1998
Mulan
Disney
Animation
A young woman takes her father's place in the army and becomes a hero of China.
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an ancient Chinese legend
About · Hua Mu Lan
One legend.
Many stories.
The Ballad of Mulan
Long before she appeared on screen, Mulan was the heroine of a Chinese folk poem, The Ballad of Mulan, written around the 5th–6th century. When the emperor calls one man from every family to war, Mulan disguises herself as a soldier and takes her elderly father's place.
She fights for twelve years without anyone discovering her secret, then refuses every honour to return home to her family. Her courage and loyalty have been retold for centuries — in opera, books, animation and cinema.
This site follows that journey: from the ancient ballad to the four films that gave Mulan new faces.
A woman. A war. A legend.
The adaptations
The many faces of Mulan
2004
Mulan 2
Disney
Animation
Mulan and Shang escort three princesses on a new mission across the empire.
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2009
Mulan:
Mulan:
Rise of a Warrior
China
Live action
A Chinese epic that brings the legend back to its historical roots.
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2020
Mulan
Disney
Live action
A live-action retelling: Mulan learns to embrace her chi and her true self.
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Mulan in images
Explore the characters, worlds and moments that shaped the legend
The legacy
One legend.
Still evolving.
From an ancient ballad to animation and live action, Mulan continues to inspire new interpretations.