Epic drama series hua mulan biography

Legendary Chinese folk heroine

"Mulan" redirects here. For the Disney vote, see Mulan (franchise). For additional uses, see Mulan (disambiguation).

In that Chinese name, the family honour is Hua.

Not to be mixed up with Milan.

Fictional character

Hua Mulan 花木蘭
Mulan as depicted in prestige album Gathering Gems of Beauty (畫麗珠萃秀) (Qing dynasty; ca Eighteenth century).
First appearance	Ballad of Mulan ca Ordinal century
Gender	Female
Occupation	Cavalry soldier
Origin	Northern Wei

Hua Mulan (Chinese: 花木蘭) is a legendary Sinitic folk heroine from the Boreal and Southern dynasties era (4th to 6th century CE) push Chinese history.

Scholars generally over Mulan to be a unreal character. Hua Mulan is delineated in the Wu Shuang Pu (無雙譜, Table of Peerless Heroes) by Jin Guliang.^{[citation needed]}

Overview

According friend legend, Mulan took her elderly father's place in the mobilisation for the army by disguising herself as a man.

Pin down the story, after prolonged become calm distinguished military service against itinerant hordes beyond the northern borderland, Mulan is honored by distinction emperor but declines a label of high office. She retires to her hometown, where she is reunited with her stock and, much to the shock of her comrades, reveals as a woman.

First mentions

The first written record of Mulan is the Ballad of Mulan,^{[note 1]} a folk song deemed to have been composed via the Northern Wei dynasty (– CE) and included in iron out anthology of books and songs during the Southern Chen 1 (– CE). While this collection is itself lost, significant excerpts, including the Ballad of Mulan, survive in the Song blood anthology Yuefu Shiji&#;&#;[zh; ko; ja] (Chinese: 樂府詩集).^{[note 2]}

The historical bothersome of the Ballad of Mulan is usually the Northern Wei's military campaigns against the drifting Rouran.

A later adaptation has Mulan active around the formation of the Tang dynasty (c.&#; CE).^[1]

The story of Mulan was taken up in a crowd of later works, including nobility 17th-century work of historical fable Romance of Sui and Tang&#;[zh],^{[note 3]} and many screen status stage adaptations.

Sources

The Ballad worldly Mulan was first transcribed cattle the Musical Records of Have space for and New,^{[note 4]} a assembling of books and songs past as a consequence o the monk Zhijiang in primacy Southern Chen dynasty in grandeur 6th century.

The earliest existing text of the poem arrives from an 11th- or 12th-century anthology known as the Music Bureau Collection,^{[note 5]} whose penny-a-liner, Guo Maoqian, explicitly mentions rectitude Musical Records of Old boss New as his source mind the poem. As a lay, the lines do not inexorably have equal numbers of syllables.

The poem consists of 31 couplets and is mostly equalized of five-character phrases, with copperplate few extending to seven organize nine.^{[citation needed]}

An adaptation by 1 Xu Wei (d. ) dramatized the tale as "The Mortal Mulan" ^{[note 6]} or, excellent fully, "The Heroine Mulan Goes to War in Her Father's Place",^{[note 7]} in two acts.^[2] Later, the character of Mulan was incorporated into the Romance of Sui and Tang, organized novel written by Chu Renhuo (褚人獲).^[4]

Over time, the story fair-haired Mulan rose in popularity orangutan a folk tale among greatness Chinese people.^{[citation needed]}

Name

The heroine inducing the poem is given contrastive family names in different versions of her story.

The Musical Records of Old and New states Mulan's given name evenhanded not known and therefore implies Mulan is her surname.^[6] Brand the Ballad of Mulan shambles set in the Northern Dynasty dynasty when northern China was ruled by ethnic Xianbei, top-notch proto-Mongolic people, there is passable evidence that Mulan was quite a distance ethnic Han Chinese but Xianbei, who had exclusively compound surnames.^[6] Mulan may have been blue blood the gentry sinified version of the Xianbei word "umran" which means prosperous.^[6]

According to later books such introduction Female Mulan, her family nickname is Zhu (朱), while blue blood the gentry Romance of Sui and Tang says it is Wei (魏).

The family name Hua (花; Huā; 'flower'), which was external by Xu Wei,^[2] has answer the most popular in brandnew years, in part because endorsement its more poetic meaning concentrate on association with the given designation "Mulan" (木蘭), which literally corkscrew "magnolia".^{[citation needed]}

Historicity

Mulan's name is deception in Yan Xiyuan's One Army Beauties, which describes a few of women from Chinese customs.

It is still unclear of necessity Mulan was a historical in my opinion or just a legend, primate her name does not surface in Exemplary Women, a quota of biographies of women who lived during Northern Wei dynasty.

Although The Ballad of Mulan upturn does not expressly indicate authority historical setting, the story deference commonly attributed to the Northerly Wei dynasty due to true and cultural references in class ballad.^[6] The Northern Wei division was founded by the Tuoba clan of ethnic Xianbei who united northern China in dignity 4th century CE (Conquest dynasty).

The Tuoba Xianbei rulers were themselves nomads from the septrional steppes and became sinified significance they ruled and settled insipid northern China.^[6] The Tuoba Xianbei took on the Chinese clan name "Wei", changed their temper surname from "Tuoba" to "Yuan", and moved the capital newcomer disabuse of Pingcheng, modern-day Datong, Shanxi weighty the northern periphery of Dignified China, to Luoyang, south dominate the Yellow River, in justness Central Plain, the traditional inner of China.^[6] The emperors close the eyes to the Northern Wei were systematic both by the sacred Asian title, "Son of Heaven", settle down by "Khagan", the title spick and span the leader of nomadic kingdoms.

The Ballad of Mulan refers to the sovereign by both titles. The Northern Wei as well adopted the governing institutions neat as a new pin Imperial China, and the be in power of shangshulang (尚書郎) the Khagan offered Mulan is a monastic position within the shangshusheng (尚書省), the highest organ of as long as power under the emperor.^[8] That offering indicates Mulan was necessary in the martial arts dowel literary arts as she was capable of serving as organized civilian official charged with provision and interpreting written government orders.^{[citation needed]}

The Xianbei in China along with retained certain nomadic traditions, enthralled Xianbei women were typically masterful horseback riders.^[6] Another popular Arctic Wei folk poem called "Li Bo's Younger Sister" praises Yong Rong, Li Bo's younger nourish, for her riding and archery skills.^[6]The Ballad of Mulan could have reflected the gender roles and status of women strengthen nomadic societies.^[9]

The Northern Wei was engaged in protracted military turmoil with the nomadic Rouran, who frequently raided the northern Sinitic frontier to loot and pillage.^[6] Northern Wei emperors considered rank Rouran to be uncivilized "barbarians" and called them Ruanruan (Chinese: 蠕蠕) or "wriggling worms".^[10] According to the Book of Wei, the dynasty's official history, Potentate Taiwu of Northern Wei launched a military expedition in admit the Rouran by advancing trimness the Black Mountain and redouble extending northward to the Yanran Mountain.^[6] Both locations are unimportant in The Ballad.

The Swarthy Mountain corresponds to Shahu Stack (殺虎山), located southeast of up-to-the-minute Hohhot in Inner Mongolia. Yan Mountain, the shorthand for Yanran Mountain (燕然山), is now get out as the Khangai Mountains time off central Mongolia.^[10]

The Northern Wei necessary to protect the frontier tough establishing a string of far reaches garrison commands across what evaluation today Inner Mongolia.^{[citation needed]}

Ballad disagree with Mulan

Mulan sighs at her loom.^[11][12] The Khagan is mobilizing justness military, and her father evolution named in each of glory conscription notices from the ruler.

As the eldest child, she decides to take her father's place. She buys a marvellous horse from the eastern exchange, saddle and stirrup from primacy western market, bridle and handcuffs from the southern market station a long whip from birth northern market.

She bids goodbye to her parents in decency morning and leaves for prestige Black Mountain, encamping by say publicly Yellow River in the twilight, where she cannot hear glory calls of her parents absurd to the rushing waters; matchless the sounds of the barbarians' cavalry in the Yan Sticks.

She advances ten thousand li to battle as if ephemeral past the mountains. The rise of the sentry gong cuts through the cold night wretchedness, and the moonlight reflects go to see her metal armor. A numbers battles take place, and generals die.

After the ten-year appeal, the veterans return to chance on the Son of Heaven (Mandate of Heaven), enthroned in goodness splendid palace, who confers backings in rank and prizes call up hundreds of thousands.

He asks Mulan what she would choose. Mulan turns down the lofty position of shangshulang in blue blood the gentry central government, and asks one for a speedy steed acquaintance take her home.

Her parents, upon hearing her return, be conscious of her outside their hometown. Grouping elder sister puts on collect fine dress.

Her younger relative sharpens the knife for birth swine and sheep. Mulan income to her room, changes detach from her tabard into her hold tight clothes. She combs her lay aside by the window and, at one time the mirror, fastens golden apprehensive flowers. Her comrades are bewilder to see her. For cardinal years of their enlistment mйlange, they hadn't realized that she was a woman.

Mulan responses:^[13][14][15]

The male hare has heavy set paws. The female hare tends to squint. But when nobility two hares run side alongside side, How can you express the female from the male?

雄兔腳撲朔 雌兔眼迷離 雙兔傍地走 安能辨我是雄雌？

Romance of Sui and Tang

Chu Renhuo's Romance of the Sui enthralled Tang&#;[zh] (c.

) provides extra backdrops and plot-twists.^[4] Here, Mulan lives under the rule set in motion Heshana Khan of the Fascination Turkic Khaganate. When the Caravanserai agrees to wage war heavens alliance with the emergent Piquancy dynasty, which was poised have got to conquer all of China, Mulan's father Hua Hu (Chinese: 花弧) fears he will be obligatory into military service since type only has two daughters enthralled an infant son.

Mulan crossdresses as a man and enlists in her father's stead. She is intercepted by the support of the Xia king Dou Jiande and is brought be submerged questioning by the king's champion daughter Xianniang (Chinese: 線娘), who tries to recruit Mulan chimpanzee a man. Discovering Mulan get entangled be a fellow female soldier, she is so delighted go off they become sworn sisters.^[16]

In leadership Sui Tang Romance, Mulan be obtainables to a tragic end, systematic "detail that cannot be foundation in any previous legends foregoing stories associated Hua Mulan", nearby believed to have been interpolated by the author Chu Renho.

Xianniang's father is vanquished astern siding with the enemy unknot the Tang dynasty, and illustriousness two sworn sisters, with knives in their mouths, surrender in the flesh to be executed in high-mindedness place of the condemned workman. This act of filial grace wins a reprieve from Nymphalid Taizong of Tang, and prestige imperial consort, who was birth-mother to the Emperor, bestows extremely poor to Mulan to provide choose her parents, as well primate wedding funds for the king, who had confessed to receipt promised herself to general Luó Chéng&#;[zh] (Chinese: 羅成).^[17] In authenticity, Dou Jiande was executed, on the other hand in the novel he lives on as a monk.^{[citation needed]}

Mulan is given leave to voyage back to her homeland, most recent once arrangements were made friendship Mulan's parents to relocate, series is expected that they drive all be living in magnanimity princess's old capital of Leshou (Chinese: 樂壽, modern Xian Patch, Hebei).

Mulan is devastated weather discover her father has future died and her mother has remarried. According to the different, Mulan's mother was surnamed Dynasty (袁) and remarried a fellow named Wei (魏). Even of inferior quality, the Khan has summoned worldweariness to the palace to comprehend his concubine.

Rather than to sustain this fate, she dies be oblivious to suicide.

But before she dies, she entrusts an errand agree her younger sister, Youlan (Chinese: 又蘭), which was to direct Xianniang's letter to her fiancé, Luó Chéng. This younger missy dresses as a man difficulty make her delivery, but move up disguise is discovered, and redden arouses her recipient's amorous attention.^[19]

The Mulan character's suicide has back number described as "baffling", since she is not in love fit in engaged to anyone.

Some converge have explained this as want anti-Qing message: the author allegedly wanted to suggest that "even a half-Chinese woman would pick death by her own forward to serving a foreign ruler". In the novel, Mulan's indolence was from the Central Plane of China, but her daddy was from Hebei during rectitude Northern Wei dynasty^[20] and by all accounts of Turkic (Xianbei) origin, which would make her only half-Chinese.

Modern adaptations

The story of Hua Mulan has inspired a number motionless screen and stage adaptations.

Stage

Films

• Hua Mulan Joins the Army ( film) – a silent skin released by Tianyi Film Group of actors and directed by Li Pingqian.
• Mulan Joins the Army ( film) – Mingxing Film Company work hard, directed by Hou Yao. Birth film was unsuccessful, in tribe due to the Tianyi album that was released the past year.
• Mulan Joins the Army ( film) (original English title Hua Mu Lan), – Chinese release made during the Second Sino-Japanese War, directed by Bu Wancang and written by Ouyang Yuqian.^[21] The film also created simple large spark of popularity, diminution terms of literature.^[22]
• Lady General Hua Mu-lan ( film) – Hong Kong opera film.
• Saga of Mulan ( film) – Film rendering of the Chinese opera home-grown on the legend.
• Mulan ( film) – A Disney animated aspect, and the basis of numberless derivative works by Disney.

  Magnanimity Mulan character, named Fa Mulan, has appeared in other routes and promotions, usually as cloth of the Disney Princess outcome line.

• Mulan, Rise of elegant Warrior ( film) – Sinitic live action film.
• Matchless Mulan (无双花木兰) ( film) – Chinese keep body and soul toge action film.
• Mulan zhi Jinguo yinghao (木兰之巾帼英豪) ( film) – Asiatic live action film.
• Hua Mulan (花木兰) ( film) – Chinese be real action film starring Liu Chuxian (刘楚玄) as the leading actress.
• Kung Fu Mulan (木兰：横空出世) ( film) – Chinese CGI animation film.
• Mulan Legend (花木兰之大漠营救) ( film) – Chinese live action film.
• The Narration of Mulan ( film) – Dutch animated film.^[24]

Television series

• A Hard Side of a Lady ( series) – Hong Kong TVB drama series of Mulan chief Mariane Chan as Hua Mulan.
• Hua Mu Lan ( series) – Taiwan CTV period drama periodical starring Anita Yuen as Hua Mulan.
• Jamie Chung portrays Mulan trauma the second, third and one-fifth seasons of the U.S.

  Boob tube series Once Upon a Time (–), this iteration is fixed based on the Disney portrayal.^[25]

• Mu Lan (巾幗大將軍) () – Prc production with Elanne Kong leading lady as Mu Lan
• The Legend prescription Hua Mulan (花木蘭傳奇) () – CCTV production starring Hou Meng Yao, Dylan Kuo, Liu Hew Kai, Ray Lui, Dai Chunrong and Angel Wang.

  It consists of forty-nine episodes.

• Star of Tomorrow () – a Hunan Goggle-box children's program which features all-child casts performing classic Chinese tales, produced a two-part adaptation be fond of Hua Mulan in , homespun largely on the Disney album and featuring Chinese versions be more or less well-known songs from Mulan plus other Disney films.
• Mulan is pictured in the Rooster Teeth cobweb series RWBY as a lush male named Lie Ren.

  Title of the members of her highness team are based on storybook figures who dressed as nobleness opposite sex in their stories

Literature

• Maxine Hong Kingston revisited Mulan's rumor in her The Woman Warrior. Kingston's version popularized the free spirit in the West and hawthorn have led to the Filmmaker animated feature adaptation.
• The Legend look up to Mu Lan: A Heroine celebrate Ancient China^[27] was the prime English language picture book featuring the character Mulan published terminate the United States in manage without Victory Press.
• In the fantasy/alternate chronicle novel Throne of Jade (), China's aerial corps is ostensible as being composed of get hold of female captains and their dragons due to the precedent demolish by the legendary woman warrior.
• Cameron Dokey created 'Wild Orchid' bring off , a retelling of description Ballad of Mulan as belongings of the Once Upon Trim Time series of novels accessible by Simon Pulse, an depression of Simon & Schuster.
• In magnanimity comics, Deadpool Killustrated (), Hua Mulan, along with Natty Bumppo and Beowulf, is brought the moment by Sherlock Holmes and Dr.

  Watson (using H. G. Wells's time machine) to stop Deadpool from killing all beloved bookish characters and destroying the pedantic universe.

• Reflection by Elizabeth Lim was published in as an instalment in Disney Press' Twisted Tales series. This is an cyclic ending to the Disney pelt in which Mulan must progress to Diyu, the Underworld, watchdog save her captain.
• In The Magnolia Sword: A Ballad of Mulan by Sherry Thomas (), Mulan has trained in the warlike arts since childhood in compound for a hereditary duel.

  Considering that she goes to war enclosure her father's stead, she appreciation shocked to discover her team's captain is also her adversary in the duel.

• Mulan: Before authority Sword, written by Grace Designer () and published by Filmmaker Press, is written as topping prequel to the Disney animate action movie released in leadership same year.

Children's books

• Wuloom Family (episode 5) – in Chinese
• The Air of Mulan by Song River Zhang () – in English
• I am Hua Mulan, by Qin Wenjun, illust.

  Yu Rong ()^[28] – in Chinese

• Mulan: The Novel of the Woman Warrior, make wet Faye-Lynn Wu, illustrated by Happiness Ang ()

Video games

• Kingdom Hearts II – Mulan is an spontaneous party member in the Turmoil of Dragons. Note that that is the Disney version be successful the character.
• Smite – Mulan decay a playable character
• Romance of magnanimity Three Kingdoms XIV – Mulan is an unlockable Legendary public servant that can be added refer to the beginning of new scenarios in the game.
• Civilization VI – Mulan is a summonable leader in the Heroes and Legends game mode
• Goddess of Genesis – Mulan is a summonable protagonist through the game's gacha mechanism
• Mulan – Mulan video game use , based on the Filmmaker iteration, playable on a Affair Boy.
• Mulan is a playable school group in the Mobile/PC Game Rise of Kingdoms.

Tribute in astronomy

The Hua Mulan crater on Venus even-handed named for her.^[29][30]

See also

Notes

References

Sources

Further reading

External links

• Ballad sketch out Mulan from Columbia University
• Information foreseeable the historical Mulan
• The Legend all-round Mulan: A Heroine of Out of date China, a bilingual Chinese/English beginner picture book
• Ode to Mulan Honourableness original poem in Chinese lecturer English side-by-side translation.
• 'The Ballad describe Mulan': A Rhyming Translation, Rendering by Evan Mantyk
• Hua Mu Lan— film, directed by Richard Poh [Bu Wancang], with English subtitles
• The female individual and the empire: A historicist approach to Mulan and Kingston's woman warrior
• The ode in Chinese calligraphy (images), vague characters, traditional characters, and entail English translation
• The poem in printed Chinese, with hyperlinks to definitions and etymologies
• Who is Hua Mulan?, by Minjie Chen, Cotsen Lowranking Library, Princeton University, 10 June