9. Hua Mulan
The classic animated Disney film “Mulan” is based on an ancient Chinese ballad that has existed since at least the fifth century. The story is centered on when China is invaded, and a girl named Mulan joins the army in place of her elderly father. She is afraid her father is too frail to fight in battle.
Mulan starts from the bottom when she enlists and fights for more than 10 years. She had excelled in kung fu, sword fighting, and archery. The legend says that Mulan was offered an official post, but all she wants is a camel to get back to her family. When she puts on traditional female clothing, her fellow soldiers realize she had been a woman this whole time.
Readers and audiences have been fascinated with the legend of Mulan for centuries. The story has been retold in many fashions over the years, including in plays, operas, and films. The first onscreen version of “Mulan” dates back to 1927.
The Disney animated film “Mulan” brought the story of Mulan to the forefront of popular culture. A sequel “Mulan II” came out in 2004, and a live-action film starring Liu Yifei as Mulan will be released in 2020.
