The Origin and the Legend of Hua Mulan Essay

In China, the name Hua Mulan () has been connected with the term heroine for hundreds of years. Hua Mulan has become a symbol of heroic behavior. Her character has inspired many Chinese women to defy traditional gender roles.Throughout history, there have been many versions of the legend of Mulan. They all have a common storyline Mulans father has received an order to serve in the army. Due to his age and frailty, Mulan decided to disguise herself as a male and take his place. Mulan achieved a lot during battle and was soon promoted into a general because of her great military strategy. When the war was over, the emperor asked her what she would like as a reward. Mulan asked for nothing but to return home to her parents.The legendary character, Mulan, originated from a Chinese poem, the Ballad of Mulan (). It is one of the first poems in Chinese history to support female equality. In the poem, Mulan seems uninterested in chores and getting married. She is more worried about the draft which calls for a male in the family to serve the army. Near the end of the poem, it is said that Mulan went back to her female appearance and met up with those men she was fighting alongside with. They were shocked to find out that she was a woman. The last four lines quotes how it is impossible to tell the gender difference when they are running side by side close to the ground.This poem was first put into written form in the Musical Records of Old and New in the 6th century. However, the original work no longer exists. The story of Mulan has been passed down through many years in all different ways and forms. During the late Ming Dynasty, the story was expanded into a novel. And as time goes by, the story of Mulan became a popular folk tale among the Chinese people....

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