The Ballad of Mulan is a poem by an anonymous woman (?) poet in the Northern Dynasties (420-589 A.D.) in China and was collected in the Song (960-1279 A.D.) anthology of lyrics, songs and poems Yuefu.

The Northen Dynasties in China were characterized by fighting among different nomadic tribes in North China and their invasion, dominance and rule over indigenous Chinese Han people. The poem tells the story of Mulan, the legendary heroine, who went into the draft of the Khan in his father's place, fought the invaders courageously, and returned home triumphant. Her comrades did not know the warrior was a woman for all their years on the battlefield, and were totally shocked when back at her village, she finally appeared in her lady's clothes and looks.

The Ballad of Mulan has been popular for generations in China, and has inspired many a Chinese girl as they come of age. Maxine Hong Kingston, the acclaimed Chinese-American writer, mentioned the Mulan poem in her book The Warrior Woman: Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts (1977).

There is no clue as to whether Mulan is surnamed Fa, or Zhu or Mu itself, although most stories and drama based on the poem ascribed Fa (Flower) as her surname. After all, Mulan is not a true historical figure. Now here's the poem in Chinese (one of these days I'll get to recite it), and if you don't read Chinese, an English translation is available here.

Walt Disney is making a new feature based on the Mulan poem. Go visit The Legend of Mulan FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) to get more background info and the latest production news. Or read up what the Mulan fans have to say already about this yet-to-be-released movie.

Questions, comments in my Message Book.

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