How People See Chinese - Mulan

In "Mulan" 1 & 2, we can clearly see how disney makes people think about Chinese and how people think about us:


1. Superstitious

Again why am I here? Disney created me based on Hua Mulan, but they changed lots of details of course. In the story, there are something that Hua doesn't have obviously:

-Supernatural stuffs - ancestors talking and planning to protect me
-Mushu
-The Stone Dragon
-Cri-Kee
-Khan (and Khan means the Emperor at that time but not a name of a horse)

They think, in their own mind that Chinese are superstitious, they think we worship Gods, we beg in front of God and our dead ancestors to give us help.

Well first of all you can't apply one concept to everyone in China! The time period set for "Mulan" and "Mulan 2" is the Southern and Northern Dynasties and I am from the Northern Dynasty (you can see: the Huns) at that time, no one does worship any god or the Buddah, Buddhism was brought into China during the Sui and Tang dynasties. The Northern Dynasty is about right before Sui dynasty, no one in that time knows anything about worshiping Gods. What we only did was Confucianism. I have no clues about how superstitious really that Chinese are, we have our religion and Confucianism is our root, that is a completely different thing from superstitions!


2. Concept of the Story

a. Feminism

The story of Hua Mulan never emphasise feminism. Just only how I am being seen as a symbol of a feminist and this is what raised me a "Disney Princess". But the main idea that what Chinese is looking through in the story for Hua Mulan as a hero is not that.

As I said before the idea of Confucianism is very different from what people think Chinese is.

-Firstly, Hua Mulan for Chinese is seen as a character of
1. Humaneness (Rén 仁)
2. Righteousness/ Justice (Yì 义)
3. Filial piety (Xiào 孝)
in the themes of Confucianism

It is not like that because Hua is a woman and it makes her a feminist and this is what leads to equality or this is what she is famous for: actually taking the gender role of a man but a woman. Instead, we sees her as a Character and this is what it is so appreciable and respectful...

1. Humaneness: in Confucianism, this means love and loyalty. The reason that she is going to the war for her father is that 1. She loves her father and never wants to see him suffer 2. She put her family in the first place and also knowing the importance and the strong belonging of her family and this relates to the whole country (the country is formed because the families are formed)

2. Righteousness/ Justice: She actually knows what is the right thing to do and what she needs to achieve as a role of being a daughter and a part of the family.

3. Filial piety: This is actually commenting on how Hua loves her father and that her will of taking her father's place in the war and go for a fight because she doesn't want him to suffer.  


b. Marriage/ Romance

The story of Hua Mulan never mention any romantic relationships and her love. I have Shang and that's a part of my life as well. But this is what Disney didn't do about the Chinese culture. Even though love and relationship is part of your life but you never consider really the meaning behind: Individualism. What Chinese look for more is seeing yourself a part of your family more than that you are as an individual or as you yourself independently. If you are married, you are no longer belonging to your own family!

Arranged marriage for the girls (other Chinese princesses). Err...again...we are Northern Dynasty and in that period of time we were influenced by other cultures around that makes us actually more open-minded, marriages and love was more flexible actually. It is actually quite open minded at that time!


See what Orientalism has done to us and me! And is always what Disney makes people think of us! It is not that...well never mind! But really is how people see Chinese and how it makes Chinese sees Chinese ourselves. Yes even now lots of our people come and tell me Chinese are so superstitious, not open-minded and even the misunderstanding that Chinese is based on Buddhism...



The most honest words by,
Mulan Fa