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Last week saw the release of Disney’s latest live-action remake featuring Mulan, which is now screened in theaters in the UAE.
For the first time in a major Disney blockbuster, the film has been available on the Disney + streaming service at the same time as its global theatrical release, as theaters in major markets, including the United States, are still closed. due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
The film is one of Disney’s most anticipated live-action remakes, set to become one of the biggest blockbusters of 2020.
Mulan’s story was made popular in the late 1990s thanks to Disney’s animated version, which featured voice work by Ming-Na Wen, Eddie Murphy, Miguel Ferrer, and BD Wong in the English version, while that Jackie Chan provided the voice of Captain Li. Shang for the Chinese dubbing of the film.
The film tells the story of a young woman who enlists in the Chinese army to protect her sick father, hiding her true identity from her fellow soldiers by pretending to be a man.
Unlike the Disney version of the story, in the ‘Ballad of Mulan’, it is only after she returns home to her family that her fellow soldiers discover her true identity as a woman.
While Disney may have introduced a generation to the beloved character, and is about to do so again, the legend of Mulan has been told for centuries.
Where does the legend of Mulan come from?
The history of Mulan dates back to the Northern Wei dynasty during the period between 386 and 535 AD. The first written record of the warrior can be found in a Chinese folk song, recorded in a book of ballads. Mulan, which means ‘magnolia flower’ in Chinese, was one of the 392 Chinese characters that appear in the book.
During this time period, it was common for the northern Han region of China to be frequently invaded by the Hun (Xiongnu) people along the northern border. Most of the battles took place between Black Mountain and Mount Yanran.
“According to Chinese historical documents, a real war occurred between the northern state of Wei and a Mongolian state called Rouran,” says tourism provider China Highlights. “In 429, the emperor (khan) of northern Wei led an army to fight Rouran, which according to the Ballad of mulan lasted 12 years. “
The folk tale says that Mulan remained a warrior within the army for the full 12 years of the war, excelling in her position thanks to the sword skills and martial arts that she had previously been taught. Unlike the Disney version of the story, in the Ballad of Mulan, Only after she returns home to her family, having turned down all offers of recognition for her role in victory, do her fellow soldiers learn of her true identity as a woman.
According to China Highlights, the story began to gain traction in China centuries later, during the Tang Dynasty, between AD 618 and AD 907, when it was widely re-told as a common folk tale.
The tale was first brought to life centuries later by the playwright Xi Wei, who wrote a play based on popular history. The 16th century production, titled The heroine Mulan goes to war instead of her father, It was acted in two parts, and was the first of many adaptations of the story in the centuries that followed, including books, plays, and of course culminating in the latest Disney blockbuster.
Mulan’s legacy
While there is no clear answer as to whether Mulan was a real person or a fictional character, her influence in China and the world has been pivotal. In China, Mulan has become synonymous with heroines and her story is a family tale told to encourage girls to be brave.
In Hubei, generally accepted as the hometown of Mulan, there is a commemorative statue dedicated to the warrior, which has long been a draw for fans of history.
When Disney’s original animated version of Mulan premiered in 1998, it grossed $ 304 million (Dh1.1 billion) at the box office and quickly earned a spot as one of his most popular films.
Early reviews of the 2020 live-action remake have been positive, however, given the times it will be released, it remains to be seen if it will emulate the success of the original.
Updated: September 6, 2020 04:11 pm
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