Mulan DODO
Chinese Culture Brought to Life The story of Disney princess, Mulan, is based on a Chinese fairy
tale or folk tale that is more than 2000 years old. Disney's
Mulan is the first Chinese story upon which Disney Studios based a full
length animated film. Little girls all over the world can identify with
Mulan's sense of independence and love for her family.
China's Inspiration Disney's artistic supervisors for
Mulan needed to learn as
much as possible about China, the people, and its culture in order to
create the most authentic film possible. To do this, they spent three
weeks in China where they took photographs, made sketches, and saw
firsthand the beautiful countryside, famous landmarks, and enjoyed
Chinese culture. Those three weeks paid off in spades as the details
like clothing and food are perfectly authentic in Disney's
Mulan. To further emphasize the Chinese influence in the film, Disney
Studio artists used a Chinese style of art in their drawing called
‘sing'. This artistic style focused a great deal on what is called
empty, or negative, space. The drawings, or positive space, was full of
intricate detail meant to balance the negative spaces. This emphasis on
balance, an equal amount of attention given to the spaces between the
drawings as well as the drawings themselves, is very much Chinese. This
philosophy or focus in China is symbolized in the yin and yang symbol,
or male and female balance. Mulan herself is a symbol of that balance,
too, as she is female posing as a male.
More Firsts Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida is the proud home of
Disney Feature Animation studio. When visitors enter MGM, one of the
parks that make up Walt Disney World Resort, they can take a tour of the
animation facilities and watch as Disney animators and artists work on
the latest cartoon animated feature. Disney's
Mulan was the first
of all of Disney's features to be produced almost completely at the
Disney Feature Animation studio.
What A Princess Wants Early Disney princesses seemed almost entirely focused upon getting
married or falling in love. Not so with Mulan! Her focus in the
beginning of the film is her father and saving her family. Next, she is
more concerned with becoming a strong soldier than anything else. Not
until her father is safe and she has mastered the skills necessary to be
a great soldier does she let her mind wander to love.
Parents Are Important In the Chinese culture, there is a great deal of emphasis placed
on respecting the older people in society. This begins at home, with
children respecting their parents. Mulan loves her father so much that
she risks her life in war as well as getting caught for impersonating a
male in the army, an act that is illegal in China!
What began as a way of saving her father, became something so much
more. Mulan discovered how strong she was and how she could do anything
she put her mind to, with enough practice and perseverance. When Mulan's
around, no one takes a girl's ability to take on the world for granted!