Spoiler Alert.

It's not Li Xiang.

Would you like to stay for dinner?

Would you like to stay forever?

Most of us know.

Move on from the 1998 Disney animated feature.

But was the character based on a historical figure, or was she totally made up?

The woman called Who Are Milan, became famous through a tale called The Ballad of Milan.

She was a Chinese warrior during the Northern and Southern dynasties that dates way back to the fifth and sixth century, sometime between the years for 20 and 5 89 Since the tale of Mulan is so ancient, we can't be certain about her origins. 00:00:58.600 --> 00:01:4.030 It is possible that she really did exist in real life, but it's mainly thought that Mulan story is fictional. 00:01:4.090 --> 00:01:7.560 Either way, her tail became an important part of Chinese folklore. 00:01:7.630 --> 00:01:22.200 And there are some important differences between that original tale and the Disney movie We all know my father cannot fight, so I will take his place in the 1998 animation.

Mullan is an only child.

She talks about having a little brother, but that turns out to be her dog in the original poem, Who All Milan has an actual human brother.

He can't serve in the army in place of their father, however, because he is too young.

The stories do have the important plot line in common that the men are being asked to defend China, and Mullan's dad is too old and sickly to serve in the Chinese army.

But there's an important difference between the Disney version and the original in the car to Mullan's family.

Members do not want her to take her father's place, however, In the ballad Mullan takes her father's place in the Army with her parent's blessing. 00:01:56.370 --> 00:02:0.990 She even leaves for the battlefield carrying a sword that she inherited from her ancestors. 00:02:1.020 --> 00:02:3.670 That's a major difference between the two renditions. 00:02:3.740 --> 00:02:11.610 The Disney movie plays a lot on what Mullan's father thinks the daughter should do and how a young woman Kenbrell, honor or dishonor to her family.

That's not the only major difference, either.

But I know my place.

It is time you learned yours in the Disney animation.

Mullan has no idea what she's doing when she joins the Army.

Sure, she's a fast learner and soon becomes the best recruit in the training camp.

She impresses Li Xiang by reaching the top of the pole and learning combat skills, but she certainly starts off green.

That's what we would expect of the character, given that she's been trained to be a good wife and nothing else.

However, in the original tale, Mullan was already a good fighter when she joined the Army.

In fact, she'd been trained in various combat skills.

These include archery, martial arts and sword fighting. 00:02:54.710 --> 00:03:0.350 She was such a successful fighter, in fact, that Mulan was promoted to general after 10 years on the battlefield. 00:03:0.430 --> 00:03:4.290 She was offered an official post but wanted to go back to her family instead. 00:03:5.230 --> 00:03:7.320 Con, Let's go home.

First up there's Mullan's family in this 16 95 version, Move on has sisters and no brother.

In fact, she has a baby son That's a pretty big plot change.

She still takes her father's place in the Army, but she's not the only woman who was fighting in the war.

The king has another daughter called Chang Yang, and she is also a warrior.

Xiang Yang is very pleased to have another female warrior along cider.

The pair become loud Tom.

This is a relationship in Chinese culture, where two women are bonded together for eternity.

Is kindred sisters.

Interestingly, in Disney's 2020 live action remake of Move On, she has a sister in.

There is also another female warrior called Yang Yang or Chang Lang.

But these two women aren't allowed Tong quite the opposite.

Really. 00:03:59.240 --> 00:04:8.640 I knew there was something wrong with you in the 1998 animation. 00:04:8.710 --> 00:04:10.310 Shan Yu is Mullan's enemy.

He's the leader of the Hunt's who are invading China.

But in the 2020 live action remake Bori Khan is the invader, and he's the main villain alongside Chang Yang, who is described as a sorceress or a witch.

She can transform herself into an eagle that bird connection gifts or something in common with Shan Yu.

But Ching Yang most certainly isn't a kindred sister of Mullan's like she is in the 16 95 version of the tale.

Rather than refer to the Huns, the trailer for this new movie refers to Northern invaders.

This is much more.

In keeping with the original move on legend.

In this ancient tale, the Chinese army is sent to protect the country against invaders from the nomadic Ron Cagney.

It's thought that boring Khan could belong to this cabin eight.

And that would mean the 2020 version of the story is a closer retelling of the actual legend than the 1998 animation. 00:04:59.040 --> 00:05:1.340 Every family must contribute. 00:05:1.350 --> 00:05:10.260 One man to Fight in the 1998 animated movie, Mullan has three animal sidekicks.

There's Mu Shu the Dragon and There's Creaky, the cricket and there's Con the Horse.

Unsurprisingly, in the original tale about Mulan, there are no talking dragon friends, and in the 2020 remake, there is no Mu Shu.

That's another reason why film critics are claiming that this new version is aiming to be more authentic to the original Chinese poem The Ballad of Mulan and also more authentic to Chinese culture in general.

But in the original tale, there was a horse in that animal played a rather symbolic part.

When the emperor wants to reward move on after another heroic triumph.

All she asks for is the horse, and that's because she wants to ride home to her family.

Her identity as a woman has been revealed, and she's ready to be with her father again.

This masquerading as a man, is a key plot point that appears in all versions of Mullan's tail.

Ping did steal.

Yes, my name is Ping. 00:05:59.700 --> 00:06:8.650 Let me see your conscription Notice all the tales of Mulan agree that she goes undercover as a man to serve in the army. 00:06:8.700 --> 00:06:13.680 She takes the place of her father, who is too old and frail toe fight for China, the names she takes on.

Very, though she's Ping in Disney's 1998 version and who, Ah, June in the 2020 remake.

In addition how her true identity is revealed, plus our fellow soldiers reaction to the revelation that she's really a woman, also very in the different tellings.

In the original tales, Mullan chooses a traditionally female clothing.

As she goes on to the battlefield.

She wants her fellow soldiers to realize her true identity as a woman, and the soldiers react with respect and admiration.

They're impressed by her bravery, bracing wisdom, and she inspires them to win the difficult battle.

In the 1998 animation, however, it's when Mulan is injured that her true identity is accidentally uncover.

Lee Xiang is disgusted, and Mulan has to work hard to regain the respect of her fellow soldiers.

You said you trust pain. 00:07:0.440 --> 00:07:1.270 Why is move on? 00:07:1.270 --> 00:07:10.380 Any difference to go back to our original questions could move on, really have existed.

It might sound far fetched for there to have been a woman undercover and the Chinese army thousands of years ago.

However, we can't dismiss the possibility that she did exist historically, after all, elite women and female warriors didn't d play a role in agent Chinese military history during China's Warring States period, which took place a few 100 years before Christ, the chief military commander trained 180 court women to assert military and political influence in the surrounding states, and Princess Ping Yang raised the troops to help her father seize the throne.

He became the emperor Ga Zoo, and he established the Tang dynasty.

With his daughter support, she became the only woman of that period to receive the honor of a military funeral. 00:07:58.600 --> 00:08:3.270 In the 1998 Disney version of the story, Mullan returns home victorious. 00:08:3.280 --> 00:08:9.200 She's brought honor to her family, Her father welcomes her with open arms, and Li Shang follows her back. 00:08:9.210 --> 00:08:12.470 We see in the sequel that the couple get their happily ever after.

But what about the original tale and the variations that follow?

While it's not quite such a happy ending, many versions end with Mullan returning home to discover that her father has passed away.

Instead of feeling like a hero, she feels like she lost the person she loved most in the world.

The folk tale versions of Mullan's history also depict her as being haunted by her experiences on the battlefield.

In the most negative of all, the tellings move on feels so lonely and misunderstood.

She takes her own life in the 16 95 Sway Tang romance version.

Mullan isn't a victorious army general being rewarded by the emperor.

The king is actually taken down and move on, along with the king's daughter, Xiang Yang, surrender.

They offer up their lives in place of the condemned men. 00:08:56.690 --> 00:09:4.230 They are spared, however, and the emperor's mother gives Mulan money for her parents again, though her father has passed away in her absence. 00:09:4.370 --> 00:09:7.040 In this version, her mother has remarried. 00:09:7.170 --> 00:09:11.410 Mullan is ordered to become a concubine, so she takes her own life.

We want to finish on a positive note, and that means zooming in on Mullan's love life.

In Disney's 1998 animation, Captain Li Xiang and Mulan fall in love.

They form a close bond when she's posing as the male soldier ping, and it turns into romance at the end.

In the original tale, however, Mullan falls in love with an officer called Jin Young.

The legend says that when Jin Young learns that Mulan's a woman, he becomes more attached to her.

In many versions of the tail, they both dream about getting married.

What about the 2020 remake?

There's no Li Xiang.

We're sorry to say the matchmakers found you an auspicious match.

It is decided. 00:09:55.610 --> 00:10:0.150 Mullan does have a love interest, however, but this time around he's called Chen Hong Week. 00:10:0.230 --> 00:10:12.820 Rather than falling for her captain, Mullan develops a relationship with a fellow recruit Shen Hong Hui has been described as ambitious and competitive with moolah on, and he falls in love with Milan after he discovers she's a woman.

And that's a wrap on the true story behind Mulan.

Do you think this a fierce warrior existed for real?

Tell us your theories in the comments section.

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