinese-American actress. ... This article is about the Disney character. ... Lea Salonga-Chien (born Maria Ligaya Carmen Imutan Salonga on February 22, 1971 in Angeles City) is a Tony, Drama Desk, and Theatre World Award-winning Filipino singer and actress who is best known for her portrayal of Kim in the musical Miss Saigon. ... Oil painting on silk, Hua Mulan Goes to War Hua Mulan (Traditional Chinese: ; Simplified Chinese: ; pinyin: ) is the heroine who joined an all-male army described in a famous Chinese poem known as the Ballad of Mulan. ... For the article on the baseball player Eddie Murphy, see Eddie Murphy (baseball player). ... Mushu is a dragon on the Disney animated film, Mulan and its sequel Mulan II. He is voiced by Eddie Murphy in his first appearance and Mark Moseley afterwards. ... B.D. Wong in L&O:SVU B.D. Wong (Chinese: 黃榮亮; Hanyu Pinyin: ; born October 24, 1962) is an openly gay American actor who has had roles in All American Girl, Oz, Jurassic Park and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. ... Li Shang is a male protagonist and fictional Chinese army captain from Disneys 1998 theatrical animated feature Mulan, and its 2005 direct-to-video sequel Mulan II. He also appears in the Square Enix Playstation 2 game Kingdom Hearts II. His speaking voice was provided by B.D... Donald Clark Donny Osmond (born December 9, 1957) is an American Welsh entertainer. ... Miguel Ferrer (born February 7, 1955) is an actor of Puerto Rican-Irish-American descent who is often cast in movies as a villain. ... Shan Yu Shan Yu (or Shan-Yu, as he is sometimes called) is the villain of Disneys Mulan. ... China is the worlds oldest continuous major civilization, with written records dating back about 3,500 years and with 5,000 years being commonly used by Chinese as the age of their civilization. ... Harvey Fierstein (born June 6, 1952) is a Tony Award-winning and Emmy Award-nominated American actor, playwright, and screenwriter. ... Gedde Watanabe (born June 26, 1955, Ogden, Utah) is the stage name of Gary Watanabe, a Japanese American actor. ... Matthew Wilder (born Matthew Weiner on January 24, 1953 in New York City) is an American musician best known for his 1983 hit Break My Stride. ... Jerry Tondo is an american actor who provided the voice of Chien-Po in the animated movie Mulan. ... This biographical article or section needs additional references for verification. ... Soon-Tek Oh (born 29 June 1943 in Japan) is a Korean-American actor. ... War Veteran is a science fiction short story by Philip K. Dick. ... June Foray (born September 18, 1917) is an extremely versatile voice actor who has worked for most of the studios which produced animated films since the 1940s. ... Marni Nixon (born February 22, 1930) is a singer whose renown for dubbing the singing voices of featured actresses in movies earned her the sobriquet The Ghostess with the Mostess. She was born Margaret McEathron in Altadena, California and began singing at a young age in choruses. ... Noriyuki Pat Morita (June 28, 1932 – November 24, 2005) was an American actor who is probably best known for playing the roles of Arnold on the TV show Happy Days and Mr. ... China is the worlds oldest continuous major civilization, with written records dating back about 3,500 years and with 5,000 years being commonly used by Chinese as the age of their civilization. ... George Hosato Takei (IPA: ) (born April 20, 1937) is an American actor known for his role in the TV series Star Trek, in which he played the helmsman Hikaru Sulu on the USS Enterprise. ... Freda Foh Shen played the mother in the Chinese-American family drama Red Doors. ... James Shigeta (born June 17, 1933) is an American film and television actor. ... Margolyes as Professor Sprout in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Miriam Margolyes OBE (born May 18, 1941) is a British character actress. ... Franklin W. Welker (born February 16, 1945) is an American voice actor. ... Subfamilies See Taxonomy section Crickets, family Gryllidae (also known as true crickets), are insects somewhat related to grasshoppers and more closely related to katydids or bush crickets (order Orthoptera). ... An amulet from the Black Pullet grimoire An amulet (from Latin amuletum, meaning A means of protection) or a talisman (from Arabic tilasm, ultimately from Greek telesma or from the Greek word talein wich means to initiate into the mysteries. ...

Reception

Critical reaction

Reception of Mulan was mostly positive, gathering a 90% fresh rating from Rotten Tomatoes.^[5] The visuals have been described as stunning,^[6] breathtaking ^[7] and magnificently animated.^[8] Many praise the movie for attempting something new. Fa Mulan is unlike a traditional Disney heroine, suggesting that she is independant and brave; without being overtly glamorous.^[6][7] This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...

Those who criticise it describe it as "instantly forgettable." The songs are accused of not being memorable, and slowing the pace of the movie down.^[9] Some reviewers suggest that the film is "soulless" in its portrayal of Asian society.^[10]

This movie was also the subject of comment from feminist critics. Mimi Nguyen says the film "pokes fun at the ultimately repressive gender roles that seek to make Mulan a domesticated creature."^[11] Nadya Labi agrees, saying "there is a lyric in the film that gives the lie to the bravado of the entire girl-power movement." However, she pointed out that she needed to become a boy to do it. Kathleen Karlyn, an assistant professor of English at the University of Oregon, criticises it suggesting "In order to even imagine female heroism, we're placing it in the realm of fantasy" Pam Coats, producer of Mulan, aimed to produce a character that exhibits both masculine and feminine influences, being both physically and mentally strong.^[12]

Box office performance

Mulan's opening weekend box office figures were $22.8 million,^[13] placing it as the second highest grossing movie that week to The X-Files.^[14] It went on to make $120 million domestically and $304 million worldwide, placing it the second highest family film of the year, behind A Bug's Life, and the 7th highest of the year overall.^[15] However, these figures were criticised as being a significant decrease from former Disney films, and this was considered a sign of the decreasing popularity of cartoon animation.^[16] Top international releases include United Kingdom ($14.6 million) and France ($10.2 million).^[17] ISO 4217 Code USD User(s) the United States, the British Indian Ocean Territory,[1] the British Virgin Islands, East Timor, Ecuador, El Salvador, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Palau, Panama, Caicos Islands, and the insular areas of the United States Inflation 2. ... The X Files (sometimes known as The X Files: Fight the Future) is a 1998 movie which is part of the television series The X-Files. ... A Bugs Life is a CGI film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures and Buena Vista Distribution in the United States on November 25, 1998, in Australia on January 12, 1999 and in the United Kingdom on 5 February 1999. ...

Awards

Mulan won many Annie Awards. The film itself won the award for Best Animated Theatrical theatres. Individual achievement awards were awarded to Pam Coats for producing; Barry Cook and Tony Bancroft for Directing; Rita Hsiao, Christopher Sanders, Phillip LaZebnick, Raymond Singer and Eugenia Bostwick-Singer in Writing; Chris Sanders for Storyboarding; Hans Bacher for Production Design; David Tidgwell for Effects Animation; Ming-Na for Voice Acting Mulan; Matthew Wilder, David Zippel and Jerry Goldsmith for music and Ruben A. Aquino for Character Animation. Tom Bancroft and Mark Henn were also nominated for Character Animation^[18]. It was also nominated for an Academy Award for Original Music Score in 1998, but was beaten by Stephen Warbeck's score for Shakespeare in Love.^[19] The music score also received significant praise. Jerry Goldsmith won the 1999 BMI Film Music Award and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score in 1998. Matthew Wilder and David Zippel were also nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song the same year for "Reflection". They were beaten by The Truman Show and "The Prayer" from Quest for Camelot respectively.^[20] The Annie Awards are given to actors for their work in voice-overs including those done in animated film, video games and other vocally-driven art. ... Ming-Na (born November 20, 1963) is a Chinese-American actress. ... Matthew Wilder (born Matthew Weiner on January 24, 1953 in New York City) is an American musician best known for his 1983 hit Break My Stride. ... David Zippel is an American Tony Award-winning Musical theatre lyricist. ... Jerrald King Goldsmith (February 10, 1929 – July 21, 2004) was a famous American film score composer from Los Angeles, California. ... Ruben A. Aquino is a Disney Animator, whose work includes that of Chief Powhatan in Pocahontas, Maurice in Beauty and the Beast, Denahi in Brother Bear, and Shang in Mulan. ... Tom Bancroft (Born in London in 1967), Tom Bancroft is a jazz drummer and composer. ... The Academy Award for Original Music Score is presented to the best substantial body of music in the form of dramatic underscoring written specifically for the film by the submitting composer. ... Stephen Warbeck (born 1948) is a British composer, best known for his film and television scores. ... Shakespeare in Love is an award-winning 1998 romantic comedy film. ... Broadcast Music, Incorporated (BMI) is a performance rights organization. ... For the main article see Golden Globe Awards. ... For the main article see Golden Globe Awards. ... Reflection is the first and only single from the Mulan Soundtrack. ... The Truman Show is a 1998 film directed by Peter Weir, written by Andrew Niccol, and starring Jim Carrey and Ed Harris. ... The Prayer is a duet between Céline Dion and Andrea Bocelli. ... Quest for Camelot is an animated feature from Warner Bros. ...

Reception in China

Disney was keen to promote Mulan to the Chinese, hoping they might replicate their success with their 1994 film The Lion King, which was one of the country's highest-grossing Western films at that time. Disney also hoped it might smooth over relations with the Chinese government which had soured after the release of Kundun, a Disney-funded biography of the Dalai Lama that the Chinese government considered politically provocative.^[21] China had threatened to curtail business negotiations with Disney over that film and, as the government only accepts 10 Western films per year to be shown in their country, Mulan's chances of being accepted were low.^[22] Finally, after a year's delay, the Chinese government did allow the film a limited Chinese release, but only after the Chinese New Year, so as to ensure that local films dominated the more lucrative holiday market.^[23][24] Kelly Chen and Coco Lee voiced Mulan in the Cantonese and Mandarin dubs of the film respectively, while Jackie Chan voiced Shang in both dubs. Disney may refer to: The Walt Disney Company and its divisions, including Walt Disney Pictures. ... The Lion King is a 1994 animated feature Academy Award-winning film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. ... Kundun is a 1997 film written by Melissa Mathison and directed by Martin Scorsese, both of whom (along with several other members of the production) were banned by the Chinese Government from ever entering Tibet as a result of making the film. ... The 13th Dalai Lama, Thubten Gyatso (1876-1933). ... The West can refer to : The U.S. West or the American West The Western world, or Western Civilization. ... Chinese New Year (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; Pinyin: ), or Spring Festival or the Lunar New Year (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; Pinyin: ), is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. ... Kelly Chen (Traditional Chinese: ; Simplified Chinese: ; Pinyin: ; Cantonese: Chan4 Wai6 Lam4), born Vivian Chen Wai Man 陳慧汶 on September 13, 1973 in Hong Kong, is a Hong Kong based singer and actress. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Cantonese is a major dialect group or language of the Chinese language, a member of the Sino-Tibetan family of languages. ... This article is on all of the Northern and Southwestern Chinese dialects. ... Chan Kong-Sang (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: ), also known as Jackie Chan Sing Lung (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: ) or Jackie Chan SBS, (born on April 7, 1954) is a Chinese martial artist, action star, actor, director, screenwriter, film producer, singer and stunt performer. ...

Chinese Culture in Mulan

The Legend of Hua Mulan

Main article: Hua Mulan

The Chinese legend of Hua Mulan (Traditional Chinese: 花木蘭; Simplified Chinese: 花木兰; Pinyin: Huā Mùlán) is the heroine who joined an all-male army described in a famous Chinese poem known as the Ballad of Mulan. The poem was first written in the Musical Records of Old and New from the 6th century, the century before the founding of the Tang Dynasty; the original work no longer exists, and the original text of this poem comes from another work known as the Music Bureau Collection, an anthology of lyrics, songs, and poems, compiled by Guo Maoqian during the 12th century. The author explicitly mentions the Musical Records of Old and New as his source for the poem. Whether she was a historical person or whether the poem was an allegory has been debated through centuries. It is unknown whether the story has any factual basis. Oil painting on silk, Hua Mulan Goes to War Hua Mulan (Traditional Chinese: ; Simplified Chinese: ; pinyin: ) is the heroine who joined an all-male army described in a famous Chinese poem known as the Ballad of Mulan. ...

Overview

In the story, Mulan disguised herself as a man to take her elderly father's place in the army. She dressed as a man and disguised herself as a soldier. She was later offered a government post by the emperor himself after her service was up. However, unwilling to commit anymore to the forces, she turned down the position so she could return to her family immediately. When her former colleagues visited her at home, they were shocked to see her dressed as a woman. The poem ends with the image of a female hare (Mulan) and a male hare (her comrades) running side by side, and the narrator asking how anyone could tell them apart.

The time setting of the story is uncertain. The earliest accounts of the legend state that she lived during the Northern Wei dynasty (386–534). However another version reports that Mulan was requested as a concubine by Emperor Yang of Sui China (reigned 604–617). Evidence from the extant poem suggests the earlier interpretation.

The poem is a ballad, meaning that the lines do not necessarily have equal numbers of syllables. The poem is mostly composed of five-character phrases, with just a few extending to seven or nine.

There are three uses of onomatopoeia in the poem. The sound of Mulan's weaving (or her lamentations) is 唧唧 jǐ-jǐ (i.e., "click-clack"); the Yellow River babbles 濺濺 jiàn-jiàn (i.e., "splish-splash") to her as she departs from it; at the military encampment the horses cry 啾啾 jiū-jiū (i.e., they whinny).

The story was expanded into a novel during the late Ming Dynasty (1368–1644). On June 5, 1998, Disney released an animated movie entitled Mulan loosely based on the story. In 2005–2006, the movie was replicated as a playable world in the video game Kingdom Hearts II.

Language

The script used for most of the text in Mulan is Traditional Chinese, which is no longer used in daily life on Mainland China (but still used in Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan and many overseas Chinese communities), although people are still able to read it. The traditional name for the leaders of the Central Asian Huns was Shanyu. The war between the Huns and China was real, called the Sino-Xiongnu War. Traditional Chinese (Traditional Chinese: 正體字/繁體字, Simplified Chinese: 正体字/繁体字) refers to one of two standard sets of printed Chinese characters. ... ... A Xiongnu belt buckle. ... Combatants Xiongnu Han Dynasty Strength Varied, ranging from around 100,000 to over 200,000, mostly cavalry Varied but estimated at around 300,000 maximum The Sino-Xiongnu War is a name given to a series of battle between the Han Dynasty and the tribes of Xiongnu between 133 BC...

When Mulan masquerades as a man, her name is a pun in Chinese. Her first name is "Ping" (瓶), meaning pot and her Surname (Placed first using Chinese naming conventions) means Flower (花). Together they make "Flowerpot"; a Chinese term meaning an effeminate man. According to Orpheus in Mayfair and Other Stories and Sketches by Maurice Baring, "Ping" in Chinese means soldier-man, and if you wish to express your contempt for a man there is no word in the whole of the Chinese language which expresses it so fully and so emphatically as the word Ping^[25] Chi Fu's name literally means, in Chinese, "to pester or annoy". A pun (also known as paronomasia) is a figure of speech, or word play which consists of a deliberate confusion of similar words within a phrase or phrases for rhetorical effect, whether humorous or serious. ...

Music

Main article: Mulan: An Original Walt Disney Records Soundtrack

The movie's soundtrack is credited for starting the career of pop princess Christina Aguilera, whose first song to be released in the U.S. was her rendition of 'Reflection', the 1st single from the 'Mulan' soundtrack. Reception for the song, and Aguilera's vocals were so well received, that it landed her a recording contract with RCA records.^[26] In 1999, she would go on to release her self-titled debut album, on which 'Reflection' was also included. As well as her own, the pop version of "Reflection" has 2 Spanish translations, because the movie has separate Spanish translations for Spain (performed by Malú) and Latin America (performed by Lucero). Christina María Aguilera, born December 18, 1980, is an American pop singer and songwriter. ... Reflection is the first and only single from the Mulan Soundtrack. ... Christina Aguilera is the self-titled debut album of pop singer Christina Aguilera. ... Malú (born 1982 in Madrid) is a Spanish multi-selling singer. ... Latin America consists of the countries of South America and some of North America (including Central America and some the islands of the Caribbean) whose inhabitants mostly speak Romance languages, although Native American languages are also spoken. ... For the punk/country band named Lucero, see Lucero (band) Lucero (born Lucero Hogaza León on August 29, 1969 in Mexico City), is an actress and singer. ...

Lea Salonga, the singing voice of Mulan in the movie, is also the singing voice of Princess Jasmine in Aladdin. The music featured during the haircut scene, often referred as the Mulan Decision score, is different in the soundtrack album. The soundtrack album uses an orchestrated score while the movie uses heavy synthesizer music. The synthesizer version is available on limited edition CD.^[27] Salonga, who enjoys singing movie music in her concerts, has done a Disney medley which climaxes with an expanded version of 'Reflection' (not the same as those in Aguilera's version). Salonga also provided the singing voice for Mulan in the movie's sequel, Mulan II. Lea Salonga-Chien (born Maria Ligaya Carmen Imutan Salonga on February 22, 1971 in Angeles City) is a Tony, Drama Desk, and Theatre World Award-winning Filipino singer and actress who is best known for her portrayal of Kim in the musical Miss Saigon. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This article is about the Disney film. ... Synthesizer as used in music, is a term derived from a Greek word syntithetai < synthesis (συντίθεται < σύνθεσις) and is used to describe a device capable of generating and/or manipulating electronic signals for use in music creation, recording and performance. ... Mulan II DVD Cover Mulan II is a Disney direct-to-video animated feature released in 2004 and a sequel to the 1998 animated film Mulan. ...

The song "I'll Make a Man Out of You" was performed by Donny Osmond, who commented that his children decided that he had finally "made it" in show business when he was in a Disney film.^[28]

References in Other Media

References to Mulan in Disney Media

• When Mulan sings Reflection, in her father's shrine, her reflection appears in the polished surface of the temple stones. The writing on the stones is the names of the Disney animators who worked on the film written in ancient Chinese.^[29]
• In the scene where Mushu awakens the ancestors, one set of grandparents worry that Mulan's quest will ensure her family loses their farm. This couple appears to be the couple on the farm in Grant Wood's famous painting 'American Gothic.'
• There are a number of Hidden Mickeys in this film, including the spots on Shang's horse's neck and rump and in the training sequences, the first time the soldiers use their rockets.

Mushu in the game Kingdom Hearts

• Although she is not a princess, Mulan is often regarded as one of the Disney Princesses.^[2].
• Mulan is present in the Disney and Square Enix video game series Kingdom Hearts. In the first Kingdom Hearts and in Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, Mushu is a summonable character, ^[30] and in Kingdom Hearts II, the movie is featured as a playable world named "The Land of Dragons", with the plot being changed to accommodate the game's protagonists (Sora, Donald and Goofy) and Mulan able to join the player's party as a skilled sword fighter.^[30]

This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Hidden Mickeys started out as inside jokes within Walt Disney Imagineering. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Kingdom Hearts video game. ... Disney Princesses are fictional characters who have been featured as part of the Disney character line-up. ... SQUARE ENIX (Japanese: &#12473;&#12463;&#12454;&#12455;&#12450;&#12539;&#12456;&#12491;&#12483;&#12463;&#12473;) is a Japanese producer of popular video games and manga. ... Kingdom Hearts ) is a series of action role-playing games developed and published by Square Enix (formerly Square), for the Sony PlayStation 2 and Nintendo Game Boy Advance. ... Kingdom Hearts video game. ... Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories is a video game for the Game Boy Advance and the second installment in the Kingdom Hearts series, bridging the gap between Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts II. This game was released in the United States on December 7, 2004. ... Kingdom Hearts II ) is an action role-playing game developed by Square Enix Co. ... In computer and video games, a level (sometimes called a stage, course, round, world, map or landscape) is a separate area in a games virtual world, in modern games typically representing a specific location such as a building or a city. ... Square Enixs Kingdom Hearts series takes place in an unnamed outer space-like fictional universe with numerous self-contained worlds to explore over the course of play. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Characters of Kingdom Hearts. ... Donald Duck is an animated cartoon and comic-book character from Walt Disney Productions. ... It has been suggested that Goofy holler be merged into this article or section. ...

References to Mulan in Popular Culture

• The British sitcom Spaced referenced Mulan in the second episode of the second series. In the show, characters are frequently hard-pressed to draw a line between fantasy and reality, and in this scene the character Daisy recalls Mulan as someone she has met "when she was traveling" until another character reminds her it was 'a Disney film'. Daisy also sings a very badly-remembered line of 'Reflection'.^[31]
• In the television show Firefly, Shepherd Book mentions a Chinese warlord named Shan Yu who purportedly believed you could only truly know a man by torturing him.^[32]
• Comedian Margaret Cho referred to a fish and rice diet a tabloid (falsely) reported her adhering to as being "so Mulan," in that it was based on the stereotypes of her ethnic background.^[33]
• In South Park episode "Miss teacher bangs a boy", when Miss Stephenson attempts to flee with with Ike to Milan, he replies "yay, Mulan!"

Spaced is a British television situation comedy written by and starring Simon Pegg and Jessica Stevenson, and directed by Edgar Wright. ... Firefly is an American science fiction television series created by writer/director Joss Whedon, creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, under his Mutant Enemy Productions. ... Shepherd Book Book is a holy man or Shepherd, played by Ron Glass, on board Serenity in the television series Firefly and the movie Serenity. ... Margaret Cho (born December 5, 1968) is an American comedian, fashion designer and actress. ... This article is about the TV series. ...

References

Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 223rd day of the year (224th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) is one of the largest media and entertainment corporations in the world. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 251st day of the year (252nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) is one of the largest media and entertainment corporations in the world. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 251st day of the year (252nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... ‹ The template below (Expand) is being considered for deletion. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 223rd day of the year (224th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 223rd day of the year (224th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 223rd day of the year (224th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 223rd day of the year (224th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 223rd day of the year (224th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 223rd day of the year (224th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 223rd day of the year (224th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 223rd day of the year (224th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 223rd day of the year (224th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 223rd day of the year (224th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 223rd day of the year (224th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 223rd day of the year (224th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 223rd day of the year (224th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 221st day of the year (222nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 221st day of the year (222nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 223rd day of the year (224th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 174th day of the year (175th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 174th day of the year (175th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 174th day of the year (175th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 174th day of the year (175th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 145th day of the year (146th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 209th day of the year (210th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 223rd day of the year (224th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 223rd day of the year (224th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 252nd day of the year (253rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 223rd day of the year (224th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

See also

• Sino-Xiongnu War
• Mulan II
• Cross-dressing in film and television

Combatants Xiongnu Han Dynasty Strength Varied, ranging from around 100,000 to over 200,000, mostly cavalry Varied but estimated at around 300,000 maximum The Sino-Xiongnu War is a name given to a series of battle between the Han Dynasty and the tribes of Xiongnu between 133 BC... Mulan II DVD Cover Mulan II is a Disney direct-to-video animated feature released in 2004 and a sequel to the 1998 animated film Mulan. ... Film poster for Glen or Glenda Cross-dressing in motion pictures began in the early days of the silent films. ...

External links

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to:

Mulan

• Official Site
• Mulan at the Internet Movie Database
• Mulan at the Big Cartoon DataBase