This module has been designed to

accompany the film Mulan (1998).

Mulan is based on the 4th century

Chinese legend of a young girl
named Fa Mulan. When China is
invaded, Mulan’s father is asked to
go to war. Mulan fears that if he
becomes a soldier he will be killed.
To save him and to prove herself to
her family and community, she
disguises herself as a man to
become a soldier instead of her
father. Mulan tells the story of her
journey into war, which challenges
society’s expectations of women
from her community.

Mulan 1998:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DUI93O68uWFzZRcZg7Hynls8
NznvUxBi/view
 Worksheet 1: Background Information
Was Mulan a real person?
Mulan might have been a real person (there certainly have been real-life women warriors in
Chinese history), but nobody knows exactly which region she came from and when she lived.
The Great Wall
The Great Wall of China was built in the 2nd century BCE. The first emperor of China
ordered the Wall's construction. Unfortunately, the Great Wall cost a lot and it took huge
numbers of forced laborers to build it, so it was a very unpopular project.
Huns
The Huns were a group of tribes who managed to conquer much of Europe and Asia between
the 4th and 8th centuries. Through a combination of advanced weaponry, high mobility and
effective battlefield tactics, they achieved many military victories.

Characters in the Film

Fa Mulan is a young
woman who prefers riding Li Shang is a handsome
her horse to a more and brave soldier. He is
traditional female role. the son of General Li.

Chen Po, Yao and

Ling are soldiers.
They become
Mulan’s friends.

Fa Zhou is Mulan’s Fa Li, Mulan’s

father. He was injured mother, and
fighting for the Grandmother Fa The Emperor of China
Emperor in the past. want Mulan to find is a wise, kind man.
a good husband.

Mushu is a small
fire dragon. He is Shan Yu is the leader of
one of Mulan’s the Huns. The Huns
family guardians. want to conquer China.

Chi Fu is the Emperor’s counsellor. Cri-kee is a cricket, who brings good luck.

Student’s Worksheet
 Plot Summary

Fa Mulan is getting ready to meet the matchmaker – the woman who arranges who she can
marry. If she gets a good husband, she will bring honor to her family. Unfortunately, Mulan
accidentally sets fire to the matchmaker, who gets very angry.

The Huns, led by the evil Shan Yu, invade China. Each family must send one man to be a
soldier. Fa Zhou, although old and injured, is the only man in his family. Mulan decides to
go instead. She disguises herself as a man and joins the army. She knows that if others
discover that she is a woman, she will be killed.

Mulan’s First Ancestor wants to send an ancestor to protect and help her. He asks Mushu, a
small dragon, to awaken the “Great Stone Dragon.” Unfortunately, Mushu accidentally
destroys this Dragon. He decides to go protect Mulan himself.

Mulan joins the army and trains to become a soldier with a group led by Captain Li Shang,
the son of General Li. The men finish their training, but Chi Fu, the Emperor's counsellor,
refuses to let them go to battle. He believes that they are not prepared to go to war. Mushu
writes a fake letter from the General, however, ordering Li Shang to take his men to battle.
When they arrive at the battlefield, they find that General Li and his men have been killed.

Captain Li Shang and his troops are attacked by the Hun army. As the Huns come down the
mountain, Mulan takes the cannon and fires the rocket at a mountain of snow, which causes
an avalanche. The Huns are buried under the snow. Mulan rescues Captain Li from being
buried by the snow, but is injured. Li Shang calls a doctor as Mulan faints. The doctor
discovers that she is a woman. Although the punishment for her actions is death, Captain Li
decides not to kill her, as she saved his life the day before. He expels her from the army, and
she decides to return home, saddened by her failure.

As she prepares to leave, she discovers that the Huns are still alive. She goes to the Palace
and tries to warn Captain Li's army as they are celebrating their believed victory, but they
don’t listen to her. The Huns kidnap the Emperor.

Captain Li Shang and his troops try to follow the Huns into the palace but are unsuccessful.
Mulan thinks of a plan. She and some of the soldiers disguise themselves as concubines and
sneak into the palace. The Huns are distracted by the “women,” and Mulan and her friends
save the Emperor. Captain Li and Mulan are still in the palace, fighting Shan Yu. Shan Yu is
about kill Captain Li when Mulan again saves him.

The Emperor bows to Mulan, an extremely high honor. The Emperor then offers Mulan a job
in the palace, but Mulan politely refuses the offer because she wants to return to her family.

Mulan’s family is pleased to see her come back. Captain Shang also arrives to visit Mulan.
She invites him to stay for dinner.