Reading this drawn-out folk ballad, it's both easy and difficult to see how it became the basis for the 1998 Disney film Mulan (I feel old; Disney's Mulan is 21 years old, same as I am, as of right now). While the song here provides a bare-bones basis of the plot of a Chinese woman disguised as a man to fill her father's role in the army, The Ballad of Mulan is somewhat more dry than readers may expect, and relies more on comparisons, wise quotes and metaphors to build up the story. While the film adaptation has often been cited as both a testament to feminism and a love story, this version seems to be more or less exactly what it is, no more or less - a folk song. Its meanings, if any, could be debated at length, I'm sure. Nevertheless, it's still a great story, and the language and imagery is definitely impressive. It would be interesting to see an adaptation which followed this version more closely someday.

The Ballad of Mulan (English and Chinese Edition)

According to legend, there was a young woman named Mulan whose aged and frail father was conscripted. Mulan, unwilling to see her father fighting in a war, disguises herself as a man and joins the army in his place. For the next ten years she shows remarkable skill as a warrior and becomes a famous general. Her true identity remains hidden from her comrades until the very end. Now, over fifteen centuries later, Mulan continues to be an inspiration to Chinese girls and women. She embodies the belief that woman—if given the opportunity—are capable of accomplishing the same feats as men.

Mulan disguises herself as a man to take her father's place in the army, becoming a celebrated warrior.

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