Disney’s Mulan: 5 Things In The Movie That Were Historically Accurate (& 5 That Were Not)

One of the biggest complaints about Disney’s animated Mulan is the fact that it is not entirely historically accurate. There are several discrepancies about the past that teach children the wrong message about this culture. Fortunately, the entire movie didn’t miss its mark, as it intermixes these falsities with real facts.

It can be hard to distinguish what is fact or fiction within the film, but a bit of research can uncover the truth. Mulan deserves to be remembered in a way that honors Chinese culture and doesn’t stray off its path into territory that blurs the lines between true and false.

10 Fact: It Is Believed They Fought The Huns

Historians believe that the Huns were responsible for invading this region during the time this story was set, according to China Highlights. They lived to the north, in the Rouran State, although Shan Yu was not a real character. However, this group of nomadic people was one of the main reasons why fans love to watch this movie on Disney Plus.

9 Fiction: Chinese Dragons Breathe Fire

Chinese dragons do not breathe fire, even though Mushu does in the film several times, albeit a small flame. They were also said to live in bodies of water, according to China Highlights, which is another fact that this movie missed in its creation. Mushu might be the best Disney sidekick, but he is far from being seen as a real Chinese dragon due to his lifestyle.

8 Fact: Her Name Is Mulan

The film is based on a real Chinese ballad called Ballad of Mulan, and it depicts a girl who leaves her home to join the Imperial army in her father’s place. It has been retold several times over the years, and the ballad itself left plenty of room for interpretation. It dates all the way back to 386–581 AD and no one knows if there is any truth behind the story, or if it comes from a place of fiction.

7 Fiction: It Is Set In The Han Dynasty

The ballad is set back in the Han Dynasty, but the film doesn’t follow this logic as tea and rockets were not created until later. Tea drinking wasn’t common practice until the Tang Dynasty, which isn’t what is portrayed at the beginning of the film when Mulan receives a makeover.

Rockets were also not used in combat until the 12th century, so Mulan wouldn’t have able to defeat Shan Yu with them at the end of the film. These are just a few hidden details that most fans don’t notice about the film unless they have studied Chinese history.

6 Fact: Piety And Loyalty Are Important Chinese Values

Piety and loyalty are two things that Mulan strived for in the film, as she sought to bring honor to her family. She wanted to support her father by allowing him to stay home, rather than die on a battlefield where he had no business being. It was shown time and time again throughout the movie, especially during the sad reunion with her father when she returned home with gifts to win back his favor.

5 Fiction: Her Secret Is Discovered

Mulan was exposed at the camp after she received a wound that required medical care, and Li Shang was told that she was a woman. However, in the ballad, she reveals her secret on her own terms after she returns home and invites all of her war buddies to visit. They are shocked that they spent their time serving together in the army for 12 years and never uncovered the truth, which only proves that she is the strongest princess.

4 Fact: Crickets Are Considered Lucky In Chinese Culture

Crickets are in fact symbols of luck in Chinese culture, and they were even kept in golden cages like they are in the film. It is one of the things that fans should know about the movie as it adds to the realism of the setting.

However, it is still a bit false as the cages didn’t begin to exist until the Tang Dynasty. Fans also doubt that this cricket would have survived for as long as it did, although that is part of the joy that makes up classic Disney movies.

3 Fiction: Mulan Had To Disguise Herself

The ballad states that Mulan had to disguise herself, however, there is some historical evidence that she didn’t actually have to do this at all. There is some evidence that shows women warriors have existed in China since the time her story was created, which mutes the point that she would have to pretend to be a man at all. This would have put a damper on a few of the movie’s famous songs, so it’s probably better that Disney decided to stay true to the ballad rather than history itself.

2 Fact: She Was Expected To Fill A Domestic Role

Mulan was all set to be married off to a nice man as she was dressed in traditional garb and made to play the part of a wife. This was true of China as even in the ballad she went home following the war to become a weaver. It does relate to one of her best quotes in the film, as well as the culture in which this film is set which adds to the realism of it all in the eyes of viewers.

1 Fiction: Her Feet Were Not Bound

A traditional fact of Chinese culture was that women would bind their feet. It would make it so their feet would fit into smaller shoes and was a common practice during the Han Dynasty. Disney never shows this practice, although it is assumed in the ballad that she unbound her feet before heading off on her journey into the heat of battle.

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