Feminist Disney, About the Mulan ask you got earlier; while I am certainly no expert in Chinese history, I am a Chinese history major and am doing my senior thesis on Mulan (though a Chinese film from 1939, not the Disney!) and I do want to point out that I have yet to find a Chinese version of Mulan where there was any sort of threat of death because of her cross dressing. She always goes back home and changes back into a woman and everyone is surprised/admiring, not angry. So it is interesting that Disney
About the Mulan ask you got earlier; while I am certainly no expert in Chinese history, I am a Chinese history major and am doing my senior thesis on Mulan (though a Chinese film from 1939, not the Disney!) and I do want to point out that I have yet to find a Chinese version of Mulan where there was any sort of threat of death because of her cross dressing. She always goes back home and changes back into a woman and everyone is surprised/admiring, not angry. So it is interesting that Disney
sportula

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(ugh word limits) decided to add that aspect in. And I think it is problematic to position Mulan as someone who is transcending the patriarchy, as that is not usually the meaning behind the Chinese versions. (I say usually only because I have not seen any of the really recent Chinese Mulans yet, and modern-day movies are obviously going to be different than imperial operas or 1930s films.)

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FD: Agree to all this!

Posted 1 year ago
6 notes
  1. feministdisney posted this