The male runs quickly, while the female often keeps her eyes shut.IHE Lab Overview (Francois Macary) File:LAB Paris Opening FM.pdf Most people tell the gender of a rabbit by its movement: “But we never suspected that Mulan was a woman!” “We traveled together for twelve years,” (they say), I sit in front of the window as I comb my long flowing hairĪnd look into the mirror as I apply makeup He sharpens his knife to slaughter a pig and a lamb.Īnd sit on the bed of my western chamber. When Little Brother hears that his sister has returned, She stands in the doorway wearing a beautiful dress When Elder Sister hears of Mulan’s return, They welcome her at the entrance to the town. Her parents hear that their daughter has returned, I only ask for a camel that can travel a thousand li I have no need to be promoted to a prominent position He unrolls the scroll of merit a dozen times The general dead after a hundred battles, The winter sun shines brightly on her coat of steel. She flew over mountains and through mountain passes Only the cries of the enemy cavalry in the Yàn hills. Only the rushing waters of the Yellow River.Īnd reaches reach Black Mountain before dusk. She buys a fine steed at the east market Īnd camps beside the Yellow River before dusk.įrom far away, she cannot hear the sounds of her parents calling for her I will take my father’s place in battle.” My father has no son old enough to take his place, Last night I saw the conscription notice, Mulan sits in the doorway in front of her loom. English Paraphraseįor an English translation, please see Wikisource or Asia for Educators. Because no one historical account has emerged as the authoritative record of her life, the majority of modern historians have decided to reject all of these so-called historical documents and conclude that the authenticity of Mulan’s story cannot be verified. Each historian offers a different set of details about her family, the time in which she lived, and the enemy against whom she fought. The historical documents which insist that Mulan was a real person propose contradictory accounts of her life. Nevertheless, the arguments that cast doubt upon the historicity of Mulan’s story are weighty. During the Ming Dynasty, a number of historians became increasingly interested in Mulan’s story (see The Legend of Mulan During the Ming Dynasty). A memorial dedicated to Mulan during the Yuan dynasty explicitly mentions the Ballad of Mulan and cites it as a historical document. Previously, the story of Mulan was assumed to be a real historical event. After all, those who supported the patriarchy would have praised a woman for sacrificing everything to save her father.Īlthough most modern historians assume that the Ballad of Mulan is a work of fiction, it was not until recent times that the historicity of Mulan began to be questioned. However, not all experts are in agreement. Some scholars have argued that this final line stands in stark contrast against China’s patriarchal culture, thus supporting the notion that the Ballad of Mulan was written during an era when Confucian values temporarily lost their sway over Chinese thought. The Ballad concludes by commenting, “When a pair of rabbits run side by side, who can distinguish male from female?” Upon returning, she is offered a prominent position but turns it down her only request is that she be sent home to her family.Īfter Mulan is reunited with her parents and she has resumed her feminine appearance, her comrades are shocked to discover that she is a woman-for the twelve years that they fought together, none of them had suspected anything. Because Mulan has no elder brother, she is resolved to take her father’s place. The version that was finally put into writing begins with Mulan sitting in front of her loom, weeping over the fact that her father has just received his conscription orders. This copy of the Ballad was penned by Song dynasty calligrapher Mi Fu in 1094 AD (Public domain). But as an anonymous and undated work, very little can be said about it with certainty. The Balad most likely began as oral tradition, and was passed down for over a century until it was finally preserved in written form during the Tang dynasty. Most likely composed during the era of Northern Wei (around 400 AD), this one poem ended up inspiring countless retellings for centuries to come. The Ballad of Mulan is the oldest known version of Mulan’s story. Northern Wei (386–534 AD) The Ballad of Mulan (木蘭辭)
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