One of the most memorable moments in Disney's animated classic Mulan is when the titular character cuts her long dark hair so she can take her ill father's place in the Chinese Army.
The hair-cutting scene is a powerful fan-favourite moment that sees Mulan deciding to take her father's place in the imperial army by pretending to be a man in order to save his life. Mulan cuts her hair, which many fans see as her shedding her feminimity and taking on a more masculine look.
Mulan does not cut her hair
The original film had a memorable scene in which Mulan goes to the way by pilfering her father's armour and sword and hacks off her hair to disguise herself as a man. The live-action version does not have that scene. She still has long hair, it is just tied up.
The issue was that Mulan was partially filmed in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region, in close proximity to detention camps for Uighur Muslims, and Disney gave credit to “publicity department of CPC Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomy Region Committee” among other entities.
Saddest: Mulan Leaves For War
Having a family member summoned to war isn't easy, but given that Mulan's father is older and injured, her family is hit particularly hard by the call.
Disney has not issued a formal statement or apology on the matter, and has told creatives involved in “Mulan” to steer clear of the subject. In the Thursday tweet in which he publicized the letter, Conservative member of parliament Duncan Smith called Bailey's reply “very weak and full of platitudes.”
An early cut of the film featured a romantic scene in which Mulan shared a kiss with her love interest, Chen Honghui. But the production team eventually deleted the scene after reviewing the movie with Chinese audiences and local executives, the film's director Niki Caro told the press.
Mulan (traditional Chinese: 木蘭; simplified Chinese: 木兰) 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.
The 2020 remake of Mulan highlights the power of being true to yourself, with Mulan only finding her inner strength when she embraces herself as a powerful woman, once she has done this she transcends to the top of the mountain surpassing her male-counterparts with ease.
Whether we interpret Mulan as a gender-bending feminist or someone who is gender-fluid, her acceptance of her identity is core to her story arc. And the message is clear: Embrace your own identity. Defy what society expects. Present your true self to the world.
Mulan disguises herself as a man in order to enlist in the imperial army in place of her father. The costume Yifei wore for this, created by the film's costume designer, Bina Daigeler, clearly did the job well. "I felt like I am a man because I fit in so well.
Mulan chooses to reveal herself
In the animation, Mulan is injured in battle after saving Li Shang. When the doctor checks her over it becomes clear she's a woman.
In the animated movie, a pivotal scene sees Mulan slashing her hair off with a sword so she can pass for a man when she joins the army to protect her father from conscription. In the 2020 version of the film, she stands tall and proud, long hair blowing in the wind.
At the beginning of Niki Caro's remake of Mulan, Mulan's father Zhou (Tzi Ma) tells her that she must “hide [her] gift away.” He means Mulan's chi, her life force, which is particularly strong but which, in Chinese society, is only useful to warriors—and thus to men.
'The cutting of My long hair' is a story that showcases the discrimination faced by the Indians in the western world. The story describes how an Indian girl was forced to wear western dresses and cut her hair by her school authorities in order to make her look like an American student.
Even though Mulan sacrifices herself by leaving for war and disguising herself as a man, the repercussions of her actions if caught prior to winning the war could still be great—it could lead to an execution and bring dishonor to her family name.
The ballad begins with Mulan at her loom, weaving. But she's sad and preoccupied, and her sighing overwhelms the sound of the loom. Mulan's elderly father is being called away to war, and he has no son to go in his place.
Mulan's character is well-illustrated as a woman who has power and a strong mind. It proves that she is a feminist who doesn't want to take for granted what women are supposed to be in her society. Mulan is the representation of most women who take serious action in fighting for women's equality.
Mulan is based on a Chinese folk story originating from the Ballad of Mulan, which was created during the Northern Wei Dynasty (386–534). The real story of Mulan was similar to the Disney version, telling of a brave daughter who replaced her aging father to fight in the army and served valiantly for her country.
Li Shang Jr., better known as Li'l Shang, is the son of Fa Mulan and Li Shang and the older brother of Lonnie.
Snow White is only 14 years old, making her the youngest. Jasmine, who is supposed to be 15, is the second youngest. Cinderella and Tiana are the oldest, both 19 years old.
Mulan was thought to be just 16 when she chopped off her hair and took her father's place in the army, and Shang was 19.
Prior to Reed's justification for the removal of Li Shang, many fans had expressed disappointment with the news, as many believed Li Shang was a member of the LGBTQ+ community, pointing out that he initially developed a bond with Mulan's male alter ego Ping. He later fell in love with Mulan as a woman.
Some time later, Mulan and Shang officially marry in Mulan's village, and Mushu accepts the loss of his position. However, Shang combines the family temples, enabling Mushu to continue being a guardian spirit. While celebrating, Mushu accidentally reveals himself to Shang and Mulan.
The person she loves is revealed to be Aurora. Mulan is about to confess her feelings for her, but Aurora reveals that she is pregnant with Phillip's baby before Mulan can tell her.