How Did Mulan's Dad Become A War Hero? | Mulan Theory: Discovering Disney
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 19 ก.ย. 2016
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Although Mulan did cross dress for the majority of her military campaign, she was able to protect China and match the success of the great soldier Fa Zhou who is her father. What happened to him? How did he gain the honor and recognition that is even recognized by the Royal Advisor. Hello I’m Ben from Wotso Videos where we discuss fun topics for fun people and today we are discovering the story of Fa Zhou’s time as a Chinese soldier.
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I do not own the rights to Mulan or any of the branding associated to the franchise. Discovering Disney is meant for educational purposes which does not take away from the original works, but instead helps build understanding on the cinematic universe.
"Shan yu" isn't a name, it was a title used by Xiungnu (hun) warlords.
So one of Disney's most sadistic villains' actual name is a mystery...
Wow I never knew that. I really did believe that was his name. Thanks for watching!
lol Shaun Yu :P
Shanyu indicates that the "Huns" were Xiongnu. There's a relatively popular but unproven theory that the Huns were descendants of the Xiongnu that fled Westwards after the Han Dynasty devastated and destroyed the Xiongnu confederation.
Various adaptations of the original ballad indicates Mulan lived during the Northern Wei Dynasty, but the Disney version seems to indicate it was sometime during the Han Dynasty, during the Han-Xiongnu Wars, considering that the movie seems to indicate China was still a single united nation rather than several competing Chinese kingdoms.
Given how Shang's father seems to command a relatively powerful cavalry force, and that the art resembles the "Gansu Flying Horse" which are Ferghana Horses, this puts the Disney version after the first century BCE when Emperor Wu of Han ordered the invasion of DaYuan in order to acquire these horses, and before the end of the first century CE when the hostile Xiongnu state was completely eradicated.
Since you brought up Da Yuan, could we discuss how Da Yuan means "Great Ionia." Was it an Alexandrian successor state?
Yes. I've seen that name brought up in lyrics of 'i'll make a man out of you' (Chinese Mandarin lyrics) Chinse translates it to 'Time does not show mercy, Xiongnu is almost here'. So that shows something is right there. in english, closest we can translate 'Xiongnu' is 'Shan yu'! Gotcha, +sam rizzardi
As crazy as it may sound his injury that causes his limp could be a torn ACL. I myself learned a lot when I tore my ACL a while back. My surgeon told me that I don't need my ACL to run or walk but as soon as I pivot like in a game of basketball, the knee not operated on will give out. We can see mulans dad practicing movements in that prayer room and when he turns he falls. Maybe he pivoted and the knee gave out. It's a very likely idea since they didn't exactly have the technology to repair ligaments during that time.
The original story of Mulan, her father was just an old man, she had a younger brother who was just a child.
It also takes about 12 years till Mulan is discovered to be a woman.
Mitchell New actually it was 10 years
Mitchell New yeah...but she was good with a bow and arrow though...I read that she was good at it...idk tho
Mitchell New And she gets death penalty and dies, right?
+AMA not sure if i remember right, but i think that in the original story, she was offered as a sex slave, but committed suicide out of protest
very mad guy Ah yes that was it. I knew that she died in the original story but i wasn't sure if it was death penalty or suicide
"No. Your great-granddaughter had to be a crossdresser!"
Oh my God that still gets me to this day LOL
Well Shan Yu is a title for warlords, i think her dad is actually just a good warrior surviving countless battles, which is where Mulan got her bravery
Yeah but being a good warrior alone doesn't make you famous...
Here's a problem though: China never encountered the Huns. The Huns were a confederation of nomadic steppe tribes that invaded Europe and had ransacked the divided Roman Empire in the late 4th/early-to-mid 5th centuries. Plus, the Xiongnu (a nomadic confederation who are hypothetically ancestors of the Huns) were likely wiped out by the time period you describe. Though it may be likely that what are called "The Huns" in the movie may actually be another nomadic tribe, it is more likely that Disney simply did not do as much research as they should have.
Then you face another problem in the second movie, wherein the Emperor states that China is about to be invaded by the Mongols. If we are to believe that the Huns are in fact the Xiongnu, then this would mean that 1000 years have passed between Mulan and Mulan II, between the final war against and the exodus of the Xiongnu (who threatened China in the late 2nd/early 3rd centuries) and the Mongol Invasions under Temujin (Genghis Khan) in the late 12th/early 13th centuries.
While gunpowder would have been weaponized by the time the Mongols invaded, during the time of the Xiongnu, gunpowder wouldn't even be invented for another 700 years. And it wouldn't be weaponized for up to another 300 years after that. What is more confusing is that they appear to be using Ming Dynasty cannons, which would not come until after the fall of the Yuan Dynasty (the Mongols) in the 14th century. The Ming was at its height during the early-to-mid 15th century, and by that time the Mongols were already long overthrown.
But yeah, while Disney's Pocahontas got history totally wrong, Mulan and Mulan II just got history downright confusing.
Woah
Patrick Kain Aww all my Chinese history exam memories.. Thanks for brining the pain back XD but yeah you're right
Well, whoever created these movies don't know about Chinese history and the invention of gunpowder. They should do research.
Yeah fact comes in second place when it comes to writing FICTION (one would think that this is obvious). However, I do think that these Huns were indeed the ancestors or maybe cousins of the European Huns. The Huns are a people, not just an army, and having their army destroyed doesn't automatically mean that their people has gone extinct. The Northern Huns traveled to Europe and settled down while the Southern Huns after being defeated in war slowly integrated with the other populations in China.
I kinda felt like this movie wasn't accurate in history terms because:-I read enough history books to know that the Huns never went near China, were focused on Europe, particular the two Roman Empires.-Unless everyone in the movie can live for long periods of time, theres no way they can be around for the Huns and the Mongols. -The Mongols won that fight anyway, breaching and taking China.
I think he used to be an adventurer like Mulan... then he took an arrow to the knee
Iniya Malaikani
Its a reference to skyrim
Jon Moberg that skyrim reference xD
That's Rough buddy
Jon Moberg i
Before Lu Bu went to bed at night, he checked his closet for Fa Zhou
Hitokiri Battousai does this mean Mulan could be in the next dynasty warriors game?
who are the ancestors. who were they before they died thats what i wanna know
like most legends it is adapted over time to new leaders when they take an area. Disney is Known for not even trying to be historically accurate. Espeshaly when Mulan was made.
The movie does specifically state that they are in the "middle Kingdom". Which could be an allegory or someone on the research team was just dumb and didn't understand that it would not have been called the Middle kingdom back then as every emperor thinks their dynasty will be eternal. these labels are added later by historians and something this generalized definitely came from the mind of someone in what we would consider western culture.
the legend of Mulan is to china what the legend of King Arthur is to Europeans. If they ever existed no one will really know for sure. as such stories are told as Morality tails not really for historical accuracy.
"Middle Kingdom" is just the English translation of "Zhongguo", the Chinese name for China. It doesn't refer to any particular era or dynasty of Chinese history. All dynasties referred to their country as the Middle Kingdom.
Stephen Wells interesting
I don't think "Zhongguo 中国" was a term at that time, but I'm pretty sure that the term "Zhongyuan 中原" was around since long before the Sui Dynasty, and this term can also be roughly translated to "Middle Kingdom"
The reason they called China "The Middle Kingdom" was because it was virtually impossible to get to. You had mountains to the west, a desert to the north, and the ocean to the east. Therefore, the Chinese thought it they were in the center of middle of the world
"By building his wall, he challenged my strength." So it's during or shortly after the Great Wall's construction.
I can't believe I never even thought about what his history could be. Thank you for filling in the blanks aha :)
No problem! I try to fill in the blanks with movies. Thanks for watching!
You should make a video about what may have led to Mushu's demotion from guardian to gong-ringer.
Great idea! I have wondered that as well. Thanks for watching!
Wotso Videos it's explained in the movie lol he was suppose to guide one of the men through war and bring him back home alive but the man died ((decapitated I presume as his head is shown in his hand)) so he was demoted because he failed his mission
It's not explained. I literally just watched it and they just say he led a soldier to disaster and show his ghost.
Why did they remove mulans brother ? I wonder if anybody read the original story. And watched the movie that when mulan says little brother they thought it was her literal brother until to realize it was her dog
I can't believe I never researched this, it certainly sounds believable enough.
Thanks! I felt there had to be an explanation somewhere because they alluded to it a few times. Thanks for watching!
There is actually several examples of a 'Mulan' type of heroine in Chinese past where a woman dressed as a man and fought for her countries and families. Like many Disney movies based off old stories/fables/myths or true history, Mulan's movie was full of liberties taken to make a good movie for family and children. This movie is one of the ones that had lots of good historical refs that made it an instant classical that still warms our hearts. It was a compilation of the many stories of a heroine who forsake herself to defend the area she lived in, her family, her country and other type of things.
Hey, That's a pretty neat and seemingly mostly accurate Theory, Wotso! Love it. describes why in the beginning, scenes like where mulan blocks Fa Zu from the conscriptions happened or why that one ancestor said "She's discovered F zu will be forever shamed, Traditional values will disentegrte etc.
Contrary to what Disney depicted the Original Mulan was already trained in martial arts and military tactics by her own father even before joining the army. She is courageous, honored and no one batted an eyelash upon learning that she was a woman. Everyone easily accepted her and her sexuality. Also she returned to weaving textiles after defeating the Huns and married her neighbor who is a civil servant and she actually had a crush on since childhood.
In fact, in the later parts of the story she was hired by a warrior princess who later made her a sworn sister.
Its good to know that I have my Asian ancestors watching over me and guiding me to always do my best to eat and pick out the best food
My Dad used to say: "never question a fairy tale" :-)
But I like your theory - it sounds nice and plausible :-)
Gorguryeo is actually pronounced Go-gu-lyuh. Love your vids by the way!
I really wish Disney makes a prequel: Honorable Fa Zhou. The final shot: Fa Zhou coming home to a 5 year old Mulan who doesn't remember/ recognize her dad, shy and hiding behind Fa Li until Zhou offers her a doll, in the background the sun sets as the camera zooms out from the lovely family. IDK might just be too much to ask lol
Wow this was so well researched and detailed. I love history and this felt like a quick exciting history lesson. Definitely will look at Mulan's father differently now. One of my favorite Wotso videos yet. Hey Ben, where you at?
Ben recorded that video and then hasn't wanted to record one since. Oh well! Happy you enjoyed the video! Thanks for watching!
Too bad, he has a nice voice. Glad he's part of the Watso Videos family/team. You're welcome. Glad to watch. I try to watch the older videos whenever I can.
I just realized this... Shang sent Mulan home because she wasn't fit for war (or tried to). So she never had to take her father's place. He was hurt and walked with a cane, he probably would have been sent up after a few days or training
*Mind Blown* If they didn't like Ping they could have just sent him to the front lines, but instead they sent "him" home. Great point. Thanks for watching!
Autumn Peacock
He wouldn't have been through training. Just him walking so slow without his cane would have been a dead giveaway
But it would have sent shame down on their family I think for someone to get sent home
...I JUST noticed that one of the spirits at the end was doing the hand jive....
I thought this was a dfrient guy and awesome video ya how does li sang and skinny guy know him awesome video
Mulan, like Pochahontus, has characters based on real people that tell a story of through song and dance. Now that's at history lesson.
Mr. Prince, some interesting stuff here. Good stoof, good stoof.
Who is Mr. Prince
Obviously Ben. This week's person narrator guy.
Thank you!
Can you do a video explaining who Tamatoa was before he was a crab?
I really obsessed with isaac`s videos
Great to hear! I'm happy you're enjoying them! Thanks for watching!
I think it could have been, and if you haven't already done it, I would like to see a video on why the heck the ancestors don't like Mushu
The man at the beginning of the film on the wall was fashu
Could you a backstory video about Captain Li Shang please?
How did mister Fa Zhu, Mulan's father become a war hero? By serving in the Imperial Armed Forces in wartime.
Next case. ^^
Thanks for this.
Shan Yu*
Shawn Yu is a Hong Kong actor XD
Mulan takes place during the early years of the Ming Dynasty (gunpowder and fireworks weren't perfected until the fall of the yuan dynasty shortly before the Ming came to power)
Just to let you know, Goguryeo wasn't called by that name when during that time. "Go" means "old" in that word. The country was called Guryeo during the period, but since there's another country called Guryeo (Romanized Goryeo according to wiki but same name) during the 12th century, people just calls the old Guryeo "old guryeo" so it's called Goguryeo.
This is an interesting theory, that the war Mulan's dad had fought for was the Korea-Sui War. I feel like the Disney animators didnt really try to portray a very specific time of thr Chinese history in Mulan, though.
I know they definitely didn't. Trying to decide on a time period was really hard, but this one made the most sense. Thanks for watching!
My man Ben...I lost all my music and my flip folder. Should I just switch to color guard? lol
I thought "sui" is pronounced like swey and not swee? According to Mandarin and Cantonese dialects
Was Isaac not part of WotsoVideos in 2016??
Um that's a scroll not a clipboard
The emperor in the film was intended to be Qin Shi Huang, meaning that it is likely that he fought on the side of the Qin during the late Warring States Period.
well those rockets could have one off near him and some of it could have gotten lodged in him possibly in his leg disabling him due to their poor mess at the time
It's a fictional dynasty.
That is another possibility for sure! Thanks for watching.
You're welcome. :)
FilmmakeroftheFuture I like that idea.
:D great vid
Personally I want to know what your take is on Mushu and the other guardian animals
I need that ****ing sauce Morty, that's what drives me, I have to have that szechwan dipping sauce
good job on the reaearch on this, but you really should have learned pernunsiatuons and looked over your sentence structures before recording. keep working and you will get it.
Tara Redinger maybe before you rake people for pronunciations, you should work on spelling so your words can be pronounced right.
Dafuq is a pernunsiatuon? A disease or something?
Could you do the full story of Charles muntz
1:42 how did he say his name?
It is a very amazing video :)
Thanks for the support and thanks for watching!
I'd like to read more about the protests in China against the war in Korea.
Milan takes place in the han dynasty I have Disney merch that says Han Dynasty The tale of Mulan and also you never even took into account mulan 2 so the empire couldn’t have shifted empowers that quickly
Awesome
The Korean kingdom of Goguryeo is pronounced “Goh-Kory-Oh”
The Sui were the aggressors of the war and Goguryeo were just defending their territory.
I thought the movie was supposed to have taken place in maybe the 500s AD in China. Because "Sleeping Beauty" takes place in the 14th Century in France.
Iam sure "Sleeping Beauty " take place in Austria or Germany not France
" Beauty and Beast " and " The Hunchback of Notre Dame are from France
The musics you use on the back are annoying :( Sometimes I can't concentrate on what you are saying...
In the beginning of the video who heard bigbstatz opening theme
You used the intro of bigb in the back ground
Fa Zhu's medical problem seems to have more to do with his back than either of his legs.
It's Goguryeo
GO-GOO-REE-OH
the goryeo... lmao WANG SO!
I am so happy to see that comment you don't even know lol
UglyIowan XD moon lovers is amazing *-*actually my fave was wang jung all the drama lol
Rai OH MY GOD YES!!!!!! SOMEONE ELSE UNDERSTANDS!!!! lol don't get me wrong love so and soo together but Jung totally deserved her more. so much second lead syndrome for that man lol
UglyIowan he was a true prince ;^; it breaks my heart... hoping for a second season
Rai so ready for a second season, or at least a movie that wraps everything up lol
if you stop and think about it...during training Mulan's father's disability would have been noticed and he most likely would have been sent home...which did happen at that time period...so really Mulan joining to save her father from having to fight is pointless...it makes much more sense that she joined to seek her father's approval after the whole bridal training disaster.
This isn't really a theory it's more of just putting together little hints
that pronunciation of Goguryeo though....not hard to look up the pronunciation.
Mulan can't spit XD
probably
arrow to the knee
4:07 where did they find all those white horses
Selective Breeding.
Fergana in Ubekistan.
Emperor Wu of Han ordered his army to acquire Fergana Horses, which were a superior breed to the native horses in the Chinese plains, in order to breed a cavalry that can compete with the hardy and effective Xiongnu Horsemen in around 100 BCE.
The Xiongnu Shanyu at the time tried to stop the Chinese from acquiring these horses but were defeated.
Why did Mulan go back to retrieve the arrow during the "Be A Man" montage? She could've gone home, right?
That would mean bringing dishonour to her family and ancestors, a big no-no in ancient China.
She already had dishonored her family and wanted to prove herself. If she was sent home from war, it would only be another act of dishonor on the family.
I just thought he was the man at the start of the movie but ok
we are fun people
That's for sure.
"SHAN Yu", not "SHAWN Yu". LOL.
The movie takes place in the 500s.
NO WAY
Please Mulan is about as date-consistent as Archer.
I am Korean and studied Korean history. Goguryeo was our ancestors, and we call the nation 'Go Gu Ryeo' especially,ryeo at the same time! I hope you know the correct pronunciation. Thank you
You pronounced gorguryeo wrong. Oh well
was it true the emperor would recruit one man from every family? The answer is NO
To many peoples' surprise, there was very few PROFESSIONAL soldiers in China until the mid-Tang dynasty. Soldiers were part-time farmers recruited from "military families"(军户). The government would give them farmland, and they had the privilege that tax was exempted or very low rate, no labor duty (otherwise you go to build the great wall). They underwent military training whenever there was not too much farm work. Of course, there is no free lunch. The price is that you have to fight for your country if there is war. This part-time farmer part-time soldier system (府兵制) can guarantee that military force was controlled by the central government since they controlled the farmland.
This system started to decline and finally collapse in the mid-Tang dynasty. The reasons are complicated and can take hours. Emperors and the central government allowed local officials to recruit their own army. Therefore, these soldiers would follow their boss, not the emperor. That's how An Lushan rebel started.
Goguryeo, why are you calling it gorguyo.
Mind blown
I'm glad I blew your mind! Thanks for watching!
why are you depressed
Mulan is da best
Weren't men in the old days forced to be warriors and were just as unfair to them as to women who weren't allowed to be warriors as well?
doesn't he grab his side tho?
I mean he falls to his knees and grabs his side crying out in pain
I'm 3:41i belive he grabbed his side after dropping his weapon
The narration was so void of any interest/emotion that it negates the information present as it just sounded like any adult in the Charlie Brown universe. With due respect to anyone who has to record themselves, I know it's tough, but when you are a TH-camr one should be more personable, even if only in narrative.
Sounds reasonable.
Happy you think so! Thanks for watching!
Wotso Videos np. keep up the good work.
awsome
Thank you very much. You are very awesome yourself. Thanks for watching!
Shan tu is Chinese trump
except he's Mongolian not Chinese
cool
I'm happy you enjoyed! Thanks for watching!
Does Mulan have a sister?
In the latin spanish dub they said "Fa Su? THE warrior??" so I always assumed that her father was well known a war hero
If I create a movie inspired by Mulan, it would take place in Colorado in the 500s and all the human characters will be the Native Americans, also called the American Indians.
sui is pronounce sway
What happened to your voice
It Shang yu
He could've served in the Han army during the yellow turban rebellion.
I'm unfamiliar with this conflict. I'll look into it. Thanks for your thoughts! Thanks for watching!
Wotso Videos it was in a time before the war of the three kingdoms, before Jin and northern Wei. During the fall of the Han
I don't think that he is a war hero... 🤔 but never thought about that. Maybe he was very important in war so he get this big house and maybe Fasu get a message about Mulan what he couldn't anserwer because Mulan is a girl...not a boy.
But I don't think about it. Fasu was for me super dad because when I would come back to my parents after war I'm sure I would become 10.000 years house arrest. 😅.
Fa Zhou, it’s F A Z H O U!
Answer*