Jul

Legendary Fighting Women: Mulan

Made famous by the Disney movie Mulan, Hua Mulan is the hero of a chinese ballad called The Song of Mulan, dating from around 5 C.E. (A.D.). The ballad [English translation] opens with Mulan weaving as she worries about her father who’s been called to military duty by the Khan. He is too old to serve, but has no grown son to serve in his stead.

Mulan buys horse, saddle, bridle, and whip (the items required for military service), dresses in man’s clothes and rides to the army’s encampment to take her father’s place. After serving for twelve years, she returns to the Khan, who offers her a promotion, then asks what she desires. Mulan says that she has no desire to become a minister and asks only for a swift mount to take her back home.

Upon returning home, Mulan removes her military clothes and puts back on women’s clothes, fixes her hair and puts on make up. She then goes out the door to meet her military comrades, who had no idea Mulan was a woman. As the closing lines of the ballad state:

Two hares running side by side close to the ground,
How can they tell if I am he or she?
–from The Ballad of Mulan

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Stories about Mulan reappear through out China’s history with many different images of her set in various time periods:

The earliest days of the Han Dynasty. Here her name is Wei Mulan. This Mulan died in battle and was given the title “Xiaolie” (filial piety and heroism).
The Sui Dynasty. Here she is also named Wei Mulan. In this account her bravery is so noted, the Emperor Sui Yang promotes her to general. After the war, the emperor offers her a high position and salary, but she refuses, returns to her home and redons women’s clothing. Upon hearing this, the Emperor wants her for his concubine and when she refuses, he forces her. She commits suicide, at which point the Emperor grieves and gives her the title Xiaolie posthumously.
The early days of the Tang Dynasty. Here her name is Zhu Mulan. Her father is ill, so Mulan dresses as a man and at the age of 14, enlists in the army to fight the Turks who’ve invaded China’s borders. In this version, the Emperor, Tang Tai-Zong offers to promote her to general, but she refuses politely and returns to her hometown. He gives her the title “Wuzhao-General” and the royal surname “Li”. This version has a tragic ending where a court sorcerer fortells that a woman with the surname “Wu” will come to rule the Li royal family. Some courtier take advantage of this, convince Tai-Zong that Mulan is the said woman and he summons her. Mulan, in her cleverness, discovers the reason for the summons, writes a memorial to the Emperor and commits suicide to prove her innocence.
Later in the Tang Dynasty. Here, her name is Ren Mulan and she is born into a wealthy family. To defend her homeland from rebel forces, she spends her family’s money to organize an army to defend her hometown. She dresses in armor and leads her army to battle, defeating them.
The Ming Dynasty. Here her name is Hua Mulan, though other sources name her Fa Mulan and this seems to be when the surname “Hua” becomes attached to her story. Dramatist Xu Wei writes an opera based on the Mulan tales which proved very popular and she becomes a figure in many operas. Also during this time, her legend is developed into a novel.

It’s possible that at least some of these stories contain historical fact, but Mulan’s power doesn’t lie in her historical existence. She reminds us that any one of us — male or female — have the power to take up arms and defend what we believe in. Women, as well as men, can fight equally well, particularly when it comes to protecting their home and family.