Mulan ("magnolia") is a legendary character in Chinese literature who is best known in the modern day from the Disney filmed adaptations (1998, 2020 CE).
Created by author Robert D. San Souci, Mulan is based on the legendary Chinese warrior Hua Mulan from the poem the Ballad of Mulan, making her the first Disney Princess not to be based on a fairytale or folktale but rather a legend.
Based on the Chinese legend of Hua Mulan, the film was directed by Barry Cook and Tony Bancroft (in their feature directorial debuts) and produced by Pam Coats, from a screenplay by Rita Hsiao, Chris Sanders, Philip LaZebnik, and the writing team of Raymond Singer and Eugenia Bostwick-Singer, and a story by Robert D.
Mulan's name is included in Yan Xiyuan's One Hundred Beauties, which describes a number of women from Chinese folklore. It is still unclear whether Mulan was a historical person or just a legend, as her name does not appear in Exemplary Women, a collection of biographies of women who lived during Northern Wei dynasty.
Mulan is a young girl in ancient China. When the Huns start attacking the country, the Emperor orders one member of every family to join the Chinese Army and defend the country. The one member must be a man, but in Mulan's family, the only male is her injured father.
Young actress Rosalie Chiang lends her voice to Mei Lee, a 13-year-old who suddenly “poofs” into a giant red panda when she gets too excited (which is practically ALWAYS).
“Fa” is just the Cantonese pronunciation of Mulan's family name, which is pronounced “Hua” in Mandarin Chinese. So all Disney did was just revert to the Mandarin pronunciation of Mulan's name for the live-action remake.
The story of Mulan comes from an ancient Chinese poem called the Ballad of Mulan, which is set in the Northern Wei Dynasty, between 386 to 534 AD. At the time of the Northern Wei era, the Hun people – or Xiongnu people – would often invade the northern parts of Han China, tour company China Highlights says.
Disney's classic 'Mulan' flopped in China because audiences didn't think the heroine looked Chinese enough. Although Mulan is the only Disney Princess of East Asian descent, the original Mulan cartoon was a massive flop in China.
Moana references Polynesian mythology all throughout the movie, specifically with the character Maui. Although Maui isn't a perfect portrayal of the original legends (and the legends vary across islands), the Disney version does incorporate some familiar, favorite Polynesian stories.
Pocahontas is the only Disney princess who is based on a real person, rather than a mythical figure. Born on the land that is now known as Virginia, the real Pocahontas was the daughter of Powhatan, the powerful leader of an alliance of local tribes.
While some claim Jasmine is Arab because the movie opens with a song called Arabian Nights, others believe that the architecture in Agrabah is clearly based on the Taj Mahal, making Jasmine Indian. It's a debate that has fueled speculation that in Hollywood, Indians and Arabs are interchangeable.
Moana as she appears in Moana (2016). Inspired by Polynesian mythology, Moana is depicted as the strong-willed daughter of a chief of a Polynesian village, who is chosen by the ocean itself to reunite a mystical relic with the goddess Te Fiti.
Mulan is a fictional folk heroine from the Northern and Southern dynasties era (4th to 6th century AD) of Chinese history. According to the legend, Mulan takes her aged father's place in the conscription for the army by disguising herself as a man.
However, many people forgot one important fact. Mulan is based on a real Chinese legend! The inspiration for Disney's Mulan is taken from the legendry warrior Hua Mulan and her story in the “Ballad of Mulan”.
The film also drew ire for filming in Xinjiang, a region of China where Uighur Muslims have been detained in mass internment camps. The film has also been accused of being too white behind the camera.
"Hua" is the correct Mandarin pronunciation, and means "flower." "Hua Ping" (Mulan's fake name) means "flower vase" or just "vase." In China, an effeminate man is often called a "flower vase" or "flowerpot."
Princess Eilonwy has been nicknamed by fans as the "Forgotten Disney Princess" because of her little-known status and the fact she is not an "official" Disney Princess, despite being a princess by birth, like Kida Nedakh from Atlantis: The Lost Empire.
Amneris is a character from Disney Theatrical Productions adaptation of Aida. She is the Princess, later Pharaoh of Egypt, daughter of the Pharaoh and fiancé of Radames. She serves as the tritagonist of the musical.
